BluLine fresnels???

So, based on B&H prices for the Arri fresnels, adding the price of bulbs and barn doors, the savings when buying the BluLines is anywhere from about 32% (for the 650 and 300) to almost 40% (for the 1K). Correct?

Update: I realize I could be more specific - B&H price for Arri 300 with bulb and barndoors is about $355, vs. $239 for BluLine. B&H for Arri 650 with bulb & BD is $392, vs. $269 and B&H for Arri 1K is $520 with bulb & BD, vs. $319 for BluLine.

I have no experience with either of these lights so I would ask those with some experience as to whether this is a worthwhile differential? The savings can add up as long as the BluLines can be counted on. Anyone care to venture an analysis/opinionas to what to look for?

In another vein, are there more efficient fixtures out there (CMH maybe?) with lighting characteristics that are close to these fresnels that might be worthy of consideration? These are very attractive lights for the money and I am just wondering how best to compare them.

Thanks,
TVH
 
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These certainly have the look of Arri, and Ebay is loaded with Arris that sell near retail...but do these Bluelines have accessories like the Arri? And then is that important to you? Seems to me the Arri is a 'well thought out' fresnel.
 
As an arri user it "appears" that the design is so close that Arri standard scrims and speed rings should work fine. Can't tell 100% without seeing the units first hand obviously.
 
so can you fit "standard" bulbs in them? should not be a problem at all...

how does the spot-flood mechanism feel and work in comparison to Arris?

if you got the stands are they complete crap or decent? good?
 
I have spoken to Imagewest about my order, and it appears that it was misplaced. My cashiers check was never cashed, and my order will be sent out soon after this weekend. I added an Alzo light onto my order, in addition to my 1k fresnel.
Since I'm on the road quite a bit, checking to see if my check was cashed was always ackward, as I would return home from a gig, to leave again, and each time forgetting to call the bank, even though I had my copy of the check stub on file.
The owner of the store is very nice and accommodating to speak to, and is very proud of his Bluelines. I too will give my opinion about this light when I see it. Now, sooner than later. Thank God...
 
someone should send this thread to ImageWest...let them know were watching.
maybe we could get a dvxuser discount!
 
filmat11 said:
I have spoken to Imagewest about my order, and it appears that it was misplaced. My cashiers check was never cashed, and my order will be sent out soon after this weekend. I added an Alzo light onto my order, in addition to my 1k fresnel.
Since I'm on the road quite a bit, checking to see if my check was cashed was always ackward, as I would return home from a gig, to leave again, and each time forgetting to call the bank, even though I had my copy of the check stub on file.
The owner of the store is very nice and accommodating to speak to, and is very proud of his Bluelines. I too will give my opinion about this light when I see it. Now, sooner than later. Thank God...
Click to expand...

So this clears their name big time, not that we ever though they were crooked or anything negative like such, but as many others, I felt a little worried about dealing with them when your order simply vanished. It is nice to know that had you had the time to check up on things, it would have been different, probably would have gotten the light with a slight delay.
 
As long as this thread is still alive and we are holding our collectives breaths to get some feedback about these lights, I have an additional question...

Can you put lower wattage bulbs in these (or in Arris, for that matter) to get lower output? Specifically, if I bought a 1K watt fixture but only needed 650 watts for a specific shoot, could I replace the 1K bulb with a 650? Or would I have to use scrims and/or ND filters? Would the fixture overpower the bulb?

Thanks.
 
Yes...I see a 650w sold for the Arri 1k...its a special order at B&h. I dont know about the other lamps for sure...but I think
 
650W bulbs are sold for 1k fresnels for Arri, so what Tverhaar must be asking is if it still holds true for the copies
 
Fixtures don't "overpower" bulbs ... When you're talking tungsten, really all the fixtures do is wire the bulb to the mains (120/240v) and physically house and focus it. Bulbs "draw" the current that they are designed to draw, so the only questions are, a) does the bulb physically fit the fixture, and b) can the fixture handle the current and temperature requirements of the bulb. Since you're talking a smaller wattage bulb then clearly temperature is no problem, so then as long as it 'fits' then it'll work.
 
I am also very curious about these lights, but...I think when the price point is so close as it is in this case, I would just opt to go with the Arri's. I am a bang for the buck type of guy, but if the knock off is pretty close in price to the Original, why take the risk. I think for the higher price lights I may gamble a bit, but having been burnt in the past on Britek (although 1 of the 2 works fine), I guess I just want good quality gear.
 
epicedium said:
Fixtures don't "overpower" bulbs ... When you're talking tungsten, really all the fixtures do is wire the bulb to the mains (120/240v) and physically house and focus it. Bulbs "draw" the current that they are designed to draw, so the only questions are, a) does the bulb physically fit the fixture, and b) can the fixture handle the current and temperature requirements of the bulb. Since you're talking a smaller wattage bulb then clearly temperature is no problem, so then as long as it 'fits' then it'll work.
Click to expand...

Great information - and so logical I feel like I should have known it! Thanks.

:)
 
Ok. I got to use these lights in a feature I'm doing the lighting design for. The first day I used them i didn't even know they were these. Last night I noticed no logos on the lights I thought were Arris. We had 2 1ks, 2 650s, 3 300s that ran all night long with little break. The only problem we had were both 650s had a flicker problem toward the end of the night where they would seem to sizzle a little and go dark here and there. At first we thought it was just that one light but the other did it too. I don't think it was the plug we were in because on the second outlet we had a 1k running that never flickered and the stinger had ends that light up and they never flickered. We never had time to really open it up and examine, I just opened to see if the bulb was tight which it was. All the other lights worked fine and we had them running about 11 hours. Tomorrow night we shoot again and I will let you know how it goes through out the production.
All in all, they look and feel just like Arris. When I noticed they were Blulines everyone studied them and said the same thing. If they can stand up to the rest of this feature then I guess they are worth the money.
 
Very cool Aram, will be looking forward to your review. Good luck with the feature, anything interesting?
 
Aram Bauman said:
The only problem we had were both 650s had a flicker problem toward the end of the night where they would seem to sizzle a little and go dark here and there.
Click to expand...

It's got to be the bulbs. No other active circuitry in a fresnel like this. I have a model just like this I got here in China except painted black and its about as simple as you can get. Seems to use a GX9.5 base. My model had a 300w lamp in it and it didn't work at all but I was throwing it away anyway to use for metal halide types.
 
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