Add softlights or sell Lowel Omni's

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panther0271

Active member
Before I begin... let me state that I've been enjoying DVXuser for many months now. This awesome forum solidified my decision to buy my DVX100a; now I'm looking at getting lights. Almost forgot... Barry, you are the man! (sorry couldn't resist... !) But seriously, much respect to all who take time out to point us newbies in the right direction.

My budget for lights is about $500-$650. I currently have a pair of lowel omni's, barndoors, stands, umbrellas. But I want more control so I'm leaning towards soft boxes. I want flexibility to shoot "talking head" and indy movies (from lighting small bedroom or nightclub scene)

The Britek 600/300's are in stock with softboxes, but they don't have eggcrate options like the JTL's. I'm thinking about using a softbox or two and dimming/gelling Omni's. Or maybe I should sell Omni's and see if I can pick up a fresnel or two.

1) Has anyone out there rigged a eggcrate setup with the Britek softboxes yet? Got a pic?

2) Should I wait for the Britek 650 or get 600/300 or 1000/500 with softboxes? Or opt for the JTL's?

3) Should I sell omni's and give me more loot for fresnels or use 'em as backlight and fill.

4) I guess another option is to order the Britek 250's when it gets in stock or contact pyramid films for a B&M deal.

I'm so confused. With my budget/desires... what would you guys do?
 
Re: Add softlights or sell Lowel Omni's

There's nothing wrong with the JTL's, but keep in mind that the eggcrate is expensive (and, I think, would probably work on a similar-sized Britek softbox, wouldn't it?)  The only thing about the JTL's I don't like, and that I vastly prefer with the Briteks, is the way the light works when the softbox isn't on it.  With the Britek 650, you can put the softbox on and have a nice big softlight, or take the box off and have a focusable open-face hard light with barn doors.  The JTL's can't really be used without the softboxes, unless you buy some reflector attachment, and even then you won't have doors.

As for "talking heads", we usually do those with two to four lights.  Sometimes you can bounce light so you use one light as the hairlight from behind them, and bounce it as a fill light on the shadow side.  So you may not need THAT many instruments, although it's always nice to have more.

You already have two omni's with barn doors, right?  Hmmm... Are Omni's focusable?  I don't remember... If they are, then I would consider something like the Britek 500/1000 with a softbox.  If you want a softbox you're going to want some punch with it, so the option of going to 1k is good; I don't think the 300/600 will be as flexible.  The dual-power lights also include doors which are cool, but no focus control.  That'd cost you about $207.  Then I'd consider a couple of Britek G200's.  They're so cheap, yet they've got doors and focus control; for $150 you'd have a couple more heads in your arsenal.  200 watts isn't very strong, but it's enough to add some punch or highlight here and there.

Read Walter's article on his GraffLights; they're little $15 fluorescents you get at Home Depot or Lowe's, and they can be very useful in many situations.  Grab three of those to keep in your kit, you can use 'em in many ways, to add just some modeling and shaping and highlights throughout your scenes.

Have we spent your budget yet?  I think we're close... also look at Scott Spears' article on low-budget lighting... I don't go along with his recommendation for worklights, but everything else is really pretty well thought out and would give you a good comprehensive kit for very little cash.

And then practice practice practice! :)
 
Re: Add softlights or sell Lowel Omni's

My favorite soft light is an omni aimed into a flex fill. You'll find no light like it. Best all it takes little room to add a few flex fills to a kit. And you still get to use the omnis for other things so it is a versatile combination.

Look at all the articles on my website about lighting talking heads. 90% of them were lit with a flex fill and an omni light. And consider that I have all the money I ned to use any light I want and I still use a simple, reliable lighting set-up. Why? Because it works!

Remember a hammer is a hammer until you put it in a carpenters hands.

If you have the money to spend do so, but remember more instruments do not make you better at lightning or make your light better.

If you are in NYC at the end of January, take my one day seminar. I guarantee you will walk out knowing more about lighting then five books and videos and $100,000 worth of fixtures could teach you.
 
Re: Add softlights or sell Lowel Omni's

Thanks Barry and Walter for quick reply. I think I'll keep practicing with an omni (they aren't focusable) and a photoflex , but move forward with a britek softbox and a couple of focusable lights I can dim. Especially since I read Walter's post on how badly Lowel Omni's hum when they are dimmed based on the bulb setup.

Wish I could make it to your event, Walter. Maybe I'll catch the next one.
 
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