I need to piece together a light kit

[randomname]

I'm somewhat experienced with lighting a scene, but I feel like the biggest reason I'm not much better at it is that I don't own my own light kit, and usually end up shooting with available light rather than having to borrow a kit. I'm also extremely inexperienced when it comes to the different kinds of lights and what to use when. So what exactly is the cheapest/best option for my first light kit?

 

[Justin Kuhn]

Used Lowels. Used Arris if you can get them. Check out Cool Lights, I've got one of their basic models and two 500W Lowel Omnis and I can generally handle most of my needs. Pretty bare bones though.

 

[BournsProductions]

And if you're on a budget, you can get lowel's for really cheap. I've gotten two omnis on Ebay before in the past for around $70 each including shipping and a bulb. One even included barndoors. Add a ten dollor white umbrella and you have a decent softlight. It's a good way to get started and then you can upgrade to Arri's, Mole and Cool Lights/Kinos as you want more diversity and higher quality equipment.

 

[paulears]

I'm always surprised that people don't do what they do in other topic areas? Ask for more detail. I'm not sure that there is a 'standard' lighting kit any longer.

When I bought my first video lighting kit in the 90s, I went for an Ianiro redhead kit (3 redheads - couldn't afford the 4 head version). Most of what I was shooting was interviews with 1, 2 or sometimes 3 people. I loved them. Then I moved towards staged acting style projects where distances were greater, and the redheads were too wide angle. Arri 650 and 1K Fresnels worked better. never had an on-camera light until last year - just didn't need it for what I do. The Redhead kit was sold as it didn't get used. Obviously soon after, the projects changed again and I bought another set! They don't, in honesty, get used that much - but I still like them. Colleagues ranted over their Dedo kits, but I have a van, so don't rally care too much about size and weight. I've also brought across some much bigger tungsten from my theatre lighting stock of older kit. Similar to the Arris, but much bigger - my current favourite being 2K Fresnels with 10" lenses - lovely soft light. Damn heavy, but I have some manfrotto big chunky stands.

So I'm firmly of the opinion that what you want the lighting for, is far more important than what is flavour of the month. Everyone raves over LED lighting, and that's ok if it works for them - it's just not yet bright enough or even enough for what I do.

 

[boulder]

Something to think about, If you have a local cable access studio they usually have decent light kits for use and mine costs $10 a year. I was slowly building my light kit and discovered 2 blocks away from me was the cable studio with fantastic light kits just sitting there, I decided to spend my money on lenses instead.