Home made Kino Part 1

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I've been experimenting recently with fluorescents, and have never seen any flicker or noise problems no matter which ballast is used (and I've tried many cheap chinese ballasts.) I think that now it's cheaper to make electronic ballasts than to use big pieces of copper wire (they're tiny and cheap too.)

Even lamp quality seems to have gone up, as with even the cheapest (again, Chinese) "daylight" lamps have very little green which is easily corrected in post.

I'm only a few hundred kliks from the Chinese border, so we're the first to get the latest and greatest in Chinese technology!
 
Keith said:
Good looking plan... . My question is does this light work well as a key? If I had a Britek key for example, would this replace that?

If not, what is the main use for something like this?
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Your KEY LIGHT of course is dependent on light levels elsewhere. It's your main source.
I'd think (or should say hope cause I plan to clear off my workbench and start building my own) that a 4x4 flourescent bank would make a nice keylight. Bounce card for fill...etc.. great for location interviews. Oh yeah.

My recommendation is to sand the back surface and spray on some flat black. Barn doors- need to work on that.

Jeff Patnaude :beer:
 
Thanks,

I picked up a couple of "graff lights" and was very pleased with how they worked out. I too am getting geared up to build a larger light 2x4 etc based on the graff light experience.
 
JPatnaude said:
My recommendation is to sand the back surface and spray on some flat black. Barn doors- need to work on that.

Jeff Patnaude :beer:
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I did paint the back.. barndoors i bought the parts to but just didnt get around to doing it.
 
Anyway to get a diagram and/or written explanation of how to build this. I too once blew up a stereo in my car.


Also I'd like to make a series of these and possibly see if I can fix one of my blown videssence ballasts. Anyone know a repair shop for those. This is an old single fixure ballast for 55w lamps. I bought both on ebay from Flo-go .. they were their in store demo units. It could possibly just be a fuse, maybe?
 
Hope it's cool to bring this back to life. I think some others might be interested in some knowledge from those already working with DIY flos. I would also personally love to request info on something more akin to an HMI or big key light?

This thread and the diamond plate DIY thread is awesome. Anyone bought one?
 
Anyone know of a plate to put on these that will mount directly to a light stand? I can go the baby plate/grip head route, but if there's one piece that will do the job of two, I'd like that. Assuming it's cheaper than the two combined, of course.

Also, has anyone done anything more advanced than foam core for barn doors?

Fox
 
Justyn said:
Hope it's cool to bring this back to life.
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Glad you did... it's something I've been looking into myself.

In particular, I'm trying to find a good source for high CRI tubes (90+ range).
 
I think it's an awesome thread. I want to get a bunch of working lights for what I would pay for a kit. I"m not out to impress any client this year. Functional lighting at a reasonable cost is key here.
 
Ryan,

Yeah, I would definitely rather have those knuckles, I was just trying to keep costs down for the moment. I'm doing three lights (2 bulbs each) and it will end up costing around $225 including stands before buying knuckles. Not too bad. Although I do need to take two of the lights back as the manufacturer didn't put the on/off switch on them. Weird.

I'll post pics when I'm done (hopefully this weekend). Adding egg crates and painting the backs with Plasti-Cote.

Fox
 
I'd love to see what you end up using for eggcrate. I just got a couple of Matt's Flo's and I'd like to see if there's a cheap solution. Thanks.
-Ryan
 
Whoa cool, you're right J!
They got all sorts of cheap eggcrates.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/con...shs=Eggcrate&ci=1&ac=&Submit.x=11&Submit.y=10

Now I wonder which size would fit on Matt's model. When they say "Single Fixture" and 15" does that mean that it's pretty close to the length of the bulb/light? I honestly don't know if I would really even need an eggcrate (cuz Matt's got that nice parabolic design). I'm gonna see how much of a problem the spill is on my short this weekend, but it's nice to know that there's some kind of cheap alternative.
-Ryan
 
I bought a sheet of eggcrate at Lowes (or Home Depot) for $10. Four-feet by, uhhhh, I can't remember. But enough to cover all three of my fixtures. It is white, though. And those Kino spares on BH look nice -- have to figure out what size is what, though.

Next is figuring out barn doors. Would like something a bit nicer than foam core, but I'll use it if I have to. :)

Fox
 
JasonFox said:
Let me continue talking to myself
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So you hear voices in your head too? :cheesy:

I'm glad you brought this thread back up- I had no clue about it. This seems like a great DIY project, and I llok forward to seeing what you come up with this weekend- especially for the barn doors.
 
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