What Light Would Work For Me?

[wildside50]

http://www.target.com/6-LED-Work-Lig...20light&page=1

Its basically just an LED work light (such as you would use in a garage). Do you think this, behind a white sheet, would work in a bedroom for basic studio lighting? It certainly can't be worse than my current solution, which is a single floor lamp...

[CycleWriter]

That thing wouldn't light up a closet. It's designed for lighting up a desktop for writing or reading, not lighting a room.

[exte]

Think of it this way, did you spend $15 on your HV20? Then thereabouts you should spend for a proper lighting kit with all the trimmings...

[Halsu]

There are LED work lights that are indeed useful as video lights.

I have two cheap LED work lights (one bigger than the discussed one above, the other roughly same size, battery operated) which i use occasionally - not as key lights but as subtle fill / rim lights in situations otherwise lit with natural daylight.

No, they don't give out that much juice, and the color is hardly perfect, but one good thing is that while area from which the light emanates is relatively big, the beam is kinda narrow and spotlight like. The result is a softish light with decent directivity.

[wildside50]

I guess I didn't mean exactly that one, but I have used standard Hallogen work lights in the past and they are fine for what I need them for (I'm not shooting Citizen Cane here, just puppeteering videos meant for the web). The only problem is the massive amounts of heat. I'm not particularly worried about color temperature (for this application anyway), more limiting the cost of energy and heat output for my lighting.

I'm picturing an LED work light -- something relatively large, not a desk lamp. So if my example was poor, that isn't exactly what I meant, it was a quick find. More like something one would use in a garage while working on a vehicle or putting up drywall.

[wildside50]

Think of it this way, did you spend $15 on your HV20? Then thereabouts you should spend for a proper lighting kit with all the trimmings...

While I don't disagree in general with this statement, if I applied the logic to everythign one needs --

A 1,000 dollar audio setup
A 1,000 dollar lighting setup
A 1,000 dollar NLE
A 1,000 dollar lens/rig...

Pretty soon I can't shoot any video for 5 years until I save up for everything. I believe in something thats good enough for now, which is what I'm lookin' for til I can afford better.

I appreciate the input though.

[CycleWriter]

This post is a good example of what you get when you provide too little info. You asked about using this as "studio lighting." I responded on that basis. Now you say you want to illuminate some puppet shows. On that basis, a few of these might make excellent footlights for a puppet stage. Application is key, as is conveying your question appropriately.

[wildside50]

This post is a good example of what you get when you provide too little info. You asked about using this as "studio lighting." I responded on that basis. Now you say you want to illuminate some puppet shows. On that basis, a few of these might make excellent footlights for a puppet stage. Application is key, as is conveying your question appropriately.

You are right. I appologize.

[poopmonkey]

I've been searching around the forum and cannot answer my question. When I make films sometimes I shoot in a bit dark location and I was wondering what light would help just make that scene a bit brighter? Would I need an entire lighting kit or can I just purchase a single light? Lastly, how would I make the lights seem natural, is that done in post or during the recording of the shot?

[CycleWriter]

It depends. If you want to light the room, then a kit is best. If you want to light your subject, then an on-camera light will work. Either can be adjusted for light output with a simple dimmer switch or change of bulbs. No one solution is going to work for all situations. Only you can decide what works for yours.

[previdman]

Lastly, how would I make the lights seem natural, is that done in post or during the recording of the shot?

You can't fix poor lighting setup in post. Color, tint, gamma and other image balancing can be 'fixed' but is still limited to an extent by the original lighting quality.

Grab a good book on basic lighting and read it or do a search here. There are many good posts on maximizing lighting at minimal cost.

While you'll still have to decide what to use for each scene, at least you'll understand the basics of lighting.

Good luck.

[voodeux]

Grab a good book on basic lighting and read it or do a search here. There are many good posts on maximizing lighting at minimal cost.

What he said. Invest in a book before you waste money on a light.

[nick_j007]

Hi all.

I've been dipping in and out here for a while as I put together kit for an instructional DVD venture connected to my work.

The weather here in the UK has gone quite grey again despite it being summer, so I feel the light in my kitchen was below par for the desired effect.

I work in dog behaviour, and wish to take some footage of how to feed a dog with good manners etc in the kitchen area. No, not how it holds the knife and fork before somebody says it!!

Here's a link then back to a site I use, and I hope that someone would suggest a light from the list. Maybe something sub £100 will do? Probably the one lamp from the front to one side slightly. I have a window that will offer some natural light from the other side. Camera to talent distance of about 10 feet. Link here: http://www.warehouseexpress.com/cate...spx?cat03=3101 sort by cheapest first to see kit in my range.

Look forward to your suggestions.

Nick

[Erik Bien]

Hi Nick,

For your proposed use I would have no qualms using the first (and cheapest) on your list, although it looks as if you'd need to add a stand. Fluorescent light is naturally soft and these CFL bulbs (or bubbles, or globes, or lamps) are daylight balanced, so they should look good mixed with the natural light using the "outdoor" white balance setting or a custom WB. They run cool, are energy efficient, and becoming more common by the day.

I'd also be on the lookout for more and better bulbs: I'd say there's more than a little marketing hype involved in their claim that each 24W CFL is equivalent to 300W tungsten! But it looks as if larger specimens of similar design would probably squeeze in there together. Also consider picking up a set of tungsten-balanced CFLs (~3200K) when you need to mix your light with other "normal" tungsten indoor lighting.

