Looking for input on light kit -- $1500 or less

salils

salils

Well-known member
Looking to purchase a small light kit for lighting narrative work shot film style on HD. I've mainly been looking at Bluline fresnels and Britek lights
Here's what I'm thinking currently:
1x300w fresnel (bluline)
1x200w open face (britek)
1x650w open face (britek)
1x650w fresnel (bluline)
1x1,000w open face (britek) or I'm also considering some sort of fluorescent alternative for a bit more.

Bluline Fresnels
Britek Open face lights

Accessories:
Softbox for 1k
2xscissor mounts
Diffusion gels
CTB gels
CTO gels
ND Gels
Scrims
2xextra bulbs per fixture
Stands
Mini boom arm

Any thoughts, input, suggestions, etc. would be greatly appreciated. I'm looking to keep the entire kit (including accessories & shipping) under $1500
 
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If you get ND, don't get it for your lights. I don't know if that's what you were planning or what, but just want to make sure! I would suggest just getting a roll of ND .6 + CTO for gelling windows.

Depending on if you often shoot in office buildings, I would forgo the scissor clamps and replace them with a cardelinni or two. I've mounted lights on more things than you can count with a cardelinni. I've only used a scissor clamp once in 3 years.

I would also look into some duvetyne or visqueen. Visqueen is great for blacking out windows and maybe if you add some china balls into your kit, you can use the duv for a china ball skirt.

Also, don't forget C-47s!
 
RyanT said:
If you get ND, don't get it for your lights. I don't know if that's what you were planning or what, but just want to make sure! I would suggest just getting a roll of ND .6 + CTO for gelling windows.

Depending on if you often shoot in office buildings, I would forgo the scissor clamps and replace them with a cardelinni or two. I've mounted lights on more things than you can count with a cardelinni. I've only used a scissor clamp once in 3 years.

I would also look into some duvetyne or visqueen. Visqueen is great for blacking out windows and maybe if you add some china balls into your kit, you can use the duv for a china ball skirt.

Also, don't forget C-47s!
Click to expand...

Hi Ryan,

Thanks for your input on my kit. Just curious, why do you not recommend putting ND gels on lights?
 
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save your money, don't get britek.

i strongly recommend you don't skimp out on lights.
i started going the britek route and although they lasted al ittle while, it didn't take long before they became more troublesome than helpful.

Some of the briteks come with fuses. Which constantly blew, so i resorted to wrapping them in aluminum foil to keep the contact going regardless of the damage i may be doing.

They constantly blew bulbs, for some odd reason, which happened almost once per shoot.

If for some reason one of them takes a spill, it will shatter into pieces. The barn door holders will snap off with little effort and will leave you with a basic work light from home depot...

Take your money, spend it towards Cool Lights fixtures if your tight on cash.

Grab
1 x 1k
2 x 650
1 x 300
1 x 150

that will bring you under your 1500$

and then when you can afford more expensive fixtures, start moving towards daylight with the cdm 150 fresnels and some of the fluorescent banks.
 
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salils said:
Hi Ryan,

Thanks for your input on my kit. Just curious, why do you not recommend putting ND gels on lights?
Click to expand...

Yeah, like said earlier there are much better ways to knock down light intensity, scrims for example.

Also, it's sort of funny. On all the shoots I've been on, no DP or gaffer ever seems to use ND gels to knock down lights. Sorta weird, but that's just how it is.
 
RyanT said:
Yeah, like said earlier there are much better ways to knock down light intensity, scrims for example.

Also, it's sort of funny. On all the shoots I've been on, no DP or gaffer ever seems to use ND gels to knock down lights. Sorta weird, but that's just how it is.
Click to expand...

I'd say it depends on some things. Not all my lights have scrims. And sometimes in small settings, you simply cannot back up the lights, so NDs come in handy. For as cheap as small gels are, I see little harm in having a few sheets of them around.
 
PerroneFord said:
I'd say it depends on some things. Not all my lights have scrims. And sometimes in small settings, you simply cannot back up the lights, so NDs come in handy. For as cheap as small gels are, I see little harm in having a few sheets of them around.
Click to expand...

I guess...All my lights have scrims, so you know...eh. How much are little sheets of gels anyways? I remember sending someone out to buy some CTB one time, thinking it couldn't be too expensive, but a few sheets were like 50 bucks or something.
 
RyanT said:
How much are little sheets of gels anyways? I remember sending someone out to buy some CTB one time, thinking it couldn't be too expensive, but a few sheets were like 50 bucks or something.
Click to expand...

At filmtools (not the cheapest place) it seems you can get a .3, .6, and a .9 for $20. Not too bad really. I'm sure discount places are cheaper.
 
That isn't too bad...I mean, I guess you should get some...That is if you don't have scrims for all your lights. There are a bunch of other possibly more useful things you can spend that 20 bucks on though. Some other thoughts...

Foam core - To bounce lights off of. Bonus points if you can find some with a shiny side on one side and white on the other. Or white on one side and black on the other for negative fill.

Grip clips - Use em to keep wires nice and neat without putting tape on them. Also work to clip foamcore to stands, or anything to anything. Always super handy and not too expensive either.

Rope - It's cheap and it always comes in handy.

Gaffers tape - Expensive, but sadly a necessity.

C-47's - Don't forget these to clip your gels to your lights.

Sandbags - There's going to be a time when you need one or two and when you need em, you need em.

Stingers - Don't have it on your list, so just making sure you haven't forgotten. A few extension cords are always necessary.

Cube taps - Basically turns one plug into 3.

Edison adapters - Turns 3 prongs into 2 prongs.

A lot of these are little 5 dollar items that will make a world of difference in your production. I'd strongly suggest getting a majority of the things I listed above, and I know it'll only raise your current costs by the most $75-100. I'll be sure to post more if I remember.
 
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