What Light Would Work For Me?

[Michia]

I'm going to be filming some martial arts videos, and I need a light setup. I need the light to cover a very broad area...maybe 15-20 feet wide and at least 10 feet back...any ideas for a cheap setup for this? I was thinking about maybe trying 2 big construction lights, and then a white posterboard to reflect the light back onto the subject...

I also saw these, would these be powerful enough to light up a big scene?

http://cgi.ebay.com/800-W-STUDIO-VID...d=p4634.c0.m14

I've done a lot of reading, but most of the reccomendations seem to be for mainly close up shots...and mine will be people moving around and fighting etc so it will be hard to maintain a closeup.

[booggerg]

I've never seen a CFL bulb like that and it looks almost comical.. Anyone experienced with those things?

[Erik Bien]

I put together an almost-identical setup for quite a bit less by picking up one of these kits on ebay for $42 and replacing the included CFLs with 85 watters; stepping up to 105W globes would only be another five bucks per head.

Mine were used on Raw Meat as soft fill for the scenes between the boxer and trainer, in the opposite corner from the key which was provided by both of my CFL soft-boxes (we also had a couple of diffused LitePanels LED units near the camera).

[Michia]

Hmm...the scenes in Raw Meat came out great, although it looked a bit more like a boxing gym lighting than a professionally lit studio...Think if I was in a gym with average indoor fluorescent lighting, combined with that first kit and 105 watt bulbs I could achieve the bright and crisp look of professional video? I know its not the perfect solution...but I really want to make it look good, although its not a film, its an information product so I'm aiming for more of the clean cut perfect studio lighting look rather than a realistic lighting look

[Erik Bien]

The gym was equipped with overhead fluoros but, even though I had brought a roll of "Full Minus Green" gel with which we could've removed the icky "green spike" of standard Cool White fluorescents, we turned them off so as to have a bit more control. I would say the goal was to have the lighting feel realistic but not necessarily cinéma vérité unflatteringly ugly, which the straight-down greenish overhead fluoros mixed with the tiny bit of natural daylight coming from well behind camera would probably have given us.

[fishops]

Personally, I would buy as many halogen worklights as you can afford, a couple rolls of diffusion, a pack of clothespins and a roll of blackwrap. And I would also find a very clever gaffer who needed a sandwich.

[kenkyusha]

I'm going to be filming some martial arts videos, and I need a light setup. I need the light to cover a very broad area...maybe 15-20 feet wide and at least 10 feet back...any ideas for a cheap setup for this? I was thinking about maybe trying 2 big construction lights, and then a white posterboard to reflect the light back onto the subject...

I also saw these, would these be powerful enough to light up a big scene?

I just shot some stuff a couple of weeks ago with those (along the back wall, where the shooting rig was), and two small halogen worklights, one suspended as a hairlight and another for fill from one side... the results aren't pretty... not well color balanced, and as we lost natural light (the space is poorly hard lit to begin with*), it got murkier and murkier. It may be redeemable(ish) but I'm not feeling great about the night footage.

Be well,
Jigme
*for the actual tatami of roughly 24' x 28, there are 5 overhead single-bulb incandescent fixtures...

[Michia]

That worries me...theres a good bit of lighting in there...sounds like I might be better off just going with no lighting but the lights already installed in the place...

[fishops]

I wouldn't take one bad experience as gospel. We shot this on an HVX200 with halogen worklights. Everything except the stage was worklights only. Mildly NSFW.

[ame="http://www.vimeo.com/1876280"]Cockstar - Gene Dante & the Future Starlets on Vimeo[/ame]

[Michia]

I wouldn't take one bad experience as gospel. We shot this on an HVX200 with halogen worklights. Everything except the stage was worklights only. Mildly NSFW.

Cockstar - Gene Dante & the Future Starlets on Vimeo

Any specifics on the setup you used? Number of halogens, wattage, diffusion etc. Anything at all would be much appreciated

[kenkyusha]

I wouldn't take one bad experience as gospel. We shot this on an HVX200 with halogen worklights.

