Flouros vs. tungsten
- Thread starter DanHD
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Andrew Brinkhaus
Veteran
If you are referring to the color of the lights, at 3200k they are obviously the same. If you are curious as to the quality of light, they are obviously very different and have their own qualities.
Fluorescents are naturally a softer source with a weaker throw. They are great for ambient fill or keying an actor in a MS, MCU, etc. They have a nice wrap around the face even just as bare bulbs, however I like to cover the barndoors with 250 or 216 diffusion to further soften them.
Tungsten fixtures are generally much sharper and "punchy" right out of the gate. Doesn't mean much however because you can easily soften them with diffusion, silks, etc. A smaller source is going to be more punchy and throw a sharper shadow than a fixture with a large face. The larger the source, the softer the light.
China balls are a great way to light an area as well, and usually look nice on the skin. You can exhange the bulbs with higher/lower wattage for a brighter source or softer/harder source.
At the same diffusion level, you won't notice too much difference between the two source types, though I think kino's cause the skin to glow a little more and have a more natural wrap.
Fluorescents are naturally a softer source with a weaker throw. They are great for ambient fill or keying an actor in a MS, MCU, etc. They have a nice wrap around the face even just as bare bulbs, however I like to cover the barndoors with 250 or 216 diffusion to further soften them.
Tungsten fixtures are generally much sharper and "punchy" right out of the gate. Doesn't mean much however because you can easily soften them with diffusion, silks, etc. A smaller source is going to be more punchy and throw a sharper shadow than a fixture with a large face. The larger the source, the softer the light.
China balls are a great way to light an area as well, and usually look nice on the skin. You can exhange the bulbs with higher/lower wattage for a brighter source or softer/harder source.
At the same diffusion level, you won't notice too much difference between the two source types, though I think kino's cause the skin to glow a little more and have a more natural wrap.
Ryan Patrick O'Hara
Veteran
Kinos are either balanced to Tungsten or Daylight, a choice you must make when renting or setting up. Kinos are not the same color temperature as industrial flouro fixtures, which tend to be green.
Therefore you may choose which to use.
For a quick reference, you already know that daylight is a bit (if un-noticeably) favorable to CCD's because they are commonly daylight.
Otherwise balanced light is balanced for a reason. Both should be 'white' if balanced to the CCD.
Slightly warm light can give a nice warm feel for romantic mood, but slightly white light can emphasize pale skin.
I just watched an interview with Christopher Doyle, who is a famous Australian DP who shoots Asian films. Asian women, sadly, often like to appear more white then they actually are. He uses slightly blue light on thier skin tones. This makes white look whiter. Just a little tid bit I recently learned.
Basically I can't answer your question because Kinos are balanced to tungsten or daylight just like other lights. It is not it's own color, such as traditional green flouros.
Therefore you may choose which to use.
For a quick reference, you already know that daylight is a bit (if un-noticeably) favorable to CCD's because they are commonly daylight.
Otherwise balanced light is balanced for a reason. Both should be 'white' if balanced to the CCD.
Slightly warm light can give a nice warm feel for romantic mood, but slightly white light can emphasize pale skin.
I just watched an interview with Christopher Doyle, who is a famous Australian DP who shoots Asian films. Asian women, sadly, often like to appear more white then they actually are. He uses slightly blue light on thier skin tones. This makes white look whiter. Just a little tid bit I recently learned.
Basically I can't answer your question because Kinos are balanced to tungsten or daylight just like other lights. It is not it's own color, such as traditional green flouros.
Ryan Patrick O'Hara
Veteran
Uh Andrew! lol.
I got distracted talking to a roomate and you beat me to it! lol.
I got distracted talking to a roomate and you beat me to it! lol.
Andrew Brinkhaus
Veteran
Well, there's plenty of forum for both of us! 
Thank you Andrew, much appreciated. I'm still a beginner at all this.
Another question, I have two lindcraft 24" chinas and two sockets with 9 foot cords....
