Same here. I can't preach enough about these tubes.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7xH7eGFuSYI
Here I had 100 quasars in the sky all run to a dimmer board.
Are kino flo florescent lights still a good buy in today's lighting world?
- Thread starter nataraja
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7xH7eGFuSYI
Here I had 100 quasars in the sky all run to a dimmer board.
StrobelPhotography
Well-known member
I'm gonna check out the quasar as well. I've been looking at mactech and litepads by litegear.com which are my top picks so far. The one issue I see when looking at the litepads is they don't have the bendable wings that the kinos have. The form factor is better though. And they travel super easy. Check the, out and let me know what you think.
RyanT
Veteran
I haven't seen any of their tubes in the bi-color configuration, and all of the fixtures that I've seen are just too complicated. Too many pieces. I've been using the 960LS sled though and I do have to say that is an interesting fixture. A whole heck of a lot of light on not a lot of power and in a super slim configuration. It really is a pain in the butt to reglobe and is probably not suitable for most of the work people on this site will be doing.
Litemats on the other hand....holy crap! So lightweight and compact. I plan on buying a litemat 4 and a litemat 2L when I get the chance. Great lights. Slim, compact, and pretty good punch. I find if I am ever using a kino as well, it's a fixture that I want to be soft. Something where the bendable barn doors aren't of much use.
Either way, if people weren't specifically asking me for kinos so often I would use them a lot less, but I do a lot of rentals so it makes sense for me to keep going that route.
StrobelPhotography
Well-known member
I'm excited to get some as well. I was thinking two of the 4's. The litemats do have egg crates I guess so I can use those to keep light off areas I don't want to spill on backgrounds etc. I've just become used to the barn doors on the kinos. My main debate right now is for my larger source since I don't own one but that's a different thread.
DPStewart
Veteran
Wow Matt! Not only is that a great piece of content but the COLORS are fantastic.
That's all the proof anyone should need right there.
CharlesPapert
Director of Photography
I used a variety of six Litemats on "Crazy Ex-Girlfriend" and they quickly became my go-to units for speed and flexibility since they can go anywhere and rig anywhere due to their light weight and flat form factor (they are great on menace arms or even "poor man's menace arm", aka a c-stand clamped horizontally to a combo stand, because even with the risers extended you don't need to add counterweight beyond that provided by the turtle base). Was very satisfied with their color rendition and light quality.
For more punch and the flexibility of tubes I selected the Quasar science units which we had mounted in Kino fixtures or bare as required. I personally don't consider the barn doors on tube fixtures to be instrumental in shaping the output as much as a medium to mount things on (diffusion, extension doors etc) as I find the egg crates much more helpful in that regard.
Before I started that show I did a camera test with a variety of LED tubes from different manufacturers with a couple of other units thrown in. I just came across it so I thought I'd share with you guys. Here is the file:
https://goo.gl/6ghrCX
I used an Arri 300 as a baseline for comparison. I'd long felt the Celeb outputs a magenta cast and thus generally keep a layer of 1/8 or 1/4 green on it and this test confirmed my suspicion. It also showed green in the Kinoflo which I'd been seeing a lot lately, and has resulted in my using Kino tubes as little as I possibly can these days. The Quasar Science tubes came out a little warm in this test, but I preferred the overall color rendition over the other tube options, I like that they maintain color when dimmed and I was very happy with them on set.
For more punch and the flexibility of tubes I selected the Quasar science units which we had mounted in Kino fixtures or bare as required. I personally don't consider the barn doors on tube fixtures to be instrumental in shaping the output as much as a medium to mount things on (diffusion, extension doors etc) as I find the egg crates much more helpful in that regard.
Before I started that show I did a camera test with a variety of LED tubes from different manufacturers with a couple of other units thrown in. I just came across it so I thought I'd share with you guys. Here is the file:
https://goo.gl/6ghrCX
I used an Arri 300 as a baseline for comparison. I'd long felt the Celeb outputs a magenta cast and thus generally keep a layer of 1/8 or 1/4 green on it and this test confirmed my suspicion. It also showed green in the Kinoflo which I'd been seeing a lot lately, and has resulted in my using Kino tubes as little as I possibly can these days. The Quasar Science tubes came out a little warm in this test, but I preferred the overall color rendition over the other tube options, I like that they maintain color when dimmed and I was very happy with them on set.
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StrobelPhotography
Well-known member
if you were forced to choose between the litepads and the quasar's which would you say you couldn't live without? Or maybe one of each? I need a little help choosing the most versitle instrument.
Thx for the test. Can't wait to check it out.
CharlesPapert
Director of Photography
Really two different animals...tubes are handy because you can pop them out of the fixture and use them bare for various things (under a bar, behind a door, laid down on the ground etc). The Litemats aren't as punchy but their lightweight construction make them very flexible for rigging, handholding for walk and talks etc.
StrobelPhotography
Well-known member
I think I'm always going to have some flourescents but I went out to Litegear and Quasar and I loved the quasar Led! I test drove their 4' 4bank and WOW!! That thing is punchy!! I went with it because it's just so versatile like you said. He's also working on fitting two more bulbs in that 4' 4bank fixture, to make it a 6bank!! in the same old fixture. I'm going all in with Quasar. I loved it. Use any dimmer on it, use one bulb or two or any configuration I need, mount it anywhere. I'm really excited. My low budget film package is really coming together.
StrobelPhotography
Well-known member
I went fwd with the quasars and I'm super in love. Since I can't afford a ton of fixtures I felt like they were the most versatile and powerful fixtures. I made a video proclaiming my love for this light. It's the first 4' 6bank that they've sold. I'm going back to replace the harness when the new one's come in and I'm gonna have steve sign it when i do. Hopefully my affection for this fixture doesn't gross anyone out.
This is my proof that Fluorescent is dead. https://youtu.be/BWLqzPf4U6U
CharlesPapert
Director of Photography
Hey Steven, if you love those lights so much, whyncha marry them!
No but: glad you are happy with them. They are a solid piece of gear, to be sure. I myself like the continuously dialable version (we typically run them through DMX), it's great to be able to make minute adjustments to the color temp without the bother of gel, but of course it's not necessary for everyone. Very happy with the color purity, they put out an impressively clean spectrum so there is no compromise there. Certainly more consistent than what I've been seeing out of Kino Flo's in the past few years.
No but: glad you are happy with them. They are a solid piece of gear, to be sure. I myself like the continuously dialable version (we typically run them through DMX), it's great to be able to make minute adjustments to the color temp without the bother of gel, but of course it's not necessary for everyone. Very happy with the color purity, they put out an impressively clean spectrum so there is no compromise there. Certainly more consistent than what I've been seeing out of Kino Flo's in the past few years.
Ha. Steven, your affection for the light is contagious ... And I'm amazed at the soft shadow produced by so much light...
Thanks for sharing. I'm with Charles... am looking into the dialable versions now after seeing your video ... and will contact QS myself - but wondering if these could also be retrofitted / used in the Diva 4 and 2 models...and if the dimming ballast on those units could be used.
Thanks for sharing. I'm with Charles... am looking into the dialable versions now after seeing your video ... and will contact QS myself - but wondering if these could also be retrofitted / used in the Diva 4 and 2 models...and if the dimming ballast on those units could be used.
CharlesPapert
Director of Photography
Intensity and size/quality of source are unrelated factors! Overcast days are shadowless but sometimes they are bright enough to make you squint...
Divas use biax tubes as opposed to the T12 straight tube form factor used with the Quasars. And because the ballast is built in, they wouldn't work with an external dimming ballast used with the biax tubes.