My similar application to Michia's was poor because of a couple of factors (mostly, a case of the stupids on my part for not providing a second fill @ ground level opposite the one we did place to balance the scene...). We've shot in the same space with some halogen worklights on a stand and gotten much, much better (if hotter) results. A simple and smart(er) thing would have been to bump-up the incandescent fixtures with higher test lamps, then apply kit, and re-meter as the bank of windows that provide backlight faded to dark...

Be well,
Jigme

[cjcook]

Do yourself a favor and go with a couple of Lowel Totas. I have used CFLs and they are good for close up work - when the talent or area to be lit is close to lights. I have also used the halogen worklights and a lot of other DIY lights that I've bought modified and tried. I finally bought a couple of used Lowel Totas from ebay and wish I would have bought these first. I would have saved myself a lot money and time in the long run. Here's one that's currently on ebay for $65
http://cgi.ebay.com/Lowel-Tota-Light...3286.m20.l1116
These lights are bright, rugged and very compact for fast & easy setup, take down and transporting. Again, I wish I would have heeded this advice (which I'm sure can found here on the forum) when I first started out.

[Michia]

Those lowel tota's are tempting...I could probably score a set of 2 with stands for less than 150...anyone else care to chime in regarding them?

I'd use 2, and a reflector.

[cjcook]

You can do a search on this forum for tota, or google, or check out the reviews at BhPhoto http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produc...t.html#reviews

I've only used the 750w lamp that came with it. It is very, very bright. The good thing is that it can also take 300w & 500w lamps depending on what you need.

[Erik Bien]

Totas are a very broad open-faced light. The good: they kick out 750 watts of smooth, even light. The bad: they lack control. Good for throwing light everywhere, but hard to contain.

I have a Lowel DV Creator 44 kit, which includes a Tota as well as the more "controllable" Pro and Omni. Personally I like a mixture; the Tota is great to bounce off a wall or ceiling for overall general fill, then I'll use the Omni or the Pro for a more "specific" key, using the barndoors to keep it from spilling where I don't want it.

[PixelWrangler]

Does anyone have any interview footage using the cfl softbox kits found on ebay such as the Cowboy Studio setup? I'm looking to do a few family biographies in a home setting and I need them to look decent for not much dough.

[Michia]

Ended up getting two lowel totas with stands for 136 shipped

Should be here by next wednesday...its all coming together!

[cjcook]

Michia, that sounds like a great deal. You won't be disappointed. I also recommend you take Erik's advise and get a more controllable key light like the Lowel Omni. While I haven't used the Omni (I'm thinking that will be my next light purchase) I do have couple of focusable Britek lights. I have the 600w (http://www.lincoinc168.com/br2060fohali.html) and the 1000w (http://www.lincoinc168.com/br2010fohali.html) models. The are OK, but I don't know if I would really recommend them. The light output is great and the price is hard to beat but they are not that sturdy and would not handle a lot of abuse, especially the larger model. They also make a 200w for about $40 and 300w for about $50 that may be OK if you're on a tight budget. Let us know when you get the Totas and what you think about them.

[Ringquelle]

http://cgi.ebay.com/48-LED-Microscop...QQcmdZViewItem

Has anyone tried this, or something similar to this? A ring light for a microscope, dimable... sounds good if you got some wat to connect it to a battery. I am not sure if the lighting would be stong enough though.

It seems like a good deal, especially since you can get a frosted diffuser with it. They also have an 80 LED, more expensive model:
http://cgi.ebay.com/80-LED-Camera-Mi...QQcmdZViewItem
Or even a model with 144 LED's:
http://cgi.ebay.com/144-LED-RING-LIG...QQcmdZViewItem

[Michia]

I'm afraid this puppies a bit over budget, no worries though

I'm going to be diffusing the totas with a piece of wax paper most likely hung over the front by simple paint stirrers(dont laugh there free!)

