Found a killer light - cheap and effective!

I just picked up two today, one is 12 inches,I also found a few smaller 6 inch lamps, I have one of each. I'm gonna go buy them outta stock now that I've done some tests with them :). I'm lucky, I have 3 home depots where I live! Great find....Does kino flo make 6 inch tubes?
 
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I will definitly pick this up. Does anyone know what specific kind of AC/DC adapter I'd need for this to plug it into the wall?
 
The Amerelle accepts 12V DC power. I was able to use the DC jack from my Seagate external hard drive.
 
I'm not very good when it comes to electronics like this. So if I go up to a guy at radio shack and ask him for a 12v DC power cable, I'll end up with the right thing?
 
puredrifting said:
Hey Evan:

What does "horrible reviews" mean? Is that sort of a minimalist haiku? ;-)

Dan
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No, I believe that "horrible reviews" means that if you can actually find user reviews on the web they don't say much good about the lights. I saw 3 of them yesterday on some comparison shopping site, now I can't find them again. Two of the reviews said that the lights didn't last more than a couple of days of use. Just stopped working.

I picked up 2 12" lamps at one of my local Home Depots. They had 4 of them on the shelf, they also had about 6 of a 9" version.

The are not that sturdy. I tried one out last night. I set it down on a slightly unlevel surface and it fell about 1 foot onto another hard surface. The clear shield cracked and the light no longer works. It may be I just knocked the bulb loose, I haven't checked yet. But the lamp isn't something that is going to take much of a beating in the field.

-Steven
 
Noah said:
I'm not very good when it comes to electronics like this. So if I go up to a guy at radio shack and ask him for a 12v DC power cable, I'll end up with the right thing?
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Probably yes. It would be best to take the light if you have gotten one. That way they can be sure to match the plug shape and polarity. Some of their adapters come with interchangeable tips, but that is more than what you need.

If you have an external hard drive, and aren't trying to use it at the same time, you can most likely use it's power supply. Just like someone else recently mentioned, I grabbed one of my external HD 12v supplies and it worked perfectly. Heck if you save those kinds of things after the equipment dies, you may already have a "wall wart" lying around that is the right type.

-Steven
 
Noah said:
I'm not very good when it comes to electronics like this. So if I go up to a guy at radio shack and ask him for a 12v DC power cable, I'll end up with the right thing?
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If you get something like this from Radio Shack I'd bring the light with you. You're probably best off with the kind that has several tips and switchable polarity, but the salesperson can show you which tip to use, how to set the polarity, etc.

JP
 
sjmvideo said:
The are not that sturdy. I tried one out last night. I set it down on a slightly unlevel surface and it fell about 1 foot onto another hard surface. The clear shield cracked and the light no longer works. It may be I just knocked the bulb loose, I haven't checked yet. But the lamp isn't something that is going to take much of a beating in the field.

-Steven
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Of course it won't take a beating in the field....its "Cheapo Flo". But that doesn't mean you can't make it last. Like all gear, you just gotta be careful with it. A big old metal Beta Cam doesn't like being droped on the ground, even a few feet off the ground....I bought five of these little fixtures, and I'm looking around for a small padded hard shell case, because they need it! Also keep in mind that these lights will be used only on special occasions...most of the time, they will probably just stay in my case, ready for me when I do need them. Just some food for thought.
 
Well Dan, been to three Home Depots here in Mntreal and nothing....Gonna try a couple more when Iam intoront next week but I doubt that Iwill find them in a HD in Canada, have to check out one on my next visit south for Thanksgiving.
 
Hi guys:

I agree, they are fragile but what do you expect for U.S. $10.00? I think that they are cheap enough that if you drop one, buy another. I would buy a six pack or even 10 or 12 honestly, I think that they work so well that I could light a whole scene with them.

Bummer about you poor Canucks. But I don't think all of the U.S. Home Depots carry them either. I am going over tomorrow to check and see if they have any more, I want to stock up.

All the best,

Dan
 
Thought I'd chime in here.... I went to a local Home Depot lastnight to see what they had. I was looking specifically for these battery operated dicky-doos mentioned in this thread. Found one on the fluorescent light aisle stuck in amongst the corded variety. That was not where they were supposed to be, I just lucked upon it, I suppose. And I couldnt find another one anywhere.

I had to get a store clerk for punch the barcode # into their computer and they supposedly had seven on hand per the computer inventory, but they couldnt find them. I went to the lightbulb aisle and found one more (they are both 12") and also picked up a little tiny 6" just because it was there.

If anyone wants the barcode to help in finding them, let me know and I'll post it up. Might be useful as I'm thinking they are stocked in wierd places in the store.

I also went looking for a couple china lanterns just to have onhand, and Pier One doesnt carry them anymore. Not here at least. WalMart didnt have them either and I've had no luck at Target. But there's a place called World Market that had a few in the store of varying sizes and colors. If anyone uses the china lanterns, I am curious to know the wattage of bulb you used in it, and if you had to get a specific lamp socket to handle it. Can you safely use a 200watt regular lightbulb in these things without them catching fire. I got a 20" or 24" lantern.

Thanks anyone who replies... :)
 
Hey guys, just thought I'd let you know that I saw some similar lights (the brand name was "Prime") and they were $10, versus the Home Depot $20 ones at a Target store of all places. But, they didn't look like they were the same build quality as the Home Depot ones. So, for those who've been having trouble finding ones at Home Depot, now you can try and see if Target has them :)

Also, I entered the Apple Insomnia Film Festival and used the lights for a night scene, using the default bulbs though. They worked wonderfully for providing some low light to highlight the actors (me and my brother) at night. Check out the DVX Clips and footage section for my thread on that.
 
thartley said:
Thought I'd chime in here.... I went to a local Home Depot lastnight to see what they had. I was looking specifically for these battery operated dicky-doos mentioned in this thread. Found one on the fluorescent light aisle stuck in amongst the corded variety. That was not where they were supposed to be, I just lucked upon it, I suppose. And I couldnt find another one anywhere.

I had to get a store clerk for punch the barcode # into their computer and they supposedly had seven on hand per the computer inventory, but they couldnt find them. I went to the lightbulb aisle and found one more (they are both 12") and also picked up a little tiny 6" just because it was there.

If anyone wants the barcode to help in finding them, let me know and I'll post it up. Might be useful as I'm thinking they are stocked in wierd places in the store.

I also went looking for a couple china lanterns just to have onhand, and Pier One doesnt carry them anymore. Not here at least. WalMart didnt have them either and I've had no luck at Target. But there's a place called World Market that had a few in the store of varying sizes and colors. If anyone uses the china lanterns, I am curious to know the wattage of bulb you used in it, and if you had to get a specific lamp socket to handle it. Can you safely use a 200watt regular lightbulb in these things without them catching fire. I got a 20" or 24" lantern.

Thanks anyone who replies... :)
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I've used 200W bulbs in Chinaballs without setting them on fire. You just have to be careful not to have the bulb rest against the paper. Hot bulb touching paper = BAD. I don't know if you need a specific lamp socket, but I went and got one at a lighting supply store just in case.
 
Great detective work Panther. I didn't even try them because there is a not a Lowes very close to me but that is the same light.

Go for it guys, for those of you lamenting how you could not find these, here you go, a gift friom Panther!

Dan
 
I love it, the entire world can light up nooks and cars effectively ;-)

Good tip man. Around here, all I could find with these lights was Home Depot.
B&B Hardware, Orchard and Wal Mart didn't have them around here. I guess it just varies, depending on where you live.

Thanks,

Dan
 
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