Best Low Cost Diva Ripoff? or alternative?
- Thread starter NewYorkLion
- Start date
Cool Lights
DVXuser Sponsor
Yes, we're having a short pause now for some reengineering on this unit. Every change we do requires a new prototype before we can manufacture. Turned out to be a bigger deal to do the stand adapter too than I had hoped so that's in the works too. I'll post pictures when I have the next version.
flammsy
Active member
hey,
does anybody know if these bulbs are good?
"Osram Dulux®L Lumilux® DE LUXE Daylight"
because i maybe want to buy these units. price seems to be fantastic.
http://cgi.ebay.de/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=110157222926&ssPageName=STRK:MEWA:IT&ih=001
http://cgi.ebay.de/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...Sell_LogicX&refwidgettype=cross_promot_widget
thx.
does anybody know if these bulbs are good?
"Osram Dulux®L Lumilux® DE LUXE Daylight"
because i maybe want to buy these units. price seems to be fantastic.
http://cgi.ebay.de/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=110157222926&ssPageName=STRK:MEWA:IT&ih=001
http://cgi.ebay.de/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...Sell_LogicX&refwidgettype=cross_promot_widget
thx.
Spartacus
Veteran
The DE LUXE deries has a high CRI (uff deutsch Farbwiedergabeindex, schau mal hier: http://www.osram.de/osram_de/Profes.../T8-Leuchtstofflampen/LUMILUX_DE_LUXE_T8.html)
and will be good for videowork, just make sure they use electronic ballasts and that the ballasts are quiet...
Depending on your needs, you might want to wait for Richards portable flos, they will be much lighter than such steel cased flos and more suitable for carry around location work... (auch ne Sammelbestellung wäre vl interessant...)
Additionaly, all these cheaper photografic flo units come from China, but Richard redesigns them and lets them be modified for the needs of video production...
and will be good for videowork, just make sure they use electronic ballasts and that the ballasts are quiet...
Depending on your needs, you might want to wait for Richards portable flos, they will be much lighter than such steel cased flos and more suitable for carry around location work... (auch ne Sammelbestellung wäre vl interessant...)
Additionaly, all these cheaper photografic flo units come from China, but Richard redesigns them and lets them be modified for the needs of video production...
Cool Lights
DVXuser Sponsor
Yes that's exactly what I do. Spartacus said it really well.
I look around and find stuff that's promising here in China or I dream it up if I can't find it. Then I whip it into shape for the extraordinary needs of video/film people. Many times, for instance, a stage lighting fixture might appear on the surface to be just fine for our work. But, as a video person, I know the modifications it needs to make it more suitable for video work.
For instance, many stage lighting pars have the ability to change lenses within the fixture but it's a pain and takes a while. Today's independent filmmaker or videographer is on the move and is not using these things on a grid for the most part. He/she needs to be able to quickly change the lens; so a system where the lens can just slip into the accessory adapter is absolutely a top priority. That's the kind of value we add. We take commodity based fixtures where we can and have them modified en masse in a factory. And when we can't find what we really want as the ideal, then we make it from scratch. But that's tougher and more costly and my last resort unless I can help it.
This portable is a good example of what we do. I found this and saw it as a 'diamond in the rough' and its potential if some of its issues were just cleaned up and its progressing well, just takes a bit longer than I like always to do things through other people. If necessary I'll just take the damn thing over and make all the parts myself! That's the nuclear option though so we haven't pushed that button yet because once we break relations there's no going back usually.
By the way, I finally weighed this thing and can't believe it. It's only 8 lbs. with the tubes! Incredible because the diva is listed as being about 14 lbs and I bet that's without tubes. I think we've got a real winner here if I can just get that factory to move their butttt a little quicker!
I look around and find stuff that's promising here in China or I dream it up if I can't find it. Then I whip it into shape for the extraordinary needs of video/film people. Many times, for instance, a stage lighting fixture might appear on the surface to be just fine for our work. But, as a video person, I know the modifications it needs to make it more suitable for video work.
For instance, many stage lighting pars have the ability to change lenses within the fixture but it's a pain and takes a while. Today's independent filmmaker or videographer is on the move and is not using these things on a grid for the most part. He/she needs to be able to quickly change the lens; so a system where the lens can just slip into the accessory adapter is absolutely a top priority. That's the kind of value we add. We take commodity based fixtures where we can and have them modified en masse in a factory. And when we can't find what we really want as the ideal, then we make it from scratch. But that's tougher and more costly and my last resort unless I can help it.