I plan on using two totas and a reflector board(borrowed car windshield sun shade). I wanted to use the totas as key and rim lights, and the reflector as my fill light...how well this works we shall see. I may end up using an aluminum circular light as the fill instead.

Already made my first fire with the lights Piece of string left from the packaging lit on fire near instantly when I was testing them.

Any suggestions on how to get the best out of my Tota's...without buying more pro lights? I can do the round clip on lights because I have access to them, but thats about it.

EDIT: For anyone else looking for lights...I highly reccomend the link up a few posts. I made an offer or 40 dollars per light, and he accepted near immediately. If I was doing it again, I'd go lower, say 30 or maybe even less...

[Erik Bien]

I'm going to be diffusing the totas with a piece of wax paper

Not wax paper, it will first melt, then catch fire. You want baking parchment (usually the same aisle in the grocery store).

Any suggestions on how to get the best out of my Tota's...without buying more pro lights?

I usually find Totas too harsh when used "direct." For those times when it isn't convenient to bounce them off a wall or ceiling, pick up a cheap silver reflector umbrella ($12 or less on ebay): you'll discover your Totas already have mounting holes and locking screws to hold them.

[Michia]

Not wax paper, it will first melt, then catch fire. You want baking parchment (usually the same aisle in the grocery store).



I usually find Totas too harsh when used "direct." For those times when it isn't convenient to bounce them off a wall or ceiling, pick up a cheap silver reflector umbrella ($12 or less on ebay): you'll discover your Totas already have mounting holes and locking screws to hold them.

What would the benefit of using umbrellas vs baking parchment be? I know 12 bucks is pretty cheap, but I still have to wonder if its worth the extra cash...

[billbruford]

is this light any good 40 bucks
http://www.handhelditems.com/xpro-pr...la-p-5001.html

[boze]

Hey guys,
Read through this whole thread. Thanks for the knowledge.

Would the Cowboy Studio pair of softboxes for $200 be a good solution for some talking head / interview stuff in an office environment?

A related but more confusing question: if I opted for a three pack of floods like this instead would that be more useful for lighting my jazz band at gigs and dances after this freelance shooting is done? I know it's hard to speculate, but I'm still learning and more likely to use all my video equipment for shooting my performances than interview/work stuff. My guess is I should stick with the softboxes to make sure the work shoot goes well, but I thought I'd ask.

Thanks as always!

[raycastile]

I want to shoot a night time forest scene for a narrative short film. I've been looking at wooded locations, trying to find something that looks remote but is actually close enough to a house that I could run extension cords for lighting. I haven't found anything ideal yet.

I've got some Omni and Tota lights, a soft light and some work lights. I like my lights. It would be a shame if I could not use them. But I don't have portable power for them and I can't afford to buy a suitable power supply right now. Unless someone can suggest a cheap power alternative. Everything I've looked at is way outside my budget.

I've also looked at LitePanels and LitePads, with the idea of running them on batteries. The LitePanels throw out more light, but they are too expensive, unless I could find some used ones for 1/3 retail price. The LitePads are pretty cool, and cheaper, but they don't throw out much light.

I've looked at cheap rechargeable LED work lights. I don't like the light they put out. Too blue, too harsh and the brightness starts fading after an hour or less. That would be ok if you could change batteries like the LitePads, but with the work lights you have to plug them back in and charge them.

I've looked into buying ridiculously long extension cords to take my Lowel lights into the woods, but it seems that is not safe or practical. I do have a small backup generator, but it sounds like a roaring lawnmower. I don't think looping the audio in post is going to work, so I can't have that noise.

Hmmm. I'm back to battery-powered LitePanels/Pads again. But I don't think they have quite the oomph I need. And they are pricey, especially the Panels. I've looked for used ones on ebay, but haven't found any good deals.

If anyone has any suggestions, please let me know.