Z
Zoomforce
Guest
Re: Rostronics Lights deals for DVXuser members
hell yeah its almost too sturdy.. sometimes it can be a ***** to close.
hell yeah its almost too sturdy.. sometimes it can be a ***** to close.
Re: Rostronics Lights deals for DVXuser members
Well, the last two DayPhoto 500s are on their way to me! I got both for $1600 total.
Even though I'm about to post separately my horrible experience with the 1000 lights, Tom is replacing them, and I hope they'll work out. I'm still a fan!
-Jerry
Well, the last two DayPhoto 500s are on their way to me! I got both for $1600 total.
Even though I'm about to post separately my horrible experience with the 1000 lights, Tom is replacing them, and I hope they'll work out. I'm still a fan!
-Jerry
Re: Rostronics Lights deals for DVXuser members
hey gang, i'm trying to complete my lighting kit...right now, i have 2 500w jtl softboxes...if i go w/ 1-2 britek 650's and a couple of 250's for hairlight /background light will that get me covered for a good amount of situations? or should i go w/ the 200's or a combo of both? thank you!
hey gang, i'm trying to complete my lighting kit...right now, i have 2 500w jtl softboxes...if i go w/ 1-2 britek 650's and a couple of 250's for hairlight /background light will that get me covered for a good amount of situations? or should i go w/ the 200's or a combo of both? thank you!
Barry_Green
Moderator
Re: Rostronics Lights deals for DVXuser members
A 250 with a softbox sounds *awfully* weak... a 650 would seem more versatile all around, although the only Britek/softbox combo I've used is the 1000 watt. I have used the JTL 500w Everlight softbox kits, and they do put out plenty enough light to be usable.
On a separate note, I called Britek yesterday looking to find spare bulbs for the DayPhotos. They said they had two, so I ordered them (surprised that they were only $79 each). They showed up this morning! That's pretty good customer service!
A 250 with a softbox sounds *awfully* weak... a 650 would seem more versatile all around, although the only Britek/softbox combo I've used is the 1000 watt. I have used the JTL 500w Everlight softbox kits, and they do put out plenty enough light to be usable.
On a separate note, I called Britek yesterday looking to find spare bulbs for the DayPhotos. They said they had two, so I ordered them (surprised that they were only $79 each). They showed up this morning! That's pretty good customer service!
Barry_Green
Moderator
Re: Rostronics Lights deals for DVXuser members
I didn't order them from Rostronics, I ordered them directly from Britek themselves.
The lamps are OSRAM PowerStar HQI-BT 400W/D. They're listed all over websites in Germany and Russia, but I can't find anyplace in the USA that has 'em. Maybe some of our European friends can arrange to get some?
I believe they have a lamp life of about 750 hours.
I didn't order them from Rostronics, I ordered them directly from Britek themselves.
The lamps are OSRAM PowerStar HQI-BT 400W/D. They're listed all over websites in Germany and Russia, but I can't find anyplace in the USA that has 'em. Maybe some of our European friends can arrange to get some?
I believe they have a lamp life of about 750 hours.
Rogue Crew
Well-known member
Re: Rostronics Lights deals for DVXuser members
[quote author=Barry_Green link=board=lighting;num=1089668625;start=105#107 date=08/27/04 at 14:35:49]The lamps are OSRAM PowerStar HQI-BT 400W/D. They're listed all over websites in Germany and Russia, but I can't find anyplace in the USA that has 'em.[/quote]
Hey Barry,
Did you know that Osram is the European version of Sylvania, or the other way around? Maybe you can find the lamps through them.
[quote author=Barry_Green link=board=lighting;num=1089668625;start=105#107 date=08/27/04 at 14:35:49]The lamps are OSRAM PowerStar HQI-BT 400W/D. They're listed all over websites in Germany and Russia, but I can't find anyplace in the USA that has 'em.[/quote]
Hey Barry,
Did you know that Osram is the European version of Sylvania, or the other way around? Maybe you can find the lamps through them.
G
Guest
Guest
Re: Rostronics Lights deals for DVXuser members
I just got a 650 watt softbox & 200 watt light today...
I'm not knocked out by the stands (but they're not nearly as bad as I was fearing!), but otherwise-- WOW! I'm really, really impressed with the lights.
I just got a 650 watt softbox & 200 watt light today...
