Last year, I made a couple Kino-style fixtures using a kit available from a private aquarium supply company. Essentially, I made up two Diva-Light equals. However, I used a light weight aluminum case that breaks into two halves, each having two 55watt fixtures self contained within. Because they use very propriatary reflectors only available through this particular dealer, the light output is amazing. Considerably more than the Kino it was modeled after.
This week, I built a 96 watt version of this fixture from another kit available from the same dealer. This time, I built the case much differently. I used a piece of 5 inch PVC pipe, ripped it in half, mounted the 5 sided reflector within the trough or half moon shaped PVC, put some barn doors on it made from Coroplast (same material as those plastic Yard Signs you see during political season) and mounted the 32 inch by 5 inch PVC Chassis on a Lolipop style mounting bracket. Very similar to the Kino mounting system. Only mine came off a wheel chair leg and arm support system.
The results are wonderful!! It is sturdy enough that I could almost stand on the darn thing. Due to the 5 sided reflector design, the light output is a little more directional than fixtures using a parabolic reflector, and IMHO, is considerablly brighter than any other fixture in it's class and wattage rating.
I will eventually post some pics once I get it presentable. If you have a chop saw, a table saw, and a drill. You can make the basic chassis in about an hour.
The Reflector kit is available here http://www.ahsupply.com/96watt.htm Be shure to look at the 55 watt kits too. I use genuine Kino Lamps, however, I found the 96 watt 55k lamp he has there, to be Identical to the Osrams and Kino lamps. The fixture I made up is setup to be similar in performance and output to Kino's Vistabeam Single, Class of lights. It ran me 105 for the ballast, reflector all sockets and plugs, and the lamp.
Drawbacks?? The reflector shape actually does what they claim it to do. It is extremely bright, compared to anything else I have seen. It is intended to make the light hit the top of a fish tank with as straight down of an angle as possible, effectively cutting through the water rather than reflecting off of it. In Video Land this means a more direct beam is produced. However, because it is NOT a parabolic design, and 5 sided, it will produce very very small vertical shadows due to the creases in the polished aluminum reflector. This is not a big deal unless you decide to run it open faced, or open faced while outside where it may wiggle in the wind. I use some cloth diffusion material I found at Wallmart. It does not cut the light output by more than maybe a guestimated 1/4 stop.
Although my total costs were under 125 dollars complete, and I save hundreds if not thousands in creating similar quality and light output instruments as the big brand names. Remember, Time is money!! If you are not into all the trouble of making these, and dedictating yourself to working out tweaks, I strongly recommend just buying a fixture pre-assembled, RTG. These days you can get a quality fixture, with a good ballast and lamps for under 300 dollars that will compete with the best of them.
David
This week, I built a 96 watt version of this fixture from another kit available from the same dealer. This time, I built the case much differently. I used a piece of 5 inch PVC pipe, ripped it in half, mounted the 5 sided reflector within the trough or half moon shaped PVC, put some barn doors on it made from Coroplast (same material as those plastic Yard Signs you see during political season) and mounted the 32 inch by 5 inch PVC Chassis on a Lolipop style mounting bracket. Very similar to the Kino mounting system. Only mine came off a wheel chair leg and arm support system.
The results are wonderful!! It is sturdy enough that I could almost stand on the darn thing. Due to the 5 sided reflector design, the light output is a little more directional than fixtures using a parabolic reflector, and IMHO, is considerablly brighter than any other fixture in it's class and wattage rating.
I will eventually post some pics once I get it presentable. If you have a chop saw, a table saw, and a drill. You can make the basic chassis in about an hour.
The Reflector kit is available here http://www.ahsupply.com/96watt.htm Be shure to look at the 55 watt kits too. I use genuine Kino Lamps, however, I found the 96 watt 55k lamp he has there, to be Identical to the Osrams and Kino lamps. The fixture I made up is setup to be similar in performance and output to Kino's Vistabeam Single, Class of lights. It ran me 105 for the ballast, reflector all sockets and plugs, and the lamp.
Drawbacks?? The reflector shape actually does what they claim it to do. It is extremely bright, compared to anything else I have seen. It is intended to make the light hit the top of a fish tank with as straight down of an angle as possible, effectively cutting through the water rather than reflecting off of it. In Video Land this means a more direct beam is produced. However, because it is NOT a parabolic design, and 5 sided, it will produce very very small vertical shadows due to the creases in the polished aluminum reflector. This is not a big deal unless you decide to run it open faced, or open faced while outside where it may wiggle in the wind. I use some cloth diffusion material I found at Wallmart. It does not cut the light output by more than maybe a guestimated 1/4 stop.
Although my total costs were under 125 dollars complete, and I save hundreds if not thousands in creating similar quality and light output instruments as the big brand names. Remember, Time is money!! If you are not into all the trouble of making these, and dedictating yourself to working out tweaks, I strongly recommend just buying a fixture pre-assembled, RTG. These days you can get a quality fixture, with a good ballast and lamps for under 300 dollars that will compete with the best of them.
David
