Lighting kits

Re: Lighting kits

I know people have been asking about the Briteks on various boards, but I haven't heard from anyone who's bought 'em yet.

They look comparable to the JTL's. Two advantages to the Britek: bigger softboxes (32x32 instead of 24x32) and a wheeled carry bag. A little more expensive per light, but still, two softbox setups for under $400 is hard to argue with.

Somebody's gonna have to buy this rig and report back on how useful/pro it is! The price is irresistible, and it looks like it'd be infinitely more usable than the worklight solution, although to be fair it's a lot more money than the worklights...
 
Re: Lighting kits

Barry's right about these being infinitely preferable to worklights. It looks like someone took the worklight design a step further and added a stand mount and brackets for light modifiers. You can't beat the price and they're probably fine for light use. With a little velcro and some plastic board you could add some mini barn doors to the softboxes or rig a holder for an egg crate. Flush front softboxes tend to really spill light, but this is just a suggestion. Even as-is, this is orders of magnitude more useful than raw worklights.
 
Re: Lighting kits

Calculated expenses on a worklight kit, to get anything good, I was spending near 300...so the price isn't too far off.

Thanks for the help guys, I'm going to put some thought into this one...
I wish I could buy them, and ship them to one of you to test! :)
 
Re: Lighting kits

I agree with Barry_S's comment on the need to control the spill of those flush front softboxes.

At the very least, you could make some 'flags' from cardboard and spring-clamp them on a light stand and position them near the sides (or top or bottom) of the softboxes.

Remember, it's not only about where you put light but its also about where you don't put light. A nice tonal range is most pleasant.

Chiaroscuro, baby!
 
Re: Lighting kits

On the subject of soft light kits...

I heard good things here on the JTL Everlights. how do they perform without their softboxes (Open faced)? Are they decent for improvising harder more focused lights?
 
Re: Lighting kits

The JTL's are not supposed to be used without the softboxes, unless you get an additional part (a reflector).  I haven't used them in that configuration, but I wouldn't expect them to perform much better than a worklight.  Better than nothing, certainly... but not much.

Those Briteks at least look like they have barn doors for a little bit of light control.  If they're focusable on top of that, it might make for a decent low-cost hard/soft light solution.
 
Re: Lighting kits

From the photos I've seen, I'm sure they aren't focusable... In fact the briteks seem to be nothing more than spiced up set lights...
 
Re: Lighting kits

Final Verdict? "Worth a shot?" or "Better not"?

Below is about what I'd be buying instead. This is Daniel Runyons set up, it seems to be the cheapest and most accessible...

2 1500 Watt Worklights
2 500 Watt floor or table top lights with little built in stands w/handles and adjustable angles
2 Mainstays Home Garment Racks w/ friction bars adjustable 38 to 69 inches high x 36 to 66 inches wide
- 2 frosted shower curtain liners
- 2 white twin size bedsheets
- 2 sets of shower curtain rings
Grand Total $228.34
 
Re: Lighting kits

I'd go for the Briteks over a set of worklights. The Briteks aren't focusable, but to me it's no big deal with open-faced lights. They have barndoors--an essential basic light control, and softboxes--very useful for soft wraparound lighting. Even with the improvised modifiers listed in Daniel's kit, you're going to be spilling light all over the place.

Don't expect great build quality with the Briteks, but with a little creativity, they should make a good starter kit.
 
Re: Lighting kits

[quote author=Barry_Green link=board=lighting;num=1084814927;start=0#1 date=05/17/04 at 11:11:29]I know people have been asking about the Briteks on various boards, but I haven't heard from anyone who's bought 'em yet....[/quote]

Actually Barry, that fixture doesn't look like any Britek I've ever seen, either on eBay store or on their own website. It might be worth sending a message to the eBay seller and asking.
 
Re: Lighting kits

I thought the exact same thing and sure enough--Britek doesn't list it on their web site. However, if you look at the large version of the eBay pic, you can clearly see the Britek logo molded into the handle of the light. Of course what's the difference really? It's an inexpensive light, probably made in China. It's not like Britek has that great of a name :-)
 
Re: Lighting kits

I just bought 2 Britek 1K's with the 32X32 softboxes and I have to say they look pretty good. I havent used them on a shoot cuz I just got them, but just testing them, I think they're a good deal. Don't seem to get as hot as some other 1K's ive used. I dont think they offer any spill control though, so I might try the cardboard thing. 8) One other thing, the softboxes are pretty heavy, so it really makes them front heavy, so you might need to sandbag the stands a little.
 
Re: Lighting kits

I bought a whole crapload of Britek stuff last week.. only because I bought the 600w new version 2 weeks ago and was very very impressed,, this is the new Britek lights, really nice barndoors and focusable. This new version is heads and heels over the last version

http://www.rostronics.com/proddetail.asp?prod=G600W

I really need to say.. for a $110 light it looks like britek got it right.

that rostronics place is really cool, they ship the same day as well, and are very friendly.

600light.jpg
 
Re: Lighting kits

Looks very good!

Tell me are those gel holding clips on the barndoor? If they are, great concept!
 
Re: Lighting kits

I used a Britek set a couple of days ago. For a low-budget kit, they were not bad at all. The light itself is basically a glorified "worklight", a non-focusable open-face unit. The build quality seemed a little lightweight, but there were some nice touches (like the raised offset rear handle, which lets you manipulate/position the light without getting burned!)

The softboxes were very large -- I think 32 x 32. The stands were quite lightweight and light-duty, but they managed to hold up the softbox and light head, so they did the job.

The obvious comparison is to the JTL's. They're about the same, with what differences I saw going in the Britek light's favor: the Briteks can take hotter lamps (1000 watt), the softboxes are bigger (32x32 instead of 24x24, so almost twice as big = much softer light). The Briteks can take barn doors, and be used as regular open-face lights without needing an additional "reflector" assembly. I think the JTL stands are better than the Briteks.

If the price is comparable, I'd get these Briteks over the JTL Everlights now.

The drawbacks are that they're very hot (as all tungsten lights are) and there's a very lengthy assembly/disassembly period for the softboxes, etc. If you've got the money, but not the time, skip these and go for a CaseLite or a Kino Diva. If you don't have the money, but do have the time, these Britek and JTL lights are about six hundred times better than homemade worklight kits and they work really well for the price.
 
Re: Lighting kits

[quote author=Jarred Land link=board=lighting;num=1084814927;start=0#14 date=07/01/04 at 08:50:53]...I bought the 600w new version 2 weeks ago and was very very impressed...[/quote]

Jarred,

What is the quality of the softbox and the light from it? Can you attach the softbox with the barndoors still in place?
 
Re: Lighting kits

Barry.. those you used are the old Briteks... these new ones really kick ass, and are focusable. They are also made out of an injection moulded composite carbon compound and stay relatively cool and cool down very fast.

Yes those are Gel clips.. to be honest I didnt use them, Clothes pins are deeply imbred in me.

Softbox Is coming actually tommorow.. that was in the second order I placed.

I cant stress enough, that these things really are nice... I would have no problem paying $300 for them.
 
Re: Lighting kits

I'm a clothes pin user too. Thanks for the heads up on those lights, if you recommend them I'll have to pick up a couple, they look nice!!

How much is the soft box? How much is shipping on these?
 
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