One term to look for when CFL shopping is CRI: the higher the better. Personally I try not to settle for less than 90.

[CycleWriter]

Guys, I've merged some of the posts into this thread and made it a sticky. Lets keep general lighting questions like these to this one thread from now on. Thanks!

[nick_j007]

Many thanks Erik, you've been a constant helper to me as I post. Will look into all that
I'll be the best lit dog guy for miles

Nick

Hi Nick,

For your proposed use I would have no qualms using the first (and cheapest) on your list, although it looks as if you'd need to add a stand. Fluorescent light is naturally soft and these CFL bulbs (or bubbles, or globes, or lamps) are daylight balanced, so they should look good mixed with the natural light using the "outdoor" white balance setting or a custom WB. They run cool, are energy efficient, and becoming more common by the day.

I'd also be on the lookout for more and better bulbs: I'd say there's more than a little marketing hype involved in their claim that each 24W CFL is equivalent to 300W tungsten! But it looks as if larger specimens of similar design would probably squeeze in there together. Also consider picking up a set of tungsten-balanced CFLs (~3200K) when you need to mix your light with other "normal" tungsten indoor lighting.

One term to look for when CFL shopping is CRI: the higher the better. Personally I try not to settle for less than 90.

[nick_j007]

Just to be sure Erik, you mean this one? http://www.warehouseexpress.com/prod...aspx?sku=10043

Thanks.

[Erik Bien]

No worries, Nick, HTH.

Odd; when I followed your earlier link this is what came up first for me ...

I recently had the chance to use a couple of Day-Flos on a shoot (not exactly the same thing, but the same general idea) each fitted with four of their 80W CFLs and liked them pretty well.

I know in 220V/50Hz-land your options will probably differ from mine in 110V/60Hz country.

[nick_j007]

Ok, so both would do the job, which one would you choose in the end?

They're both a similar price. Looking at them, I guess the big silver one with the three lamps would give a softer light and may be more 'flattering'?

Thanks.

No worries, Nick, HTH.

Odd; when I followed your earlier link this is what came up first for me ...

I recently had the chance to use a couple of Day-Flos on a shoot (not exactly the same thing, but the same general idea) each fitted with four of their 80W CFLs and liked them pretty well.

I know in 220V/50Hz-land your options will probably differ from mine in 110V/60Hz country.

[nick_j007]

Ok, went for one of these in the end.

Should be ideal http://www.warehouseexpress.com/prod...px?sku=1011577

Thanks again
Nick

[Islandervideo]

Hello Lunch, first off, thanks for all of your openess with info.
More so on this forum than amongst the competition in Hawaii.
I suppose it's a courtesy, not to probe if you don't know the person well.

My question is your 20w on your HV20-is it enough?
How does it stack up matching your big rig canon XH A1 -3 chip?
Is the XH that much better in low light?

I took the HV20 out to 2-3 receptions. I didn't depend on
it as I'm still experimenting. I use an onboard 20w. and learned
at a low lit reception, it has it's limits -a bit too much grain.
I'm not running 24p or HD jus' yet. I'm inclined to set it
up next time much closer to a podium with a medium shot-
the wide angle will have areas of too much dark grain.


Final question: Like your Merlin? Did you feel it was
worth the investment?

Thanks!

[Lunchbox]

Thanks for your comment. But I am not sure what you talking about the competition in Hawaii or what person that is.

The twinlights set up works well. I like it so much because it uses the same BP-970 batteries and charger I use for XH-A1. It won't lit up the entire room but it's good enough to use it in dim ballroom. I also have a third VL-10 light mounted on XH-A1 so it's 30W all together.

HV30 can never match the output quality of XH-A1, but it is close in outdoor. Indoor - NO. When in low light, HV30 footage shows a yellow/brownish tint. So I need more light. It helps with the twinlights.

You have to lock gain using the photo button trick. Otherwise, the footage is grainy to a point becomes useless.

http://www.hv20.com/showthread.php?t=15622

You should always shoot in HD, capture and edit in HD. Then export in SD. That gives the highest possible quality of image.

I love the merlin. I still think it's way too expensive. But my clients are always impressed and people will be "wooooooooooooo" when I'm using the merlin. In other words, it worths the investment.

[coldheartproductions]

a pretty safe bet is three 1k lights(unless you light outside night scenes or big indoor scenes)....use gels, scrims and such to vary the light to make a fill or a softer backlight and key....I like hard lights....if your only doing interview type stuff the look into soft lighting kit.....www.coollights.biz seems to have good affordable lights just get better stands you can find them on bandhphoto...

[Erik Bien]

a pretty safe bet is three 1k lights(unless you light outside night scenes or big indoor scenes)...

Or unless you're trying to power your lighting rig off standard US household circuits: since current = power/voltage, each 1K instrument will require 1000w/100v = 9.09 amps. Since most household circuits are set up on 15 or 20 amp breakers, that means you will get one, or at best, two of your three lights plugged into the same circuit before you'll be hunting for the breaker panel with a flashlight!

Of course, in theory it's possible to plug each instrument into a separate circuit, but in practice this isn't usually all that easy to figure out: outlets in different rooms may share a common circuit, or everything will be working just fine until the compressor in the fridge you didn't realize was also on the same circuit kicks on and you're standing in the dark.

[NextWaveG]

I came up with this inexpensive lighting kit that really works great. Check out my blog posting for more details on how to build one yourself.

http://nextwaveg.blogspot.com/2008/0...t-for-122.html



Hope this is helpful.