For users familiar with Lowel lights, kits

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DanHD

Well-known member
I'm choosing between two kits at the moment. I am shooting a short this winter that will take place in a few location, mostly indoor. After doing careful research, I think I'm ready to pull the trigger on one of these two kits. I really like lowel lights, i've used lowel omnis, totas, and rifa softboxes on some shoots before but am not familiar with the DP or Pro lights.


Here are the two kits i'm looking at

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/285862-REG/Lowel_D2_96Z_DP_Super_Remote_Four.html

and

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/285782-REG/Lowel_DVP_94LB_DV_Pro_44_Five.html


I like that both include a Rifa Softbox, even though one is the 44, and one is the 88 (1000W)

Which would you choose?

are the Two DP lights really worth the extra money?

I really really want to be cautious with my money here, and buy what's best.


Suggestions? Comments?
 
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I have the Super Remote kit and would recommend it as a good starting point for a light kit. The Rifa 88 has a number of advantages over the Rifa 44, but the biggest is that it can take the 3 CFL fixture. Believe me, you want this. The ability to place a softbox 2 feet from the talent with NO HEAT AT ALL will really save you if you have to shoot interviews or anything with no-Pro talent.

I use my DP lights more than anything else in the kit. Normally I use them bounced or when I really just need to throw serious light downrange. The gel/diffusion frame that comes with them is much nicer than the Tota, and the umbrella is much nicer for these. I've also used them for a hair light when I needed to put a background some distance behind the talent. I have a photo in my gallery of this. Light was about 8ft back, with ND gel and some CTB on it, and it really did the trick.

These are just my thoughts, but I wish I had more DP lights and another Rifa on most days.
 
Awesome..

Do you use the DP lights as key lights ever, or just usually the Rifa?

and what do you usually find yourself using for fill

Totas bounced on the totabrellas?
I've seen many guys do that
 
I have used the DP's as keys. However, most of my lighting needs to be soft. So I either bounce them off a foamcore board or I use the silver umbrella as a shoot-through. Really cuts the light level down, but is very effective. Sometimes I'll shoot the DP through a 4x4 silk if I really want to soften it. Work's GREAT for that and really has some punch.

More often than not, I'll use foamcore for fill. I just love how soft it is. Otherwise I'll shoot through a silk. I tend to use the Totas for ambient light or for lighting the bakground some. It does a lovely job simulating the sun through a window or something.
 
The two systems will work for all sorts of applications. I like the 44 because smaller lamps seem to be more useful than blasting a 1000 watts at someone. But the 88 system with the 1000 watt fixtures can be bounced as suggested. So this is a choice, to bounce or not.

If it were me on a economy budget, I'd buy three Peppers [check B&H] I'd get 200, 300 & 420 watt fresnels. Get the barn doors, 3 C stands for holding lights & other, sand bags and 2 translucent umbrellas, sheets of spun & diff and [C47s] wooden clothes pins. Peppers are pro level little lights -- and loved by all. If you have any money left over get a tota for blasting.
 
10s makes a point, but honestly, any one of us could put together a pretty good kit after we've done some lighting work. Doing it when you know little of lighting is another matter entirely.

I worked with my kit for WEEKS testing all kinds of setups before I really started to get a feel for how all the parts went together. Like what the difference in look was from open-faced bounced on foam core vs. pushed through diffusion. And when and how to gel. How do you attach those umbrellas you mentioned to the peppers? Easy to say, harder to rig with no experience.

The Lowel Rifa's of any size other than the 44 take a 3 light edison head. You can put CFLs in there to color match. That alone has saved me several times. You can reallu just dial in just the right amount of light for the job at hand.
 
Excuse my ignorance but

what is the differences between C stands and the stands that are shipped with kit

and how does that flourescent lamp differ from the regular tungsten ones in the kit
 
:) You've got a very rapid education coming in the mail! LOL!

Ok, a C-Stand, or Century Stand is a stand with a positionable arm that can move in 3 axis. It allows you to place the lights or other gear in a multitude of ways. C-Stands are used for EVERYTHING in lighting including holding backgrounds, lights, reflectors, diffusion, etc. They are stackable, and most people find them indispensable for working with lighting. They are also FAR more heavy duty than the rather flimsy stands that come with lights.

In contrast, light stands go up and down. Only. They are very inflexible in placement, and have a base that while supportive, offers limited options for placement. As you will find out soon. This is not to say they are bad, but they have limited function. The Lowel light stands are very light, which is great for flying or carrying, but not so great for durability on the set. They work, and I use them, but when you see what a good C-Stand is like, or even a good light stand, you'll understand the difference quickly.

As to the fluorescent vs. Tungsten, well, the tungsten lamp that comes with the lights has a color temp of about 3200K Very standard. However, that lamp will get up to about 400 degrees Farenheit. So will the other lights in your kit. A softbox needs to be rather close to the talent. Usually 2-4 feet. Placing a 400 degree light source 2 feet from anyone for any length of time will cause the expected results. And if they are not in makeup, they'll be as shiny as a piece of tin-foil in no time. The fluorescent lights emit nearly no heat. Less than a match. So you can place it next to the talent for hours with no real effect. Additionally, you can purchase the bulbs in tungsten color temeratures to match your other lights, or you can purchase them in daylight balance in case you wantto use it outside or in a room with windows. You will need to add blue gels to your other lights to do the same. And if you need to use that softbox with it's 1000w bulb, you'll find you cannot easily balance it to daylight. Just something to keep in mind.

DanHD said:
Excuse my ignorance but

what is the differences between C stands and the stands that are shipped with kit

and how does that flourescent lamp differ from the regular tungsten ones in the kit
Click to expand...
 
Interesting about the fluorescents in the Rifa (I've got a 55). I checked B&H's site though and wasn't able to find 3200K screw-in fluorescents. The lowest was 4100K. Know of anyplace where the 3200s could be found?
 
Thank you for your help!

so, why would it be difficult to balance the softbox to daylight

and also

dont fluoro lights give off a green cast?
 
Well,

My Rifa 88 is 36" by 36". Considering that gel sheets are 21" x 24" and rolls are 24" by 25ft, its hard to cover the inside of the softbox evenly. Yes you can do it, but it's messy. Far easier to just balance the softbox properly. The rolls are also about $85, so doing it with fluorescents is also cheaper.

Older fluos certainly did give off green casts. However, we left that technology behind 20 years ago in the film industry. Modern CFL lights and tubes destined for film work have no green spike at all, and make a BEAUTIFUL light. I can post some examples if you'd like to see.



DanHD said:
Thank you for your help!

so, why would it be difficult to balance the softbox to daylight

and also

dont fluoro lights give off a green cast?
Click to expand...
 
Thank you so much for your help.


I would appreciate it if you could post some examples of the soft box as a key

and could you please post a link to those CFL lamps you use in your 88?

I will buy them


thanks!
 
See the attached image (no color correction)... sorry its so large

1222384552.jpg


Here is a link to the bulbs...

http://www.nvisioncfl.com/products.aspx?CategoriesID=1

-P


DanHD said:
Thank you so much for your help.


I would appreciate it if you could post some examples of the soft box as a key

and could you please post a link to those CFL lamps you use in your 88?

I will buy them


thanks!
Click to expand...
 
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The "Soft white" is 2700K. Good match for people using those halogen shop lights.

The "Bright White" is 3200K and a good match for Film based tungsten fixtures

The "Daylight" are 5500k and a nice match for HMIs and similar lights.
 
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