Any cheap suggestions for light kit?

W

Whipsmack

Member
We've been using a couple desk lamps previously. But need to find some good lighting for indoors, especially since the camera I use is an HV30, it's really poor for indoor lighting.

Are there any kits that stand out as a must buy for $100ish? Or should I just grab any kit on e-bay and i'll be good?

Thanks!
 
You wont get anything good for $100, maybe one light if you're lucky. If you really need to be on the cheap, go pick up some worklights from Home Depot, and some white poster board.
 
yes the clamp on lights from Home Deopot are the way to go if you have $100.
they are cheap and they work really well.
specially if you are doing mid/close up shots it seriously wont make a difference.
just make sure you get the 250w lights. not the 100w ones.
the 250w lights go for like $30 so you should be able to get 3.
if you need more pawer for the wide shots or night. get the worklights.
they are like $60 or $70 for the 1000w lights w/ the stand.
 
We tried the flood lights, and there were way too many over exposed areas with shadows on other areas. We didn't try it with a poster board though, good idea.
 
I've bought some good lights on eBay for incredibly cheap. If you have time to look around you can probably build a decent kit by piecing it together.
 
china balls baby. http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://snodart.com/snodpublic/DramaFest_threadpics/BTS7_JakeChinaBall.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.dvxuser.com/V6/showthread.php%3Ft%3D84951&usg=__mJy7xz3E8bn1Ej_EX5GwcDLg71A=&h=500&w=333&sz=26&hl=en&start=4&um=1&tbnid=HczV8uyVbihLgM:&tbnh=130&tbnw=87&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dchina%2Bballs%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DG%26um%3D1

very helpful thread to get u started on very good soft lighting.

add some worklights to the mix for a hard source and ur good. Ur just goin to have to figure out how to control them. There are DIY barndorr plans on the net for worklights...google it. Also make ur down flags (black material) to flag off lighting or for negative fill. Grab some foamcore for fill...or foil on cardboard. If ur gona use these 2 lights in the same scene ur gona have to either gel the worklights with CTB to match the china balls or get warm white (tungsten floro) for the china balls. However mixing colour temperatures can be quite desirable depending on what u want. :)
 
Last edited:
in Robert Rodriguez's "El Mariachi" he used those clamp-on lights and just put a deffuser over it.
I got my deffuser at samy's camera for $12 and it's made by tiffen.
you should watch the 10 min film school in Rodriguez's El Mariachi. (1992)
He shows how he made his dirt cheap 16mm film!
 
Diffusion will go up like gasoline near a work lamp. You are probably better bounding off of foam core or a white ceiling. CFLs are lower in power consumption and much cooler as well as produce a softer light.

I personally don't mess around with DIY lights. It takes so much time and effort to make it look good. I would suggest you consider saving up for a decent small light kit. I have an Arri Softbank IV.

Jason
 
I have a very affordable 3 pt Lowell light kit with stands and expendables. Make me an offer.
 
thanks for the info I appreciate it. However we are extremely low budget. Stretching it just for $100 lights and $300 total for the short film.

Do you recommend I buy a bunch of normal 23 watt fluorescent bulbs and drill 4 of them into a board and then put a homemade soft box over it?
 
for the china balls...all the info is in the link i gave u. easy and cheap to make.

U can diffuse ur worklights with wax paper. (baking sheets) i saw a user do that already and i tried it. it wont catch fire...it make smoke a tad if u have it directly clipped to the light. I;ve used already. If u make barndoors for then and clip it to the barn doors u'll be fine...cuz it need some air between the wax paper and the light. however u can buy ND gels to knock down the intensity or 216 diffusion. that isnt expensive
 
Last edited:
I don't think you are going to need a soft box over CFLs, Whipsmack, they are pretty soft to begin with. I would suggest you paint the board in your example white to further 'soften' the light through bounce. Others have had success adding CFLs together with 'Y' adaptors and putting them into a cheap china ball.

Main thing is to buy high CRI bulbs. The color will be more realistic. You also have the choice of color temperature, I would suggest daylight, about 5600k.

To be completely honest though, a light kit will go much much further (barn doors, scrims, stands, filter holders...etc). Maybe you should reconsider your budget (and Grinner's offer)...


Jason
 
below can be bought from ebay. it's not going to get any cheaper than that.

2 light stand: 40bucks
2 umbrella light socket/holder: 30bucks
2 CFL bulbs 700-1400lumens(HD have variety) daylight(~3000-5000K): 20bucks

1 HD halogen reflector: 13bucks
1 chinese lantern: under 10bucks for 12-16"
-------------------------------
the reflector will required some sort of cloth to diffuse it to get an even light spread.

also HD also have some 250w halogen work light for like 2.00bucks each. youll be shooting under very warm lighting.

oh yeah, CFL do come w/ reflector but I have never use it. thats an alternative.
 
Last edited:
For $199 you can get 2 Impact Qualites with diffusion umbrellas and 4-way barn doors over at B and H photo. I have them, they are both 300w lights and work pretty well.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top