Best Lighting Kit for $700? or less.

B

bentramer81

Well-known member
I am buying a lighting kit and after getting a cumbersome B&H kit for $200 on my own and hating it, I am now asking for your advice. (this site has been good to me. :) )

1. It needs to set up and take down quickly.

2. I'll be filming indie shorts from comedy to horror.

3. I'd like to stay at $700 or less for a kit.

4. Durable would be nice, you know something that will last for a while.

Let the suggestions begin. THANKS FOR YOUR HELP IN ADVANCE!!! :laugh:
 
I'd just rent until it becomes apparent to you what you need.

Every scene requires different lights.
 
For $700 you might be able to afford two lights with stands and some sandbags and gel. I'd look at Cool Lights for both softlight and hardlight solution. Their flourescent fixtures are great and very affordably priced, and so is their Blackline tungstens. The CL455 and the 650w tungsten would be a good match.

Or you can also go with Britek, which are dirt cheap for your tungsten lights. I've been using them for months and they work just fine. They're good for just getting the basics of lighting, and then you can always upgrade later on.
 
For 700 dollars or less?

To be entirely honest, I would just go and buy a china ball, and a worklight or two. That will run you less than 100 dollars.

Now, does that sound like blasphemy - most likely. But I would save up your money to get a nice kit by Arri. I mean, you could go for a Lowell kit. But really those things are flimsy. I've used almost every kit Lowell has, they get low wattage jobs done, but very flimsy. Which is why you never see them used professionally.

Honestly, you could buy a sheet of diffusion and a worklight and be good to go...buy some cinefoil and make a makeshift Barndoor. The chinaball will be used in almost everything you shoot.

Just something to think about. If you had more than 700 dollars, I would say, buy a nice kit. But for 700 or less. Think low budget alternatives.
 
There are a few ways you can go.

First off, most people over light. Most often small lights are needed unless you're shooting in large warehouse spaces, and most people aren't doing that. Get a flex-fill reflector: white, gold, silver & silk for daylight exterior work. Small lamps for interior and lots of spun difussion and clothes pins.

1. The suggestion Mattykins gave is good, but you probably want something more professional.

2. Buy 3 LTM Pepper lights 100, 200 & 400 watt lights. They're small fresnels and used by Pros. Throw "spun" diffussion over them and you get soft light. These are really good lights, see at B&H. Get some light weight stands and put them in a box with a few extension cords and you're good to go for all sorts of interior shooting. I love Peppers, & you will too after using them.

3. Another route (more expensive: $900, but my favorite choice) is to buy 3 Desisti Magis fresnel lights. They'll take 300, 500, & 650 watt bulbs so you can decide how you want to lamp them. You might want 3 650s for one set and another maybe you'll want a 500 & two 300s. It gives you room to play. Desisti are better lights than ARRI. They're made of stainless steel so they'll last forever & they won't melt like an ARRI. Get some stands, cords, a few sand bags, gels, spun, & make a few dimmers and you're good to go on most interior shoots like homes and such!

4. Follow either selection 2 or 3, and six months later add in the other lamps from the other selection and you'll have a nice pro level set up that is highly portable and dependable. Put a white umbrella in front and you have a quick soft box light, it has some side spill a soft box doesn't have, but it's OK.

PS: Buy fresnels, why? because they produce the best even portrait quality light. If you need blasters, shop lights or a Lowel Tota will blast your set.
 
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Mattykins said:
I've used almost every kit Lowell has, they get low wattage jobs done, but very flimsy. Which is why you never see them used professionally.
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Ever been to a press junket or out with news guys? They are pros and use Lowels all of the time. We should modify "never" to "don't often". I do know a couple of talented DPs who use Lowels and love them. I have a Lowel kit, I agree with your take mostly but the little Pro Lights are great for an eye light. And I love my little V-Lites for throwing columns up broadsource warm light up curtains or walls. But they are flimsy and I do always use my Arri kit and just supplement with the Lowels.

In this shot, the curtains behind the guy are being lit by two Lowel V lights on the ground resting on pancakes.

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Dan
 
A China Ball is the round Globes you often see hangin up at parties, restuarants, etc. They're normally made of paper, and can burn, but make a beautiful soft glow. Google under "images" and see what you find.

See the "making of" Planet of the Apes, Tim Burton. There's a section where there's a room full of them they use for lighting. They don't throw very far.
 
I've used Lowell a lot. And yes, I have done press events. Lowells are mostly used because they are portable, light, and easy to move. Like I said. Low wattage, they are amazing. I've never seen them on a major set though. Run and guns, amazing. Not saying they are terrible lights at all.
 
Try Peppers for portable robust quality light. They fit in your hand. Lowell is over priced for what you get.... and I have some Lowell gear. :)
 
Cool Lights is the only one who makes those type of flourescent at a budget price, although with your budget you won't be able to afford more than one fixture and stand. The studio versions are cheaper but they're VERY heavy and aren't made to be lug around. I'll echo everyone here and say that $700 simply isn't enough for a good kit.
 
bentramer81 said:
http://www.ikancorp.com/pages/lights/fluorescent_lights.html

I think these would work nicely and go up and down quick. Does anyone know of a cheaper brand to buy from but carries similar lights? And any feedback on these would be nice too.
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Cool Lights USA is a DVXUser site sponsor and has been for 18 months or so. We have the lightest weight location fixtures around at a fraction of the price some of these other competitors are charging due to our manufacturer direct model. We also have studio models too which as noted are heavier but even more economical. Let us know if we can help.
 
Cool Lights said:
Cool Lights USA is a DVXUser site sponsor and has been for 18 months or so. We have the lightest weight location fixtures around at a fraction of the price some of these other competitors are charging due to our manufacturer direct model. We also have studio models too which as noted are heavier but even more economical. Let us know if we can help.
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Everytime I call the number on the website (877) 272-1419 it goes to voicemail, and yesterday I left my number as a page and I haven't got a call back yet. Is there another number I need to be calling?
 
bentramer81 said:
Everytime I call the number on the website (877) 272-1419 it goes to voicemail, and yesterday I left my number as a page and I haven't got a call back yet. Is there another number I need to be calling?
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I got no such message as you didn't leave a real voice message. Thats because I'm out of the country at the moment. Most people place an order on the website and thats all taken care of by other people. Questions about ordering or manual orders are generally either by email or returned phone call but I need a voice mail message with your callback information. You can reach me quickly at richard@coollights.biz. Thanks.
 
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