flood lights
- Thread starter Azmyth
- Start date
Azmyth
Veteran
i've found that hardware scoop lights are not high enough wattage as smithy has said, and they don't have a ceramic recepticle which is unusable for high wattage bulbs. I was told you could get a brooder lamp, that does have a ceramic fixture.. but they cost about as much as just buying one specific for video/photo
PerroneFord
Deals in Lead
The Scoop lights I bought from Home Depot most certainly have ceramic bases in them. And I use CFL lights in them. They give off a very nice, soft light, and it's quite bright. I've been pleased with them. The lights I got cost about $15 I think.
Shaneuk
Active member
I've been reading up on lighting and now I know that, it probably would work, but, Work lights have a poor built quality, if you knock them over too much, there out. On the other hand, some lights like Tota's are really good. The built quality is really good and the light temperature is whiter than work lights. Also if you have a 500w work light next to a 500w Tota they are a lot brighter than the work lights.
I hope this helps.
I hope this helps.
Mister Stocks
Well-known member
I've put a 300 watt bulb in a scoop, but that's about as high as I would go, and you don't need to buy an expensive bulb from BandH, just go to your local bigbox hardware store and pick up some high wattage reveals. They work great and cheap if you don't mind having very little control.
I personally dislike totas, to me they are hyped up work lights.
I personally dislike totas, to me they are hyped up work lights.
PerroneFord
Deals in Lead
Like anything, they have their place, but I think this is a bit harsh. It's not the first light out of the kit for me usually, but when you need a broad, it does a great job. I'll be using one again on an upcoming shoot to light a staircase. Because it's darn hard to light a long stretch of space with a single light, without using a broad.
I've also used mine to emulate sunlight coming through a window. It can fill that window top to bottom unlike most lights.
I've also used it for a 4 panel interview where I've pointed the tota toward two 4x8 foam boards end to end and bounced that onto the panelists. Great use for a single broad where otherwise I would have needed to use two sources.
Anyway, there's always many ways to get something done, but as cheap as a Tota is, having one in the bag can be really useful sometimes.
Mister Stocks
Well-known member
Don't get me wrong, I didn't mean that they were worthless or anything or that people shouldn't use them. I use shoplights/worklights all the time so I did not mean that it isn't useful. I just feel like I could take the same bulb and stick it in a work light and save myself 70 bucks. I usually am not looking for control in a light like a tota, so the benefits of it are lost on me personally.
Michael Carter
Veteran
Well, totas and other open faces give you barn doors, a yoke, a spud, and (often) a way to attach a gel frame.
That said, I'm a big open-face fan, but never liked Totas (and I've rented plenty)- tiny barn doors and way too much spill out the back.
I regularly check eBay for things like L&E and Colortran open & nook lights. I really find they're my go-to lights for initial roughing in of a setup, when used with scrims, cards, etc. And you can keep a wealth of bulbs, from 150w to 750 or even 1k, that will fit all of 'em. I've got about 4 really solid models, and never paid more than $40 or so.
I guess I've used 'em so long - even back in my fashion/still days - that I've built a good workflow around 'em. YMMV of course.