PAR-lights...any good?

[petelms]

Hi.

As being a newbie with lighting, I just wanted to ask are these kind of lights any good in video production? Here's the link: http://www.dts-show.com/products.php Just click PAR-cans & PAR-spots link there...:thumbsup:

Here're some pics:

You can also buy barndoors and 3200 K lights for them. These are very inexpensive lights, I could buy one 500W with barndoors for about 60 EURs!!! DAMN! Sounds too good to be true, right?

Are these any good or just crap?

Thanks for your comments.

 

[HorseFilms]

I think you'll find them fairly harsh, but workable. You can always diffuse them a little.

 

[petelms]

Thanks, HorseFilms. I think I will give them a try, I need some extra low price lights, as I'm saving all my moneys for HVX200.

Hey, could this kind of PAR-light be used with this kind of softbank? Would it make a nice diffused light?

 

[HorseFilms]

If you could find a way to mount it on there, it might work. I've never tried it.

 

[bcheong]

you need an adapter like this to mount it to a stand.

http://www.msegrip.com/mse.php?show=product&cat=279&products_ID=24180

Par lights will put out more light per watt than any other kind of light. It has a lot of punch. You'll probably want to diffuse it or bounce it. I'm thinking of getting a few myself.

 

[Barry_Green]

A PAR isn't going to be ideal in a softbox, no. PARs get their name from the parabolic reflector that they use, which results in an extremely focused tight beam of light. Basically the hardest light you can get. That's why they have such great reach; you can light up a house down the block with a PAR can. But, that tight beam means that they're way less than ideal in a soft box. The whole point of a softbox is to spread the light out evenly; putting a PAR can in a softbox is likely to result in a little tiny hot spot on the front of the soft box with the rest dark.

 

[24pshooter]

Source Four

Source Four

ETC lighting (www.etcconnect.com) makes the source four ellipsoidal, which is a great light.

But they also make a compact par that is rated at 575w that is superbly made, affordable and extremely efficient. It might be possible to put one of those in some sort of homemade softbox. Definitely use the wide-spread lamp in a PAR.

You could also try their PARnel which is a kind of hybrid design that allows some focus variations.

--

Incidentally, I think it might be more technically accurate to say that LEDs and Kinos are the most efficient means of generating light output in terms of watt usage. But, yes, PARs are much more efficient than fresnels. Just much less controllable.

 

[j]

I keep a couple of those JTL PARs in my kit. They were way cheap, like $35 each! I don't use them very often, most often I use them for night shoots. I get the tightest beam bulbs I can and send the lights as far back as possible. The bulbs for pars I get are VNSP - very narrow spot.

-j

 

[j]

Sorry, I meant DTS lights.

Checking the site, I think I would get the shorter, all black models. The shiny chrome ones are annoying, and they are a bit to big for what they do. Look at these:

http://www.dts-show.com/prodotti2_eng.php?id=21&cat=parcans

-j

 

[bcheong]

Anyone try Mole's version?

http://extranet.mole.com/public/index.cgi?cmd=view_item&parent=-1899-1900-1905-1915-1927&id=9387

 

[petelms]

Thanks for your comments. :happy:

 

[j]

Mole's version are a heavier version of the cheaper "rock n' roll" PAR cans.

-j

 

[BillP]

PAR's are great.
I have a couple PAR 1k's in my kit.

I use them with medium flood bulbs, which I bounce off of bead board for a nice soft light. Works just as well as a soft box.

-BillP

 

[bcheong]

I thought these looked interesting too:

http://mail.altmanltg.com/publicsynergy/docs/BLItemDossier.asp?Item=SP-A&Country=US

or

http://www.stagelightswarehouse.com/stagelightswarehouse/etcsour4par.html?program=TF

 

[filmmaker58]

Pars are a very useful light to have, and come in very handy in a variety of applications. Mainly for night shoots, for lighting up backgrounds. They have enough punch so that you can put full blue on them and still light up a house down the block. The Molepar is a more expensive, and more durable version with a better system for rotating the bulb to change the light pattern from horizontal to vertical. However, I prefer the cheaper par cans because the molepars gel holder/barndoors are very close to the lens, and will melt even the stoutest gel. Just wear gloves when you rotate the globe by reaching into the back of the light, with the par can version. Also, as mentioned above, you can always bounce them into foamcore or beadboard for a soft fill. They aren't the best choice for this but will do in a pinch.

Another thing that I have done with Pars is use them for a fill light in daylight. As mentioned they have enough punch to actually provide a little fill light in daylight conditions, even with the full blue color correcting gel needed to match the color temperature, and perhaps some light diffussion depending on how close you can put the light (which won't be too close because you'll blind your actors) to your subject. I'm a big fan of the Par light, not so much of the Molepar. Remember that the fixtures are relatively inexpensive, but the bulbs can be pricey. But they do last a long time. I have some narrow beam pars that I've had for years and never had to change bulbs.

 

[petelms]

Thanks, guys. I'm going to get some PARs. Thanks, j, I will check out those. :thumbsup: