Lowel questions??
- Thread starter Lukey404
- Start date
hemophilia
Well-known member
How much are you looking to spend?
Prolights do have issues... they do run pretty hot... they can't be angled down too much w/o burning themselves up... they don't have as nice a focus range as a fresnel (but they are focusable).
That said, it is a handy little light. 250w of output will seem like more than a typical fixture, b/c the light is going to be focused and going where you need it, as opposed to blasting all over the place. Plus... the price is right, and it's hard to find anything else as handy for that price.
The detective bit that I did:
http://www.dvxuser.com/V6/showthread.php?t=51850&highlight=world's+greatest+detective
I shot the opening scene on an HVX with only a pro light indoors, and a single omni outdoors.... and some flags and gels and such.
So, yeah they're handy, probably a good bargain for the price, but not without their quirks, that you're going to have to pay twice as much to avoid. Definitely get barndoors with it if you get it... don't worry about gel frame... just clip gels to the barndoors.
-Kevin
Prolights do have issues... they do run pretty hot... they can't be angled down too much w/o burning themselves up... they don't have as nice a focus range as a fresnel (but they are focusable).
That said, it is a handy little light. 250w of output will seem like more than a typical fixture, b/c the light is going to be focused and going where you need it, as opposed to blasting all over the place. Plus... the price is right, and it's hard to find anything else as handy for that price.
The detective bit that I did:
http://www.dvxuser.com/V6/showthread.php?t=51850&highlight=world's+greatest+detective
I shot the opening scene on an HVX with only a pro light indoors, and a single omni outdoors.... and some flags and gels and such.
So, yeah they're handy, probably a good bargain for the price, but not without their quirks, that you're going to have to pay twice as much to avoid. Definitely get barndoors with it if you get it... don't worry about gel frame... just clip gels to the barndoors.
-Kevin
snodart
Veteran
We have a prolight and 2 onmis (500W). The prolight puts out pretty good light. The light from the prolight does tend to have a yellowish tint to it though compared to the onmis. We have mostly used the prolight as a backlight and to light backgrounds and such. I don't think it would be a great choice as a key light (depending on the situation).
I don't remember exactly how much we paid for our set up, but I do know that for the $, it is a great kit (all from B&H):
Two omnis with barndoors (500W)
One prolight with barndoors (250W)
Two softboxes (for omnis)
Two speed rings (to secure soft boxes to omnis)
bogen light stands
I want to say that the total price for everything above was around $500, but I could be off.
Recently we used some DIY China ball lights. We built 3 of them for around $100. I am big time impressed with them. So I would also look into florescent options as well. They are cool, pull less Watts, and are daylight balanced (5500 K).
I don't remember exactly how much we paid for our set up, but I do know that for the $, it is a great kit (all from B&H):
Two omnis with barndoors (500W)
One prolight with barndoors (250W)
Two softboxes (for omnis)
Two speed rings (to secure soft boxes to omnis)
bogen light stands
I want to say that the total price for everything above was around $500, but I could be off.
Recently we used some DIY China ball lights. We built 3 of them for around $100. I am big time impressed with them. So I would also look into florescent options as well. They are cool, pull less Watts, and are daylight balanced (5500 K).
hemophilia
Well-known member
It's not about the pro-light getting hotter than normal when you angle it down. It's that the wiring and switch is behind the light (as opposed to beneath it on most fresnel designs) so if you point the light down, the heat starts to melt its own wiring & switch. Most fresnels are fine pointed down, just not upside-down. The Lowel manual I think says don't angle down more than 45-degrees.
For chinaballs, you can get high CRI daylight-balanced compact fluorescents from:
http://www.sunalux.com/s_lightbulbs.cfm#sunwave
Although they don't have massively high wattages, and if you're diffusing it through a chinaball you probably want something with a bit more kick than that. I've seen bigger fluoros, poke around the boards here, but I don't think they had CRIs that high.
As for the Ianiro lights.... no idea, never heard of them.
-Kevin
For chinaballs, you can get high CRI daylight-balanced compact fluorescents from:
http://www.sunalux.com/s_lightbulbs.cfm#sunwave
Although they don't have massively high wattages, and if you're diffusing it through a chinaball you probably want something with a bit more kick than that. I've seen bigger fluoros, poke around the boards here, but I don't think they had CRIs that high.
As for the Ianiro lights.... no idea, never heard of them.
-Kevin
hemophilia
Well-known member
yeeeeeeah it's a stupid design. I found out during a shoot when I started to smell something. I thought.... "there's no WAY you wouldn't be able to angle the light down like this, right?"
...then I looked in their manual.
But still... where else can you get a compact, lensed, focuseable 250w fixture for ~$100? It's a hard deal to beat.
