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    #16
    I have a Softbank I kit. The place I shoot for has two of the Softbank IV kits. Get the Softbank IV kit, you will want the 150s. Other than the size and weight of the case, I think it is the ideal lighting kit, very versatile.

    You will not regret owning Arris, they are great lights. I like the Moles too but Mole doesn't make kits that are as practical as the Arri kits.

    BTW, to answer your earlier question, an Arri 650 would make a really large and heavy hairlight or rim light. I usuall float the hairlight out on a 40" grip arm on a C-stand or on a 9' matte boom pole and doing this with a 150 is easy, 300 is a bit tougher because it is larger and heavier. Doing it with a 650 would require a really sturdy boompole, steel light stand and lots of sandbags to counterweight it. Not very practical for most shoots.

    Best,

    Dan
    Last edited by puredrifting; 08-28-2006, 01:38 PM.
    It's a business first and a creative outlet second.
    G.A.S. destroys lives. Stop buying gear that doesn't make you money.

    Comment


      #17
      Thanks for the great info guys. It looks like if I want to go with arris, I should get the Softbank IV kit.

      Mike
      loosecannonprod.com

      Comment


        #18
        Bang for buck the Lowel kit offers a pretty complete package. You'll always want to add more stuff later, but from the get go it is a complete set for most anyone. If you're shooting horror, I would add an Egg Crate to your softbox for more control and add one more Pro light to the kit. The Lowel DVcreator Kit 44 with the softbox gives you a lot of options for $1287. For that same amount you could not get 4 lights of equal wattage with the Arri line. Look at most any rental facility and you will see the same names, mostly Arri and Lowel - both the names are trusted and industry standard. I agree that the Lowel Uni-stands are not as durable as the Avenger and Matthews line, but have you seen how small this kit folds up into? It's really amazing.

        Also, look what most news crews are using - the DVcreator Kit is the number 1 selling light kit by the world leader in location lighting. http://lowel.com/popular_kits.html

        If you have a sec, take a look at this video I shot last Friday for an introduction of what the base kit can do http://dvgeartalk.com/




        Cheers,

        Guy Cochran

        BTW, that's one of our auctions on eBay for the Lowel kit.
        Cheers,

        Guy Cochran
        DVeStore - DVXUser Sponsor - We match or beat anyone's advertised price on Sennheiser, RODE, Manfrotto, Miller, K-TEK, Countryman, Edirol, Lacie, G-Tech, Reflecmedia, Lowel, Litepanels, and Photoflex Coupon Code "dvxuser"

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          #19
          Thanks for the great responses.

          Guy: you reccommed the lowel dvcreator kit 44. But what about lowel dvcreator kit 55?

          With the 44 kit you get:
          Rifa-Lite 44, Pro-Light: 250 Watts
          Omni-Light: 500 Watts
          Tota-Light: 750 Watts


          And with the 55 kit you get:
          Rifa-Lite 55, Omni-Light: 500 Watts
          Tota-Light: 750 Watts
          Pro-Light: 250 Watts


          What combo is better do you think for what I'm doing?: horror and noir.

          Thanks,

          Mike
          loosecannonprod.com

          Comment


            #20
            The main difference between the 44 and 55 kits is the size of the Rifa light. The larger the Rifa fixture, the softer the light you're going to get from it (a good thing).

            I own the DV creator 55 kit and like it a lot, but then I'm mostly shooting interviews, though I have also lit entire rooms with it.

            If you do go with the Lowell kit, or any kit for that matter, I would definitely suggest going through B&H or another reputable dealer. The DV creator 44 kit on eBay was considerably more expensive than listed on B&H. $1,287.50 vs. $ 1,084.50.
            Bus No. 8, LLC
            Robert Lawson
            busno.8@gmail.com

            busno8.com

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              #21
              Hey bus,

              Glad to hear you like your DVcreator 55 kit. I helped design the kit to include the components that we use in our "Secrets of Shooting Great DV" workshop. As you know, the kits are pretty versatile, fast to set-up/break down and easy to transport.

              Now on the pricing you're comparing a hard case price vs. a soft case price so to be fair.