This portable is a good example of what we do. I found this and saw it as a 'diamond in the rough' and its potential if some of its issues were just cleaned up and its progressing well, just takes a bit longer than I like always to do things through other people. If necessary I'll just take the damn thing over and make all the parts myself! That's the nuclear option though so we haven't pushed that button yet because once we break relations there's no going back usually.
By the way, I finally weighed this thing and can't believe it. It's only 8 lbs. with the tubes! Incredible because the diva is listed as being about 14 lbs and I bet that's without tubes. I think we've got a real winner here if I can just get that factory to move their butttt a little quicker!
Cool Lights
DVXuser Sponsor
hey,
does anybody know if these bulbs are good?
"Osram Dulux®L Lumilux® DE LUXE Daylight"
because i maybe want to buy these units. price seems to be fantastic.
http://cgi.ebay.de/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=110157222926&ssPageName=STRK:MEWA:IT&ih=001
http://cgi.ebay.de/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...Sell_LogicX&refwidgettype=cross_promot_widget
thx.
There's really two models of interest from Osram. The Studioline is the top of the line with highest CRI. The Dulux L is a notch under that and has specs pretty much identical to our tubes in the 86 to 90 CRI range. I've seen some of these flo units on ebay that say they're made in Germany. I think its highly unlikely given the pricing of most of them and the quality of workmanship I can see in them. One dead giveaway is the sockets. No self-respecting German manufacturer would use those 'cheapy' 2G11 sockets for this type bulb. The really good ones are the BJB sockets where the tubes enter from the top and with the red button on the top to release them when you need to take them out. It's not all that hard to get a "Made in Germany" tag here in China on your products. The factory will put anything you like on it. You could put Made on Mars and there's no one to enforce that at all. I could do it too if I wanted to, but I choose to be more truthful.
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Wilson
Active member
OK - Here is my thought. I use Kinos ALL the time. The size of the doors are great and if they were any bigger they might risk getting in the way. Kinos are great for their size and the small spaces that they can be put. If you make vary large doors, you are limiting the places that the unit can be put. Use foamcore, or flags if you need larger doors, but don't make a change in design that will limit the lights usage!
MARTIN - I bought one of your lights, and still use it often. Have you given up making them, have any more laying around?
I will defiantly be thinking about buying some cool-lights. So the shipping prices are cheaper if we don't mind a longer wait period.
Thanks and good luck - Wilson
MARTIN - I bought one of your lights, and still use it often. Have you given up making them, have any more laying around?
I will defiantly be thinking about buying some cool-lights. So the shipping prices are cheaper if we don't mind a longer wait period.
Thanks and good luck - Wilson
Cool Lights
DVXuser Sponsor
Hi Wilson,
It's always a good guessing game matching up a DVXUser name with a name on my customer list.
Anyway I hear you. I actually have photos of the new revised fixture and it looks great. IMHO, they are just the right size now, not too big and not too small. They overlap a bit over each other when closed. End caps are black and not silver. Even the gooseneck pipes are now black so there is no obtrusive silver sticking out anywhere. Switches are placed next to each other. And the 2x55 is so nice! The only thing keeping me from posting the pictures is I'm travelling and I don't have a CF reader but I will try to pick one up. Hopefully should post them in the next day or two. We're getting closer!
Yes the shipping prices are more reasonable if you wait for these to hit the states. It's only those that can't wait or those in other countries that should be making orders now.
Luis Caffesse
Admin
Fantastic, I can't wait to see them.
By the way, do you have a timeline for when they will (roughly) "hit the states"?
Hi Oynk,
Count me as a happy CoolLights customer. I would highly reccomend doing business with Richard.
As for resale value, you're already almost $1000 ahead of the game with the CoolLights, so resale should always work in your favor.
Hey Richard, is it possible to dim existing Flos or are the bulbs, ballast and everything different?
Count me as a happy CoolLights customer. I would highly reccomend doing business with Richard.
As for resale value, you're already almost $1000 ahead of the game with the CoolLights, so resale should always work in your favor.
Hey Richard, is it possible to dim existing Flos or are the bulbs, ballast and everything different?