As for the "yellowish" hue someone mentioned... I've never heard of such a thing. Probably a bad bulb or something? It wouldn't make any sense that a Pro-light would be a different color than an Omni if everything is working right (and yes I have both and I've used them both in conjuction with perfectly matched color).
...then I looked in their manual.
But still... where else can you get a compact, lensed, focuseable 250w fixture for ~$100? It's a hard deal to beat.
As for the "yellowish" hue someone mentioned... I've never heard of such a thing. Probably a bad bulb or something? It wouldn't make any sense that a Pro-light would be a different color than an Omni if everything is working right (and yes I have both and I've used them both in conjuction with perfectly matched color).
NewYorkLion
Well-known member
I didnt realize you arent supposed to have the prolight pointed down. I honestly do that ALL the time, I almost exclusively use it on a c-stand as a hairlight, and I've never had a problem. maybe because I only have a 150w globe in it.
HorseFilms
Look ma no hands
I dig the Pro Lights, but I hate their barndoors. They're the only Lowel light that I use on a semi-regular basis.
Dahopafilms
Well-known member
Luke,
I purchased this Lowel kit: http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/con...770&is=REG&addedTroughType=categoryNavigation
Really like the kit, but:
1. Yep, they get hot.
2. Nope - don't point them down. The manual says "...do not point down beyond 45 degrees ... do not operate upside-down with lamps of more than 125 watts ..."
3. 250 W replacement bulbs are about USD16 each (when buying 6 or more at a time). I buy 6 or more at a time. They do burn out.
4. This is a very good indoor lighting kit and a "passable" outdoors kit. Not much power for outdoors unless you can get the lamps fairly close to the subject. Better using your 1000W worklights outdoors IMHO.
All in all, I'm pretty pleased with it and I personally think it's the best kit for the price. If you have more to spend, then it may not be the one for you.
I purchased this Lowel kit: http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/con...770&is=REG&addedTroughType=categoryNavigation
Really like the kit, but:
1. Yep, they get hot.
2. Nope - don't point them down. The manual says "...do not point down beyond 45 degrees ... do not operate upside-down with lamps of more than 125 watts ..."
3. 250 W replacement bulbs are about USD16 each (when buying 6 or more at a time). I buy 6 or more at a time. They do burn out.
4. This is a very good indoor lighting kit and a "passable" outdoors kit. Not much power for outdoors unless you can get the lamps fairly close to the subject. Better using your 1000W worklights outdoors IMHO.
All in all, I'm pretty pleased with it and I personally think it's the best kit for the price. If you have more to spend, then it may not be the one for you.
moonlitnite
Well-known member
Hi Luke,
I use the Prolight more for an accent, kicker, or background mood coloring. If the shot calls for shadows, the Pro has its place as a key or fill light. And if you're pretty sure you're shots will be in limited quarters, then the Pro should work fine. So while working tight, you certainly avoid cooking yourself and the talent. http://lowel.com/download/Pro-light.pdf
Yet when your subject is more than 10 feet away and you are using umbrellas or softboxes, an Omni or Tota is a good choice. Of course, you can put smaller bulbs in them too or use a dimmer (adjusting for delta in color temperature), but that's another story.
Regards, Michael
I use the Prolight more for an accent, kicker, or background mood coloring. If the shot calls for shadows, the Pro has its place as a key or fill light. And if you're pretty sure you're shots will be in limited quarters, then the Pro should work fine. So while working tight, you certainly avoid cooking yourself and the talent. http://lowel.com/download/Pro-light.pdf
Yet when your subject is more than 10 feet away and you are using umbrellas or softboxes, an Omni or Tota is a good choice. Of course, you can put smaller bulbs in them too or use a dimmer (adjusting for delta in color temperature), but that's another story.
Regards, Michael
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HorseFilms
Look ma no hands
Lukey404 said:
Heat isn't really an issue for me with the barndoors. My problem with them is that they're so thin and flimsy feeling. I prefer to have four solid doors. Each door on the Pro is really two pieces of metal that are rivited together. They claim that it gives you more control, but I've found it annoying. As the barndoors get older, they loosen up and tend to flop around a little bit, making it harder and more time consuming to make simple door adjustments. It would be cool as hell if someone created a set of standard doors that would fit the pro, because I'd probably buy a bunch of them.
hemophilia
Well-known member
45 degrees is fine non-stop. That's what they say in their manual even. It's when you start going past that when you get into trouble.
-Kevin
-Kevin
moonlitnite
Well-known member
Yes, and if your eyes are good enough to read the fine print stamped on the back of the Pro, they say:
Never obstruct ventilation, operate sideways, or tilt down more than 45 degrees.
Enjoy, Michael
Never obstruct ventilation, operate sideways, or tilt down more than 45 degrees.
Enjoy, Michael