Question about Rostronics offerings

Beaker

Beaker

Active member
I was visiting Rostronics and am tempted to go for the 1400 W or 1500W three light kit. Som comparative questions.....I noticed the 1400 has swtichable lights (300 or 650), but only one barn door. The 1500W kit comes with two 650 W and a back light You may also switch the 650's for two 600 FOCUSABLE lights. Which option is more useful... the 600/300 switchable, or the more complete focusable 600's (extra $60) 1500 W kit? Regular 650's?

B.
 
Looks like the 1400w kit comes with two sets of barndoors.
As for the switchable or focusable question, I am getting the switchable 300/600 and the switchable 500/1000 (2000w kit). I am going to be using them with softboxes so the focus option will make no difference for the most part. I also prefer the flexable option of switching power over the option of focusing a light on a specific point. Maybe if the need arises I will go with a focusable light ($115) down the road.
....D....
 
I have the 1400 kit. Two 300/600 and one 200. All have barndoors if I remember correctly. I also picked up a reflector and stand for a little extra. What I need now is some cases for the equipment.
earon
 
Call ROstronics on the phone, he is nice to deal with.

I personally bought two 300/600 lights and a 250 focusable. I use them at 300 quite abit, so it depends on what you shoot. One advantage of 250 over 200 is that the 250 uses same size attachments as 300/600, so softboxes and barndoors are interchangeable. Makes things a little simpler/more flexible.

My whole kit:

http://www.venicedigitalvideo.com/lightingkit.htm
 
I don't get why buy a switchable light. Buy a 650W light, and if you want the output of a 300W just throw in a full scrim.
 
I have the 1400 kit also (two 300/600 and one 200). It comes with two barndoors and if you want the third one just ask to have it included. It’s only $10. I got an extra softbox (it was too cheap to pass up). I chose the switchable because I do a lot of in-close single person interview type shots and the many times the 300 is all I need. Keeps the heat down when you’re working close too. Call Tom and he’ll set you up with what you need.

Note: when you order extra lamps (and you should) the item "Extra bulb Dual 600W" is just one 300W bulb. You need two of them for 600W output.

~jr
 
..yeah. you can just ND or whatever your stronger light to output less light if you want , but the convenience of swutching IS realy nice. its really a horse a peice. with the swithing you lose focusability .. either is a good choice. ive had mine for quite a while now and really love them. no problems whatsoever. plenty of hours of usage.
 
iamloser said:
its really a horse a peice. with the swithing you lose focusability .. either is a good choice.
Click to expand...

Yeah... Well I have to say I'd take focusability over switching anyday, but of course, I guess different people have different needs, to quote Depeche Mode...
 
..personally thats what i went with too, but thats becuase i just buy smaller lights as well as the big ones. and switch lights as needed. also moving the light back some more from the subject will give you less light anyway to "dim" them down due to the inverse square law. as long as youve got room to play with its not to shabby using the same wattage light in different strengths on the set.
 
The GY-650 light is a much better light than the 300/600.. the 650 is a well designed, solid, cine-style light, where the switching 300/600 is just more of a glorified worklight. the GY605 is round so scrims work like they are supposed to, the 300/600 is square so there is a little bleed if you use round scrims. (I dont know, maybe someone makes sqaure scrims)

I would advise against the non-focusing as well, focusing doesnt just change the output, it modifies the spread. Scrims have worked for 50 years for a reason, they are a very quick way to directly modify lumens, and you can use things like half scrims etc to get fancy.
 
I bought a kit from Tom with 2 focussing 650s and a focussing 250, all with softboxes and stands for the 650s. The focus range is not very wide, but still useful. Be careful when inserting the support rods into the softbox shell...the corners aren't reinforced very well and can split at the stiching (Tom quickly replaced that one...great service!).
The 7 foot stands aren't...the 2 I got are a tad over 6 feet tall. Too short to get a unit up near the ceiling in a standard room...that was a dissapontment. other than that, the lights themselves are well constructed for the price. The barn doors are great and come with gel clips (you might have to fix these as the jaws on mine were painted shut and I had to scrape away the paint to open them).
The lights use standard globes that can be purchased from online or local suppliers.

All in all, a pretty good value.

Hope this helps.
Ken
 
Thanks Jarred...nice getting advice from the forum's founder. I cannot seem to find scrims anywhere. EVS and B & H don't seem to have them on the website.
 
Well, I was considering shelling out for a Lowel DV Creator 55 kit, but after reading this thread and poking around on the rostronics site I am thinking about buying a kit from them, built around a couple of focusing 650s (GY-650) and a focusing 250 (G-300), and maybe the 8' stands and a softbox or two. I'm wondering

- Anyone have any recommendations on scrims, gels, and filters and where to buy them?
- Ditto on a carrying case (or two?) for the kit
- Any opinions on rostronics' 5-in-1 reflectors? They come in 32", 42" and 42" x 72" sizes.

Thanks in advance.
 
i agree the cases you get are not that great, the lights barely fit in the bag.it looks like a camcorder bag.I also woulod like to find some scrims and gels.I do like the lights though.
 
I currently have a pieced-together-from-craigslist Lowel lighting kit consisting of 2xomni, 1xDP, and 2xhomemade diffusers. My current kit is heavy, and I cannot afford softboxes for the Lowels.

I am thinking about springing for a complete Rostronics Kit. The lights will be pretty exclusively for interviews, so I just need simple dependable 3 point light. I find the DP to be way to bright, and even the omni is pushing it. I will mostly be interviewing scientists-types who tend to have cramped offices.

I am looking at the Rostronics DIGITAL/VIDEO STUDIO KIT, SOFTBOX, 500W Kit plus an extra softbox. I think I will still need a small focusable 3rd light w/ boomstand as a backlight.

Here are my questions:
Do you like the kit?
If my key and fill are both 250W w/softbox will my lighting look flat and boring?
Should I use an umbrella instead of the softbox for the key to create different light?
Or should I just put a half scrim on the fill to create soft shadows?
What should I use as the backlight, the G200 on a boomstand?

Thanks.
 
Britek/Rostronics not bad lights.....great service!

Britek/Rostronics not bad lights.....great service!

Hey Quick:

I just got my 1500W kit last night. While I know it is an economy kit compared to Arri's or others at that level, I am impressed with the overall quality. Here is what I did:

Got the 1500 kit with the $60 upgrade. The upgrade gives you minimal focus control...not all that great. However, you get the GY600's. If you look at Jarred's response to my thread, he suggests that the "square" lights generally found in the kits are "glorified worklights." After seeing the GY''s, I would definitely agree. The GY's are round; more professional in design (will accept round scrims). Also, Tom at Rostronics was open to swapping the 600 bulbs that come with the GY600's for 650W so I get the same wattage as I would with the standard 1500 kit. I went with the standard stands......I am sending them back tomarrow and getting the heavy duty. The basic stands are light, but flimsy and at extended heights, get a but unstable at the top. Everything comes in ecomomy soft duffle-like bags, but hey...at least they try to give you a complete kit at a nice price. Hopes this helps!
 
Beaker-
I am concerned that the 650's will be too hot and bright for intimate interviews. I believe the 250's are also round, no?
 
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