An opinion on ARRI Softbank Kits @ B&H

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farfromsubtle

Well-known member
What are you opinions on the ARRI Softbank Kits? B&H seems to have the all around best prices on them...

Softbank Kits at B&H

I am seriously considering the Softbank D5 kit for 2.3k

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I would say it's a very respectable starter's kit. Waddya say?
 
You could certainly do a lot worse. Arri manufactures some great products that will stand up over time.
 
That's the idea, I figure, I just bought the Honda Civic and/or Apple product of video cameras (DVX obviously) so I had might as well get somthing that will hold up to. Plus, with an arri kit, you can build on it with more parts pretty easily.
 
I just started a kit (1 Arri Fresnel 650 and 1 Arri Fresnel 300, barn doors, stands and a Kata maze4 bag). I love em! However, i am now addicted and want to order more lights,scrims and gels. That kit looks nice but whoa is it pricey. Ill probably end up spending a butt load by the time I'm done but i will acquire only what i need as i need it, learning as i go along. If you want the whole shabang right away, go for a kit.

Luke
 
I don't think you can go wrong with Arri lights. I can't speak for thier stands, never used them, but the lights are the best. Great place to start!
 
I don't care for open face lights myself. And all the light stands that come in these kits are crap light duty stuff.

arri makes great stuff but I'd stick with the fresnels and don't waste your time on 150s, better to have 300 and scrim them down.
 
Icarus2005, thats exactly what i was thinking when i started my kit. I went with bogan stands and stuck with only Fresnel lights, not going below 300s ( you can always scrim it down but you cant get light thats not there).

Luke
 
Based on your advice, how about this kit:

Softbank D2

It has two 300s and a 650, all fresnel. I figure I'll add a 1000 fill a little later on.

Of course, I will be replacing the stands for field work, but I have worked with the Arri stands before, and there is definitely use for them.
 
I love the look of the IV, and yes, I think that two 150s would be really versitile... there seem to be alot of advocates against 150s here though.
 
I have the Softbank IV and the Softbank D1 kits and they are the best. They have definitely paid for themselves rather quickly. The 150W fresnels get used a lot. In fact I would say that almost every time I use either kit, I will pull out at least one of the 150's. The stands are fine. They will definitely hold up over time. The 1K open face ArriLite works very nicely with the Chimera softbox, and I have used it without the softbox as well. You can't go wrong with Arri.
 
Now that I have been shooting more DV, it is pretty rare that I have to pull out anything bigger than a 650. Unless competing with the sun.
I have traveled all over the place with arri's. You can not kill them. Their value holds over time.
 
Have you looked into Dedo? They are a little more expensive but are well worth the money. You can get a small kit for like 3k.

2cents. :cheesy:
 
I have an Arri Softbank kit that I bought from B&H and I'm very happy with it. They're built to last.

The only problem I've ever seen with any Arri stuff was some light stands that had the threads stripped on the tighteners, but I suspect that was probably the result of some careless person abusing the equipment.
 
I rented a couple of ARRI Fresnels and can't wait to get some extra cash to buy myself a set!!!! I'm looking at the softbank D2. If you use crappy open faced lights such as the Britek kits (I have a set, they're pretty bad...) and you try these, you will wonder how you got along without them. The stand seemed kinda flimsy, but to its credit it is a rental and people don't usually treat them with respect.
 
I like Arri fresnels but,
those Arri softbanks are tedious to set-up and take-down.

I prefer the Lowell Rifa-Lite myself.
So amazingly quick and easy to set-up.
Everything is self contained, opens like an umbrella.

No adapter ring to worry about or to have to wait to cool down.
It's the only light I recommend from Lowell.

-BillP
 
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