Cool Lights
DVXuser Sponsor
Okay here's whats been baking in the oven and I think its ready now--we're just waiting for the final prototype on the stand adapter which when i saw the first one it had a couple of problems and was unacceptable. By the way, that part is in stainless steel and looks really nice and is truly unbreakable.
Introducing the CL-255PMD (dimming model of the 2x55 portable). This baby is soooo light when you pick it up without tubes...
And the CL-455PMD
Both with the improvements previously discussed. All in all a very solid fixture design. Both of these were shot with the lolipop mounted in a grip head.
Introducing the CL-255PMD (dimming model of the 2x55 portable). This baby is soooo light when you pick it up without tubes...
And the CL-455PMD
Both with the improvements previously discussed. All in all a very solid fixture design. Both of these were shot with the lolipop mounted in a grip head.
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Cool Lights
DVXuser Sponsor
Hi Paul,
Thanks for the kind words...
Anyway, you can't dim existing flos unless the ballasts allow the dimming. In most cases, the bulbs are irrelevant. For instance, all 55w tubes are inherently dimmable (or not) based on what ballast is driving them. Most ballasts are not dimmable via lowering the line voltage but rather through a 0 to 10v control voltage through a special input to the ballast. Only one model of ballast I know about is line voltage dimmable and its made by the Advance Transformer Company (A part of Phillips Lighting) super expensive. The same is true for HMI and LEDs as well--dimming is something that is pre-meditatively built into the circuitry to make it happen.
Cool Lights
DVXuser Sponsor
Hehe. I haven't even thought that far ahead. I'm just so damn glad we're getting closer on this thing! They're not kidding when they say its the last 10% thats killer on a project. By the way, I have pictures of another version of this thing you won't believe. The factory surprised me with it--didn't even tell me they were doing it. Need a few more minutes to find the picture...
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Cool Lights
DVXuser Sponsor
Okay so a while back our friend Taubkin was saying how cool it would be to have an 8 lamp portable fixture.
http://www.dvxuser.com/V6/showthread.php?t=101386
I was commissioning a 6 lamp fixture but they also came up with this 12 lamp version anticipating a future demand for it. We won't sell this right away because we just don't have the funds for that much inventory but we can offer it as special order to those outside the USA for now (like Taubkin--hehe).
CL-1255P
Is that over the top or what?
They also did this little version of the previous one that uses T12 tubes:
I'm not a big fan of the T12 tubes like those used in the Kino Select models but I know there are many out there. This is a six tube T12 40w model that has the ballasts inside it--not removable. I told them I would be more interested in a separate ballast model for 75w tubes. So we'll see what they can come up with there but I don't think they're too far away on that.
Before you ask, yes these are all super light but I don't have a scale here with me so I can't answer how light. I do believe they are lighter than the Select model though--and this is a 6 lamp fixture not a 4 like the Select.
One more thing, its pretty clear both of these models require a different lolipop than the others. Even as light as they are, the weight is enough that the nylon lolipop just doesn't hold so well so they're going to an aluminum one and that will take just a bit to engineer.
http://www.dvxuser.com/V6/showthread.php?t=101386
I was commissioning a 6 lamp fixture but they also came up with this 12 lamp version anticipating a future demand for it. We won't sell this right away because we just don't have the funds for that much inventory but we can offer it as special order to those outside the USA for now (like Taubkin--hehe).
CL-1255P
Is that over the top or what?
They also did this little version of the previous one that uses T12 tubes:
I'm not a big fan of the T12 tubes like those used in the Kino Select models but I know there are many out there. This is a six tube T12 40w model that has the ballasts inside it--not removable. I told them I would be more interested in a separate ballast model for 75w tubes. So we'll see what they can come up with there but I don't think they're too far away on that.
Before you ask, yes these are all super light but I don't have a scale here with me so I can't answer how light. I do believe they are lighter than the Select model though--and this is a 6 lamp fixture not a 4 like the Select.
One more thing, its pretty clear both of these models require a different lolipop than the others. Even as light as they are, the weight is enough that the nylon lolipop just doesn't hold so well so they're going to an aluminum one and that will take just a bit to engineer.
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Cool Lights
DVXuser Sponsor
The aluminum knob on the prototype is a bit long but we will get a shorter one for the production units that doesn't stick out but just a tiny bit. And no, its not possible to move the endcap back a bit because of the way it attaches to the edge protection extrusions. Even sticking out a little bit, it will be fine and is already well protected from harm thanks the the edge protection that is there.