Clamp fixtures for PAR lights??

5

500lb Productions

Well-known member
Anyone have a source for some nice cheap (par) reflector clamps with sano small reflectors?

I have a large assortment of light stands and cords from still photography... refitting my old stobe kit for film, I'm replacing monostrobes with an Arri 650 and 300 fresnel, a couple Lowel Totas, and an assortment of halogen PAR bulbs for special accents, etc.

i may add on britek 650 w/ a softbox just becaue I know the value of a big softbox and the britex head w/ barndoors and softbox, is almost less than just a speedring for my photoflex.

I need some basic CLAMP type reflectors with standard screw in bases for the PAR bulbs, but all I find at home depot are huge 8" reflectors. I was thinking more like a 4-5" reflector... the par is already focused, but I want the reflector so I can tape gels or foamcore flags if I need them.

Anyone have a source for some nice cheap reflector clamps with sano small reflectors?
 
Thats almost exactly what I want, but at 10 times the price, and missing a spring clamp ;-)

B&H has THESE, but $35 is more than I wanted to pay for a "beataround" light.


OOOOH I bet I can take one of my reflectors from my alien bees monolights... and gaff tape it around the outside of a cut down Home Depot clamp base, and then I can use my set of GRIDS for specular light. Ohhhhh.

And I BET I can use my old 1600ws monolight with the big photoflex softbox... and put a 500w par for the model lamp it and use it as a soft closeup light.

Its big. Its heavy. Its imposing. But its a beautiful soft light for closeups and I already own it.
 
Don't use gaff or any other type of tape on a reflector dish. The adhesive heats up, and them smokes, and if left unattended, might cause a fire....The adhesive /heat mixture also dries and curls the tape, leaving the icihy,gooey,
sticky part of the tape on the outside, forever getting on your hands and clothes.. NOT worth doing....
 
filmat11 said:
Don't use gaff or any other type of tape on a reflector dish. The adhesive heats up, and them smokes, and if left unattended, might cause a fire....The adhesive /heat mixture also dries and curls the tape, leaving the icihy,gooey,
sticky part of the tape on the outside, forever getting on your hands and clothes.. NOT worth doing....
Click to expand...

Good point. Nice catch. Ixnay on the Apetay.


Guess I'll have to buy a reflector and use pop rivets. Or just forget the idea for now. But I was sooo looking forward to having my grids be available for video.
 
I found these at Home Depot for $12 each.

VERY solid steel housings and solid spring clips.

They accept standard miniPAR bulbs. I bought some 50w halogen spot, flood.

Also, a 75w spot and flood fits.

The full size 100w does not fit. But as a pepper light, for quick fill, and accent lighting like archetectural stuff, these are perfect.

The shot showing the setup was taken in white balance daylight (so its yellow). The single 50w spot at around 40" is the only light.

The sample image was taken at ASA 400, f2.8, 1/125 sec.

Clearly, these 50w par bulbs are all you need for certain accents and fills, and will serve as an excellent compement to some Arri fresnels and Lowels.
 

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Nice...I think I may go for a Lowel L pretty soon just cause I could really use the stud mount, but still, good find for much cheaper and work in 90% of situations.
Peace,

-Harry
 
I've tried using a 500w bulb in my Alien Bee 1600 and not only did it not light up to it's full 500w, it made the most god-awful whining sound I've ever heard.

I'm a still photographer by day and have 20 tons of strobe equipment (including softboxes of all shapes and sizes) and wanted to try to use the for filming. My daily use lights wont take a 500w household bulb so I dug out the Bees and it was a no go. Give it a try, though. You shouldnt blow anything up and the results may work for you. Not so good for me.

-GageFX
 
GageFX said:
I've tried using a 500w bulb in my Alien Bee 1600 and not only did it not light up to it's full 500w, it made the most god-awful whining sound I've ever heard.

I'm a still photographer by day and have 20 tons of strobe equipment (including softboxes of all shapes and sizes) and wanted to try to use the for filming. My daily use lights wont take a 500w household bulb so I dug out the Bees and it was a no go. Give it a try, though. You shouldnt blow anything up and the results may work for you. Not so good for me.

-GageFX
Click to expand...

Ahhh... they (alien bees) have it on an electronic dimmer keyed to exposure. Not enough current. On my bees, I have silked umbrellas. Great light (w/ 5' umbrellas), but not as "soft" as the photoflex.

The Photoflex is on my SP monolight though, and it has a separate dimmer for model lamp... I bet it works. Of course, its as big as a house and weighs 40 lbs. But if it works, use it. :-)

Serioulsy, I'm probably going to get that britek. I'm an old electrical hack, so soldering and maintaining wont be a huge issue.
 
I didnt realize that was the problem with the Bee. I was hoping to make use of the dimmer (accepting color changes). I'm just a dumb photog, I dont get all this Eeeelectricity stuff. If I plug it in and nothing blows up, I call it good. As for umbrellas, in all the years I've been shooting, I've never used them. I have a couple that came with some early light kits, but other than trying them once years ago, they stay out of the way. I prefer to control light as opposed to just dumping it in a room.

-GageFX
 
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