How exactly should I "hang" these?
How do you go about it?
Do you just stable the cord of the socket to the ceiling?
Another question, I have two lindcraft 24" chinas and two sockets with 9 foot cords....
How exactly should I "hang" these?
How do you go about it?
Do you just stable the cord of the socket to the ceiling?
and one more question
Do you guys usually set your lights up, strike them, then leave them on for the whole scene throughout multiple takes?
I set up my totalight along with some other lights to film a shot at night, where I needed the sun..
I left them on for the whole scene, which took one hour. By then end the Totalight had started to burn the metal protective shield in front of it...the lights were extremely hot
my sound guy is older and on shoots all the time and says the lights are meant to stay on for a long time and the extreme heat is normal
do you guys shut off your lights between takes?
Do you guys usually set your lights up, strike them, then leave them on for the whole scene throughout multiple takes?
I set up my totalight along with some other lights to film a shot at night, where I needed the sun..
I left them on for the whole scene, which took one hour. By then end the Totalight had started to burn the metal protective shield in front of it...the lights were extremely hot
my sound guy is older and on shoots all the time and says the lights are meant to stay on for a long time and the extreme heat is normal
do you guys shut off your lights between takes?
I don't think this is true...
Single chip CMOS with bayer array may have a noise problem with tungsten balance but three CCD is another story...The perfomance is equal between the two balances, 5600k and 3200k. I've talked to panasonic engineers about it and they said CMOS are much worse in tungsten than CCD
Ryan Patrick O'Hara
Veteran
You're probably right. I've never really payed attention to the 'issue' anytime because I don't think it's worth it's weight in results. I was under the impression that CCD chips were made daylight balanced. Oh well. :huh:
Macville
Well-known member
The only difference (besides the quality of light--eg hard/soft) you might see would have to do with a green spike in the kinos on some digital cameras. Flo lamps with lower CRI (under 90/85) will often show this spike.
Even when you shoot tungsten on daylight balanced CMOS cameras (like the RED) the noise really isn't bad at all. I just shot a bunch of interviews with tungsten lights and there was really only increased noise in the blue background--but not any more if you were shooting HDV.
Matthew
Even when you shoot tungsten on daylight balanced CMOS cameras (like the RED) the noise really isn't bad at all. I just shot a bunch of interviews with tungsten lights and there was really only increased noise in the blue background--but not any more if you were shooting HDV.
Matthew
puredrifting
Major Contributor
I own both Kino and tungsten instruments. To my eye, tungsten has a more natural, organic look to skin tones and skin color. You can spot a Kino lit scene a mile away. Its not a bad look, but it is a more "modern" look to my eye. I would never light with Kinos for anything period, they make people look more "modern" to my eye.
Dan
Dan
emretufekci
Well-known member
Dan if you are filming indoors, need the the power but bot the heat look into renting Arri Ceramic X lights. They draw 250w, put out 1K, hot strike, internal ballast,output 3200K, are interchangable with HMI bulbs for 5600K and are cool to the touch.
The only drawback is when you turn them on it takes 3 minutes to come to tempature.
You can buy them for $2600 each I think.
Addition: Depending on the location I sometimes end up mixing kinos and rifas so no particular preference for skin tones here. More of a heat and power issue.
The only drawback is when you turn them on it takes 3 minutes to come to tempature.
You can buy them for $2600 each I think.
Addition: Depending on the location I sometimes end up mixing kinos and rifas so no particular preference for skin tones here. More of a heat and power issue.
emretufekci
Well-known member
Off the topic: Dan, are you playing the drums on your avatar?
Andrew Brinkhaus
Veteran
I generally hang china's by using lantern locks, which mount the china off a C-stand arm for MUCH more control, or in lower budget scenarios I just gaff the cord to the ceiling, or use I-hooks if it is possible.
emretufekci
Well-known member
I'm a drummer/Bassist myself (amateur, but very serious). I'll PM you a few stills later on.
Cheers
Cheers