Sell Arri Lights for HMI Cool Lights?

[DDirector]

So, I bought a used Arri kit (300, 650 and an Arrilite 1000) + a bunch of accessories
It was a fairly good deal, so I couldnt pass on it.

Before I bought these, I was really considering getting Kino Flo's because they have daylight temperature but, they arent very strong and isnt a hard light. HMI's are just too much. But, Cool Lights have more affordable HMI's.

I talked to some people and they said that I could sell the kit locally and make a little bit of money off of it. That was actually my original plan with these lights.

Would it be a good idea to sell this Arri kit and get the HMI Cool Lights?
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According to the description, the 70 Cool Light is equivalent to the 300w Arri, and the 150 Cool Light is equivalent to the 650w Arri.

Which is great, what I would want. But, the next one up is equivalent to a 2.5K Arri. Which is not only too much power/light, its too expensive. Is there a 1000w equivalent HMI?

The other thing is, I havent heard many reviews of these lights.

 

[Huy Vu]

The CL 150 is a good unit, I have one, but the big thing for me is that it's not a hot strike light. If you turn it off, it takes 5 minutes for it to turn back on. That's a pretty big deal and it can get annoying.

 

[Paul Hudson]

A 1.2 HMI is roughly equal to a 5K tungsten source.

 

[DDirector]

The CL 150 is a good unit, I have one, but the big thing for me is that it's not a hot strike light. If you turn it off, it takes 5 minutes for it to turn back on. That's a pretty big deal and it can get annoying.

Yeah, thats the only downside. But, Id rather pay less and wait 5 minutes than spend thousands more for a single HMI light. Hope its not that big of a deal though

A 1.2 HMI is roughly equal to a 5K tungsten source.

Is it? On their site it said it was equivalent to a 2.5K. Hmm. If its 5K equivalent, that thats even worse.

 

[Cool Lights]

Our 575w HMI fresnel is equivalent to a 2.5K and the 1200w HMI par is equivalent to a 5K. The missing link in the CDM line which will be filled at some point is a CDM 250 or more probably a CDM 400. I can't give a timeframe on it though as our larger LED units are on the frontburner right now and so the CDM 400 has to wait a while.

 

[Paul Hudson]

Oh really, It is 5K.

 

[slondon]

What are you doing/want to do with the lights? I'd keep the ARRI kit and add some Cool Lights.

 

[DDirector]

What are you doing/want to do with the lights? I'd keep the ARRI kit and add some Cool Lights.

I shoot shorts films and music videos.

I do a lot of shooting where there is daylight temperature in the shot, such as windows. Ive shot some stuff in my house too and even my lamps are all closer to daylight temperature than tungsten.
When I have some natural light in the shot, its not much or done very often. It would be generally used as a fill light if enough light gets through the windows. Its just easier to deal with rather than having to gel lights or the windows.

 

[Kegan]

Keep 'em. Add HMIs as needed in my opinion.

Kegan

 

[Michael Kosciesza]

Add HMI's later when you have the money. In the mean time, CTB those Arri's, you have a lot of power there. Unless you really don't want to work with tungsten, get the HMI's. Good thing about lighting equipment is it doesn't devalue much, and everyone is always looking for used stuff.

Good Luck

Those Cool Lights HMI's are pretty sweet though.

 

[DDirector]

Wont I have less light if I use CTB gels on my tungsten lights compared to putting on CTO on the Cool Lights?

*Its a choice of one or the other as money is the factor here. With the extra money, I need to get more accessories for lighting and other video stuff.

 

[Huy Vu]

Yeah, thats the only downside. But, Id rather pay less and wait 5 minutes than spend thousands more for a single HMI light. Hope its not that big of a deal though

It is a big deal if your whole kit consists of non-hot restrike light. You set up for the shot, then realized that you need to turn some lights off to make adjustments, run some cables etc. Then you get it all set up again and you sit around waiting for the light to turn back on. Then you realized that another minor adjustment is needed etc. Not only does this wastes time, it interferes with the creative flow on set.