Best onboard lighting?

Sproketz,
We use several on our shoots. From the mini's to the 1X1's and they have an incredible 2X2. Plus there amazing Ringlight. Check out there website when you get the chance. www.litepanels.com
As far as color temp it depends on the situation. The last couple of shots we were on we were competing with daylight so we used Daylight color temp. We also had some tungsten that we used CTO on. We shoot H.D.V. and use both Tungsten and Daylight color temps. It really depends what you are shooting. As far as using a CTO or a CTB. I have not noticed any difference in nocking down the output of the light. . I can say we use more floods than spots on our show.
My advise is take your camera to a store and take a Litepanel for a ride and shoot some footage. Also watch out for a complete review on Litepanels on www.2nd-unit.tv We're shooting that episode next week. Check out the interviews we already have on the website. It seems like all the D.P.'s are using them. Remember lighting is such a personal choice. It really is.
Hope this helps!
 
Thanks, Jarred. We're in NY and back to Cupertino wrapping up the Sony/Mac deal this week but we'll make it happen. But I want to take a minute to say something publicly that I think is important. I never asked anything from you and you never asked anything from me. We just sort of came together with our mutual ideas of helping others. I knew about your background before we met at NAB which is why I agreed to answer your party invitation which, as you know, is a rarity. I don't do parties. I have the greatest life and wife in the world so I'm not really looking for the party scene. But when you invited me, I attended. And I want the board members who read this to know, simply, that I'm glad I did. You're a class act with a capital C, Jarred and we'll be proud to bring 2nd Unit, our new sponsors Sony and hopefully Apple this week (we're 99% there with Apple and Mac) Tiffen, LitePanels and Studio Direct Cosmetics which is a big plus to DVXUser.com and its community This forum's honor, integrity, work ethic and personality are a mirror of you, the board's leader, and your various forum wranglers and I truly do look forward to making a place here for 2nd Unit like it has at DVInfo. Information should have as many outlets as possible to reach as many aspiring and established filmmakers as possible. I think Rodney Charters said it all in a recent e-mail to me after finishing viewing the first 9 shows on 2nd-unit.tv when he said, "I even learned some things". SO thanks for the place and the welcome and let's try and get together either late this week or early next. And as soon as I finish Sunday dinner here, I'll sit down and draft a comprehensive answer to Cees' very good questions. I don't always agree with LitePanels public line and so I'm sure they'll have a little different take on things. What i can do is speak from experience and answer your questions that way. Then you can draw your own conclusions with the real-world info I can give you.
 
1. Is the difference between the "DV camera lite kit" and the "DV camera lite kit tungsten" from Litepanels only the "gels" or are the LEDs also different?

The diff is the LEDs. One is 5600K and the tungsten led's are 3200K.

2. From ENG point of view which one of the above do you need?

Typically, I'd use a daylight unit w/ cto for tungsten conversion. The reason being is that daylight is used most of the time and you can convert it with relatively little fuss with a cto. You can't do that the other way around.

3. Can you supply power to the litepanel using the XLR connection of the HVX with the "XLR 4-pin Power Cable" which is included in the Litepanel package?

Yes. If the HVX has a standard 4 pin XLR yes you can power it. If not use the dv plate and two of your own batteries (camera).

4. Does it fit onto the HVX using only the suplied hotshoe adapter or one get space problems when a external mic is on the HVX as well ?

You can mount the unit on the hotshoe mount fine with or without the noga arm(articulating arm) which is best when an ext mic is used!

5. What is the difference between flood and spot and can you do both with one lite panel?

Flood is focused at a 50 degree angle of dispersion and the spot at a 20 degree.
Flood best from 0-10 feet while the spot is best at 10-20 feet.

There are a number of other issues relative to the LitePanels that makes them perfect for alot of situations not the least of which is heat and breakage. By the time we factor in the Kino and other bukb breakage, the Lite Panels virtually pay for themselves over six to eight months but then again we're pretty hard on equipment over the week. The other issue is heat. With Litepanels giving off relatively none, we're free to keep shooting for longer periods without breaking for makeup retouch.
 
CTB makes you lose more light then CTO. I think it's 2/3 stops for CTB and 1/3 for CTO. Not a big differences and you probably won't notice it because they are 'fill' lights anyway.
I think they make good camera lights, but for for larger lights i tend to go to Kinoflo's.
That and some dedo'sColour temp is easely switched, heat is virtually none and the light is super sweet...
That and some Dedolights to get the details. Now, wich bank to rob... :)
 
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