              B&H Photo Price is $1209.50 for the hard case, instead of $1084.50 - But that woulda been a heck of a deal! Check it out http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/cont...ughType=search

              And we'll throw in a free $99 DV Enlightenment DVD


              Cheers,

              Guy
              Cheers,

              Guy Cochran
              DVeStore - DVXUser Sponsor - We match or beat anyone's advertised price on Sennheiser, RODE, Manfrotto, Miller, K-TEK, Countryman, Edirol, Lacie, G-Tech, Reflecmedia, Lowel, Litepanels, and Photoflex Coupon Code "dvxuser"

              Comment


                #22
                Could someone give me a link to a good dimmer because I'm not exactly sure what they look like. The place I work at has a large dimmer box used for studio shoots, but that's obviously really expensive. Do I want dimmers that are made for individual lights?


                Also, is B&H the best place to buy grip gear?


                Mike
                loosecannonprod.com

                Comment


                  #23
                  If you're looking for a extremley cheap alternative.
                  http://www.rostronics.com/
                  Go here, they have pretty good customer support in my opinion.
                  The light themselves are not exactly the most sturdiest things in the world. I'm very careful with mine. I have not had any problems yet.
                  Some people reccomend rostronics, some are highly against it. It's just a cheap alternative to learn lighting before buying something really pro.

                  Also, I don't really see alot of dimmer boxes. You can make your own dimmer switch at home depot.
                  sigpic

                  Comment


                    #24
                    directinglegend: What materials do you need to make a home depot dimmer switch?

                    Mike
                    loosecannonprod.com

                    Comment


                      #25
                      Originally posted by Guy_Cochran
                      Now on the pricing you're comparing a hard case price vs. a soft case price so to be fair.

                      B&H Photo Price is $1209.50 for the hard case, instead of $1084.50 - But that woulda been a heck of a deal!
                      Ah, my mistake - I didn't see that it was a soft case. But, actually, I don't know if the hard case is all that great a deal - at least the one that I got, which is fairly flimsy. For traveling overseas in a couple of weeks I had to refit my 1650 Pelican case to accommodate the light kit, since it seemed highly unlikely that the hard case from Lowell would hold up.

                      But beyond that, I do like the kit a lot, and thank you for helping to design it! Since I've already bought the kit, can you tell me how I might get a hold of the DV Enlightenment DVD?
                      Bus No. 8, LLC
                      Robert Lawson
                      busno.8@gmail.com

                      busno8.com

                      Comment


                        #26
                        http://wolfstone.halloweenhost.com/H...DimmerBox.html
                        sigpic

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                          #27
                          Mike:

                          Why make a dimmer when Harbor Freight has some really nice ones (1500 watt) that they have had on special for $12.00? The are actually router speed controls but work the same as a dimmer. I bought half a dozen of them and use them a LOT and they are the best deal I have found this year on any gear.

                          http://da.harborfreight.com/cpisearc...trol&Submit=Go

                          I am a cheapskate and I LOVE finding non-video stuff that works well for video.

                          Best,

                          Dan
                          It's a business first and a creative outlet second.
                          G.A.S. destroys lives. Stop buying gear that doesn't make you money.

                          Comment


                            #28
                            Dan,

                            that is exactly what I was looking for. A cheap alternative that does the trick.

                            Thanks a lot,

                            One other question: the Arri D series kits are supposedly better for digital video cameras. I am under the impression that since digital video cameras are more light sensitive, the total wattage of these D series have been reduced - with no loss of control or light quality. But these packs still don't seem as good at the Softbank IV kit (tecnically not designed for digital video cameras). Any thoughts?

                            Mike

                            Mike
                            loosecannonprod.com

                            Comment


                              #29
                              Hi Mike:

                              You are correct, the D kits are just smaller instruments with smaller wattages. They are a bit lighter and cheaper, they don't look bad but I think that they come with a xtra small Chimera, which in my opinion, does not look nearly as good as a small Chimera.

                              Either would probably work for you but the Softbank IV will give you more possibilities for larger setups, which in my mind is always a good thing.

                              Best,

                              Dan
                              It's a business first and a creative outlet second.
                              G.A.S. destroys lives. Stop buying gear that doesn't make you money.

                              Comment

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