I'm not knocked out by the stands (but they're not nearly as bad as I was fearing!), but otherwise-- WOW! I'm really, really impressed with the lights.
Re: Rostronics Lights deals for DVXuser members
OK, I have my dayphotos! I'll test them out this weekend.
It says 500 watts on the ballast, which weigh approx 18 pounds. After reading posts I was afraid they would be more like 70 lbs!
So, they will give off 500 watts of light or is that just the ballast? I don't know what the calculation is on an HMI light.
I do realize that 500 watts of HMI light is equal to 2000 watts of tungstent that is gelled.
Can anyone enlighten me?
-Jerry
OK, I have my dayphotos! I'll test them out this weekend.
It says 500 watts on the ballast, which weigh approx 18 pounds. After reading posts I was afraid they would be more like 70 lbs!
So, they will give off 500 watts of light or is that just the ballast? I don't know what the calculation is on an HMI light.
I do realize that 500 watts of HMI light is equal to 2000 watts of tungstent that is gelled.
Can anyone enlighten me?
-Jerry
Barry_Green
Moderator
Re: Rostronics Lights deals for DVXuser members
The DayPhotos will soon "enlighten" you!
It says 500, but unless they're playing tricks, the lights are 400 watts. The lamps in 'em are OSRAM 400-watters. I think in that review from that photography magazine the reviewer called 'em about it and they said something like "it puts out the equivalent of 500 watts" or something... maybe they're overdriving the lights or something? I don't know... I should check footcandles between them and my 575 but I haven't bothered to.
I suspect they give off 400 watts of light. I think it's like those "fluorex" fluorescents: they brag about being a 500-watt equivalent, but they're putting out the same lumens as any other 65-watt fluorescent (which is about the equiv. of 250 watts)... they claim "500 watts" because they're factoring in the effect of the reflector they build into the light fixture!
So is Britek doing the same type of thing? Probably, I don't see how they're going to reliably drive a 400 watt bulb at 500 watts, that's 25% above its design. So I'd guess it's 400 watts.
Fluorescents and HMI's are both much more energy-efficient than tungsten. Fluorescents get about 4x as much light out of a watt of electricity (as compared to tungsten), and HMI's get about 3x as much light per watt as compared to tungsten.
For tungsten equivalent, a 400 watt HMI produces about as many footcandles as a 1200 watt tungsten fixture (except it's blue light instead of orange light). To get a tungsten fixture to spew as many blue footcandles as a 400 watt HMI, you'd need about 4800 watts of tungsten.
The DayPhotos will soon "enlighten" you!
It says 500, but unless they're playing tricks, the lights are 400 watts. The lamps in 'em are OSRAM 400-watters. I think in that review from that photography magazine the reviewer called 'em about it and they said something like "it puts out the equivalent of 500 watts" or something... maybe they're overdriving the lights or something? I don't know... I should check footcandles between them and my 575 but I haven't bothered to.
I suspect they give off 400 watts of light. I think it's like those "fluorex" fluorescents: they brag about being a 500-watt equivalent, but they're putting out the same lumens as any other 65-watt fluorescent (which is about the equiv. of 250 watts)... they claim "500 watts" because they're factoring in the effect of the reflector they build into the light fixture!
So is Britek doing the same type of thing? Probably, I don't see how they're going to reliably drive a 400 watt bulb at 500 watts, that's 25% above its design. So I'd guess it's 400 watts.
Fluorescents and HMI's are both much more energy-efficient than tungsten. Fluorescents get about 4x as much light out of a watt of electricity (as compared to tungsten), and HMI's get about 3x as much light per watt as compared to tungsten.
For tungsten equivalent, a 400 watt HMI produces about as many footcandles as a 1200 watt tungsten fixture (except it's blue light instead of orange light). To get a tungsten fixture to spew as many blue footcandles as a 400 watt HMI, you'd need about 4800 watts of tungsten.
Re: Rostronics Lights deals for DVXuser members
Thanks Barry, that helps a lot!
By the way, I assume I can gel the HMI to be like tungsten? Just curious if power is an issue. Sounds backwards, but what kind of loss are we looking at? (Instead of 2 stops form tungsten to HMI, for example.)
-Jerry
Thanks Barry, that helps a lot!
By the way, I assume I can gel the HMI to be like tungsten? Just curious if power is an issue. Sounds backwards, but what kind of loss are we looking at? (Instead of 2 stops form tungsten to HMI, for example.)
