Kino Flo Image 40/45 Question

K

Ken1212

Well-known member
Has anyone used or is familiar with the Kino Image 40 or 45 fluorescents. I am trying to pick up couple used ones for a small green screen studio and like the fact that the ballast is built in. I am wondering if the fixtures get hot to the touch. Can you use non Kino lamps with them and would you recommend them.
 
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They don't get very hot, they're fluorescents, maybe warm? You can use non-Kino tubes, but trust me, just buy the Kino tubes. None Kino tubes will have questionable quality and color accuracy, although you could probably put in Quasars
or something similar if they make replacements? Lighting green screens are what Kinos excel at, they put out a lot of even, soft light.

I wouldn't pay more than about $500.00 per fixture. If they are more, look around for some of the different Kino models, you'll find cheaper, like 4 Banks. Outdated technology now although perfectly functional. I think Kino makes LED tubes if you want to spend
the money but I would just find a package deal on a pile of Kino Fluoro tubes, a lot of TV stations that haven't yet made the LED switch have piles of them.
 
I'm not sure if Kino Flo still manufactures their 525 Green tubes to fit the older Image series. Which were great for lighting a green screen.
 
I ended up buying two Image 40's 4'x4 for $800 includes shipping with eight 3200k Kino lamps, should get them within a week. I looked at the Led's and they look great but did not want to spend $$$ right now as business is slow. What do you think of the Kino Parabeams , would they be good to fill in screen dead spots, how about lighting talent with them? They have them in 4 or 2 lamps fixtures. Regarding the tubes I would not use them on talent unless they are Kinos.

Concerning heat I remember using a heavy duty metal fluorescent fixture way back ( I believe it was a Videssence) and it used compact 21" lamps, that fixture got so hot that you had to use gloves.
 
puredrifting said:
They don't get very hot, they're fluorescents, maybe warm? You can use non-Kino tubes, but trust me, just buy the Kino tubes. None Kino tubes will have questionable quality and color accuracy, although you could probably put in Quasars
or something similar if they make replacements? Lighting green screens are what Kinos excel at, they put out a lot of even, soft light.

I wouldn't pay more than about $500.00 per fixture. If they are more, look around for some of the different Kino models, you'll find cheaper, like 4 Banks. Outdated technology now although perfectly functional. I think Kino makes LED tubes if you want to spend
the money but I would just find a package deal on a pile of Kino Fluoro tubes, a lot of TV stations that haven't yet made the LED switch have piles of them.
Click to expand...



I ended up buying two Image 40's 4'x4 for $800 includes shipping with eight 3200k Kino lamps, should get them within a week. I looked at the Led's and they look great but did not want to spend $$$ right now as business is slow. What do you think of the Kino Parabeams , would they be good to fill in screen dead spots, how about lighting talent with them? They have them in 4 or 2 lamps fixtures. Regarding the tubes I would not use them on talent unless they are Kinos.

Concerning heat I remember using a heavy duty metal fluorescent fixture way back ( I believe it was a Videssence) and it used compact 21" lamps, that fixture got so hot that you had to use gloves.
 
David W. Jones said:
I'm not sure if Kino Flo still manufactures their 525 Green tubes to fit the older Image series. Which were great for lighting a green screen.
Click to expand...



I will research them, I am not sure though if they would be a good option for me as I have a small studio (about 400SF) and controlling green spill is a challenge.
 
The Parabeam uses the same Biax tubes as the Diva, but puts out much more light due to the reflector design.
FWIW I have re-lamped all of my Biax Diva style lights with Ushio ColourMax LED Lamps, except for the ones I use on the green screen with the 525 green tubes.
 
David W. Jones said:
The Parabeam uses the same Biax tubes as the Diva, but puts out much more light due to the reflector design.
FWIW I have re-lamped all of my Biax Diva style lights with Ushio ColourMax LED Lamps, except for the ones I use on the green screen with the 525 green tubes.
Click to expand...

I am assuming the Parabeams do not have a build in dimmer! But they should be efficient to light smaller green screen setups and talent correct?

