Is € 169,- too cheap for a 300W Fresnel?

Thomas van der Gronde

Thomas van der Gronde

New member
When I bought the 300W fresnel from cinelight.com I hesitated because it was so much cheaper than a Arri 300W, which is about 3 times the price. So far I've been pretty happy with it since the quality of the gear seems fine to me. Are there any other users who bought this and had a different experience?
I think that buying these cheaper alternatives might be a really good option for filmmakers who want their own lights. What could go wrong with a light as simple as a fresnel? It's just two wires and a bulb and a fresnel-lens, so when you are careful when you work with them, there shouldn't be a problem with it in my opinion!
 
Cheap knock-offs of ARRI lights come with gambles. Durability is the number one concern: cheaper materials, cheaper assembly, and poor quality control mean that it's only a matter of time before something bends or breaks.

Also, with the hasty production and poor quality inspection, there may be wiring issues that are hazardous to your health. Look closely at how the AC cable is wired in. Improperly connected, there can be a grounding issue that turns the entire instrument into an electrocution hazard. This is something that can be addressed if you know your way around wiring and a soldering iron, but it's still something to note.
 
In the past, the quality of the Arri Fresnel knockoffs was quite variable. But for the most part, they were ok. The ones I have are excellent. There is nothing cheap about it. It has the proper silicon rubber strain relief, the proper braided heat resistant sleeves, high quality silicon rubber extension cord. I don't see anything on the unit I have that is of low quality. The only thing where they may have skimped is that the tightening knob for the yoke is plastic.

For those not doing a lot of work, they are an excellent alternative. They are one of the best cheap-Chinese products out there.
 
I too have a number of these products. I also have plenty of other Fresnels from Arri and Strand in the main - and even some ancient Moles. The Chinese ones produce nice quality light - in fact in use it's difficult to see which is genuine and which is the copy. This does NOT mean they are as good. The quality of the castings is not as good - the innards can be quite loose compared to an Arri original. If you dismantle one, it is very tricky to get the Arri back together because the tolerances on the ali rods and their corresponding casting mounts are higher - in fact, opening a Chinese one can make many of the parts actually fall out. If you bump into the lead screw end stops too hard when adjusting you can bend the lead screw, or even worse on one of mine, pop it out of the socket! The aluminium is softer. You can bend the barndoors on a Chinese one, you can't do this on a real one. Quality control on assembly can also mean poor grounding, or on one of mine, NO grounding because the link to the casting was missing. Ground continuity to the bare aluminium panels is variable because the self-tapping screws do not always cut through the paint. Two of mine were missing the soft pads where the glass lens clamps them in and one shattered when it had been on for a while. All of mine have a cable mounted switch - but on one, the 3 core cable to the fixture onl;y went as far as the switch! The remainder was 2 core - presumably assembled by a person who didn't notice? The plastic focus knob is quite brittle plastic, and on one of mine it's now only half a knob, when the lead screw jammed and giving it a heave broke the knob in half.

The price is low enough that I have a rig of these and they are a mix of 300/650/1K - all very similar, and all having similar shortcomings. I still think they were ood value - some are now 4 years old and doing well. They won't be around as long as the 1K Mole I still have and use a lot, but you get value for your money. I'm buying LED now, so won't be buying more I doubt. LED versions at the mooment are not so good. Light quality is pretty nasty with the plastic frost type lens they ship with.

All the ones I have came from different suppliers, but are clearly made in the same plant.
 
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