-Jerry
Barry_Green
Moderator
Re: Rostronics Lights deals for DVXuser members
Gelling down to tungsten is easy, you just use CTO or #85 gel... you lose about 2/3 of a stop, so much less light loss than going the other way (gelling tungsten to blue costs 2 stops, gelling HMI to orange only costs 2/3 of 1 stop). Again, you might need a little minusgreen on there, maybe a 1/2 minusgreen if you're trying to match colors. I haven't tested for the green component yet so I don't know "how" green they are, but there's definitely some green in there...
Gelling down to tungsten is easy, you just use CTO or #85 gel... you lose about 2/3 of a stop, so much less light loss than going the other way (gelling tungsten to blue costs 2 stops, gelling HMI to orange only costs 2/3 of 1 stop). Again, you might need a little minusgreen on there, maybe a 1/2 minusgreen if you're trying to match colors. I haven't tested for the green component yet so I don't know "how" green they are, but there's definitely some green in there...
Barry_Green
Moderator
Re: Rostronics Lights deals for DVXuser members
Hmmm? Did you say something? Can't hear you over this "hum"...
(okay, they're not that bad, but there's definitely a little hummmmmm....)
Hmmm? Did you say something? Can't hear you over this "hum"...
(okay, they're not that bad, but there's definitely a little hummmmmm....)
Re: Rostronics Lights deals for DVXuser members
I finally had time to assemble the Dayphoto 5000. Yea, there is a hum, but it isn't so bad. I had both on shining through a a double window. I still couldn't get the real effect of daylight though, and that was with both! It was bright, though.
Next I put the softbox on one. Not as sturdy as the tungsten Britek lights, but still very nice.
I'm starting to see why the pros use 2K, 5K, and 10K. Man, you need a lot of light to mimic true daylight! BTW, the ballasts aren't really that heavy.
-Jerry
I finally had time to assemble the Dayphoto 5000. Yea, there is a hum, but it isn't so bad. I had both on shining through a a double window. I still couldn't get the real effect of daylight though, and that was with both! It was bright, though.
Next I put the softbox on one. Not as sturdy as the tungsten Britek lights, but still very nice.
I'm starting to see why the pros use 2K, 5K, and 10K. Man, you need a lot of light to mimic true daylight! BTW, the ballasts aren't really that heavy.
-Jerry
Barry_Green
Moderator
Re: Rostronics Lights deals for DVXuser members
No, the ballasts aren't really heavy, they just seemed heavier than I expected from Britek.
I just used the Dayphoto's on their "maiden voyage", a local-commercial-style shoot. They did well, the hum was basically inaudible, and they didn't interfere with my wireless mic systems at all,which was nice.
Nice little lights!
No, the ballasts aren't really heavy, they just seemed heavier than I expected from Britek.
I just used the Dayphoto's on their "maiden voyage", a local-commercial-style shoot. They did well, the hum was basically inaudible, and they didn't interfere with my wireless mic systems at all,which was nice.
Nice little lights!
Barry_Green
Moderator
Re: Rostronics Lights deals for DVXuser members
Depends on what other light sources you'll have in your shot, and what you're white-balanced to. If the DayPhotos are the only light source in the shot, then no, just do a manual white balance. If the DayPhotos are the strongest, most prevalent light source, you can still get away with just white balancing.
If you're mixing the DayPhotos with other 5600k light sources, like regular HMI's or daylight fluorescents, then you might have to minusgreen the Dayphoto's. Or, if you're shooting film with them, you'd almost definitely need to minusgreen 'em.
I still haven't bothered to test how green they are, but just turning them on in the garage and letting 'em warm up, you can tell, looking at daylight vs. looking at these, that there's definitely some green cast to 'em.
Depends on what other light sources you'll have in your shot, and what you're white-balanced to. If the DayPhotos are the only light source in the shot, then no, just do a manual white balance. If the DayPhotos are the strongest, most prevalent light source, you can still get away with just white balancing.
If you're mixing the DayPhotos with other 5600k light sources, like regular HMI's or daylight fluorescents, then you might have to minusgreen the Dayphoto's. Or, if you're shooting film with them, you'd almost definitely need to minusgreen 'em.
I still haven't bothered to test how green they are, but just turning them on in the garage and letting 'em warm up, you can tell, looking at daylight vs. looking at these, that there's definitely some green cast to 'em.