Feedback on new CoolLights Flo

E

eco_bach

Well-known member
Hi
Just wanted to share my experience so far with my new CoolLights fixture. Originally was searching for a cost effective alternative to the KinoFlo Diva.
Very happy with my purchase. Really feel I have the quality and functionality of the Diva for half the price. One thing I did do was upgrade the stock bulbs with slightly higher CRI (95 as compared with 87) TrueMatch bulbs.

Best part of my purchase though was dealing with the owner, Richard who patiently answered every question in a timely fashion, a no bs kind of guy! We need more people like him in this industry, knowledgeable, selling quality kit at affordable prices.
 
eco_bach said:
Best part of my purchase though was dealing with the owner, Richard who patiently answered every question in a timely fashion, a no bs kind of guy! We need more people like him in this industry, knowledgeable, selling quality kit at affordable prices.
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S E R V I C E : I've said it before and I believe; it's the only thing you have to offer. Products can be got from many sources. Service is what makes a purchase a Stellar Purchase.

Nice to hear !!
 
He got the portable version. Really depends upon how much you want to carry it around or just leave it somewhere in a fixed installation on stand or ceiling. If the former, get the portable. If the latter, studio model is better.
 
I have a couple of the portable 4x55 models. I like them, but they are light; I can get two of them complete in a largest Kata OMB case which is really nice. If I didn't mind the extra weight + size, I'd save a few bucks and get the studio models. The studio versions use a yolk mounting scheme which I would prefer.

Grant
 
One more question guys, did you go with the dimmable or switchable one's? It seems like too much of a price increase to get the dimmable one's but to those with the switchable 4 banks where you only really have two output options, do you feel limited?
 
Already shooting roughly f4 at ISO 320 with a diffusion gel so doubt that I will ever miss being able to dim. If I need less light will either switch off 2 of the 4 lights or move the light further away.
 
eco_bach said:
Already shooting roughly f4 at ISO 320 with a diffusion gel so doubt that I will ever miss being able to dim. If I need less light will either switch off 2 of the 4 lights or move the light further away.
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eco_bach-

if you don't mind sharing:

which version 2x55 or 4x55?

f4/320 iso with the light approximately how far away from the subject?

thanks in advance.

be well

rob
smalltalk productions
 
Just got my cool lights 4x55 portable! So far it looks good but I haven't tested for flickering (I'm sure there won't be any) or relative color temp to my other lights. So far though it puts out a decent amount of light. I'd say each of the 55watt bulbs is as bright as some of the "85watt" cfl bulbs I have.
 
Hi @ eco_bach. Just wondering if you ever posted any of the Interview Footage with the "cool lights" flo's that you purchased and what you thought of them so far?
 
blake2404 said:
Hi @ eco_bach. Just wondering if you ever posted any of the Interview Footage with the "cool lights" flo's that you purchased and what you thought of them so far?
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Essentially identical to Kinoflo! I swapped in some slightly higher daylight Truematch daylight bulbs. If you'd like to save money on diffusion Kinoflo makes something called a 'flozier' which I think is around $100 but a $8 diffusion gel attached with C47's to the barn doors works for me!


I usually can shoot at f4 at ISO 360 for most portrait type setups. Coolights is a great co and I continue to buy from them. Richard the owner, is a straight shooter, very knowledgeable and a pleasure to deal with.


Hope that helps!
 
Can i ask what the bulbs were that you got as replacements? Do you feel they removed the green spike aspect or do you still have to use a minus green filter. Either way i am now convinced....lol......just deciding between led and flo. The led's seem much more popular but i always figured from a pure color point of view that the flo's were the best choice....no?
 
blake2404 said:
Can i ask what the bulbs were that you got as replacements? Do you feel they removed the green spike aspect or do you still have to use a minus green filter. Either way i am now convinced....lol......just deciding between led and flo. The led's seem much more popular but i always figured from a pure color point of view that the flo's were the best choice....no?
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They're standard Kinoflo bulbs. Just google. I'm not sure if they're a noticeable improvement over the stock bulbs that come with the coolights but I like them.
Absolutely no noticeable flicker or green spike with either.
The coolights bulbs are rated at 87CRI and at that price are a bargain. The Truematch bulbs are rated 95CRI, which I'm guessing is about as high as you can go, but are much more expensive. From my experience I wouldn't touch anything at or below a CRI of 85 for photography, filmmaking.

You need to be more careful with LEDs in my brief experience. I'm sure the Coolights are ok but I wasted over $300 from another 'budget' supplier whose name I won't mention and the green spike was uncorrectable, even with a custom color balance. Ending up giving the light away. The inexpensive Z86's on the other hand are pretty good, and give excellent color rendition with a custom color balance IMHO. If you're interested specifically in LED's, I would ask Richard, describing exactly what your needs are.


Hope that helps!
 
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