Are you using your Divas for interviews?
 
puredrifting said:
They don't get very hot, they're fluorescents, maybe warm? You can use non-Kino tubes, but trust me, just buy the Kino tubes. None Kino tubes will have questionable quality and color accuracy, although you could probably put in Quasars
or something similar if they make replacements? Lighting green screens are what Kinos excel at, they put out a lot of even, soft light.

I wouldn't pay more than about $500.00 per fixture. If they are more, look around for some of the different Kino models, you'll find cheaper, like 4 Banks. Outdated technology now although perfectly functional. I think Kino makes LED tubes if you want to spend
the money but I would just find a package deal on a pile of Kino Fluoro tubes, a lot of TV stations that haven't yet made the LED switch have piles of them.
Click to expand...

Ken1212 said:
I ended up buying two Image 40's 4'x4 for $800 includes shipping with eight 3200k Kino lamps, should get them within a week. I looked at the Led's and they look great but did not want to spend $$$ right now as business is slow. What do you think of the Kino Parabeams , would they be good to fill in screen dead spots, how about lighting talent with them? They have them in 4 or 2 lamps fixtures. Regarding the tubes I would not use them on talent unless they are Kinos.

Concerning heat I remember using a heavy duty metal fluorescent fixture way back ( I believe it was a Videssence) and it used compact 21" lamps, that fixture got so hot that you had to use gloves.
Click to expand...

I had(have in storage still) a set of 400 Diva's and Barfly 200's and while the fixtures didn't get 'tungsten hot' or radiate the same amount of heat, the lamps were definitely too hot to touch with your bare hand for all but the very briefest of moments.
 
Run&Gun said:
I had(have in storage still) a set of 400 Diva's and Barfly 200's and while the fixtures didn't get 'tungsten hot' or radiate the same amount of heat, the lamps were definitely too hot to touch with your bare hand for all but the very briefest of moments.
Click to expand...

Yes, the lamps give off a little heat, agreed. I though he meant the fixtures as I try to avoid touching lamps of
any kind because of the fingerprint oil factor and what that does to HMI and Tungsten bulbs.
Just a habit, I never touch any bulbs unless changing them.
 
Ken1212 said:
I am assuming the Parabeams do not have a build in dimmer! But they should be efficient to light smaller green screen setups and talent correct?

Are you using your Divas for interviews?
Click to expand...

The Parabeams do have a dimmer on the back, next to the DMX connections.
If mounted on a grid a DMX controller would be a great way to dim the lights without getting a ladder out.
FWIW... they put out much less heat with the LED Tube swap.
 
Run&Gun said:
I had(have in storage still) a set of 400 Diva's and Barfly 200's and while the fixtures didn't get 'tungsten hot' or radiate the same amount of heat, the lamps were definitely too hot to touch with your bare hand for all but the very briefest of moments.
Click to expand...

That's good to know, this is a home studio and want something that creates little heat. They will arrive in couple days and will be able to do some testing in my small studio. The spill is going to be a challenge in a game room setting but my guts tells me I can pull it:Drogar-BigGrin(DBG).
 
puredrifting said:
Yes, the lamps give off a little heat, agreed. I though he meant the fixtures as I try to avoid touching lamps of
any kind because of the fingerprint oil factor and what that does to HMI and Tungsten bulbs.
Just a habit, I never touch any bulbs unless changing them.
Click to expand...

Yes I was referring to the fixtures. It seems so many are doing away with Kino Fluorescents as there is many for sale on eBay.
 
David W. Jones said:
The Parabeams do have a dimmer on the back, next to the DMX connections.
If mounted on a grid a DMX controller would be a great way to dim the lights without getting a ladder out.
FWIW... they put out much less heat with the LED Tube swap.
Click to expand...

That's great to know, I ordered one Parabeam 400. Do I need to do any modifications to the unit to use LED lamps?
 
Not sure about the Parabeams.
They have a larger reflector area which may need to be modified at one end.
The Diva Lights are open ended.
 
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