Trying to make a $1000 to $1500 light kit from scratch. I have a good starting point!

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Deer Film

Well-known member
This post is for people like me still trying to figure out what to buy for a good starter kit. The starter kit would be made up of different items and brands. Also looking professional.

My needs
  • -Want a lighting kit to shoot in small office places, classrooms, and my basement.
  • -run and gun type interviews - 1 and 2 people shots- need fast setup - maybe half hour.
  • -Small rooms, regular Ac/DC - need to keep it cool and not break any breakers
  • -Like the idea of a soft box for fast easy setup, also florescent
  • -and of course trying to save money, but not have stuff fall apart. Would love to be around 1000$
  • -also would be great to use these on my small green screen in my basement too.
I have read over a 100 posts, watched how to dvd's and some of them where many years old, so that is why I have some questions.
From all the posts I read, many people are interested in the same topics, and with new ideas and stuff coming out, I hope I can get some help. Please be kind and help with your experience and also provide links.
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I watched a great interview setup video, and this was his set up.

2 Avenger A630b light stands
2 Avenger A625B light stands
Manfrotto 3398 Boom Stand
Small Photoflex Silver Dome soft Box
Photoflex Fabric Grid
Photoflex Swivel Mount
Photoflex Speed Ring
Lowel Tota light with 500watt bulb
42" Collapsible Reflector
Flexfill Adjustable Holder
2 lowel pro lights - 1 snoot - 1 4 way barn door
2 impact 600w Dimmers, he said these can be upgraded
Rosco Cinegel sampler kit
warm card


This was another great post
http://www.dvxuser.com/V6/showthrea...in-your-lighting-kit&highlight=Spiderlite+TD5

But is was many years ago, and from what I read, there are cheaper options then the Chimera. Maybe a company on Ebay. Anyway, here is article from the post above..

Dan's Homemade Pro Light Kit
- Lowel V-Light
- Small Chimera
- 36" Flexfill
- Arri 150 Fresenel
- 2 40" C-stand arms
- 2 grip heads
- 3 American Grip light stands
- Contico two tier yellow plastic box tool box (24" high x 12" deep by about 20")
- Nalpak tripod tube
- Rock and Roller Micro cart
- gels, difffusion, grip clips, stingers, etc.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

This is a great starting point of the things listed above.

Does the Lowel V light, tota light Fresenal, Lowel Pro light throw out a lot of heat and power? These seem to be lights people agree on the most. With Fresenal being the one to invest in more then the Lowel Pro light.

I want a softbox to be used with florescent and a grid, with attachments for florescent. What do you recommend.

Rifa 55EX Softbox Kit or Rifa ex 66 seem to be popular, but I would want them to work with florescent, and I assume you have to buy some attachment to make them work with that. What is a good size and least expensive brand that has these options and will be fast setup and last a while?


Tripods are also expensive. Want good stand for good price. Would like to find stand with a boom too to hold a back light, or to hold a mic above the subject.
I need 2 sturdy ones for this, and then 2 smaller ones like the 625B. any models or brands you like?

I think I would try to save money on the pro light versus the Fresenal, what do you think? Or is it better to invest in them. I would want 2 of these, one with snoot and one with barn doors.

Not sure about the 500w tota light, do I need it? Can I get by with florescent in the sofbox instead. Remember, I want to not break breakers in the house and also not heat up my clients. It is warm enough in those small rooms.

About the impact 600w dimmers, why did the author think it is a good idea to upgrade this to something better?

Not sure if I need to get a warm card 90$ or cinegel sampler kit. What are your thoughts?

Thanks to all that help, and I think this is a great starting point for us.
 
Maybe I had to many questions. One main question is what SoftBox and light should I buy for a florescent and do you need special accessories to make it work? Rifa, Photoflex, so off brand. I want easy set up, and durable to be moved around to place to place. I will get my own stand. Sit down interview type shots, and maybe with my green screen. Thanks
 
The best advice I can give is to start by looking in the for sale area and on eBay for quality used gear. You can save big bucks buying used.

Good Luck!

Dave
 
I don't have experience with CoolLights but they are pretty reputable from what I hear. Here are a couple of links to a Flo Light from CL:

http://www.coollights.biz/cl255md-cool-lights-dimming-watt-fluorescent-video-soft-p-103.html

http://www.coollights.biz/cl655md-cool-lights-manual-dimming-watt-fluorescent-soft-p-102.html

http://www.coollights.biz/fluorescent-softbox-c-44.html

The softboxes for the Flo Lights are currently out of stock on the website though.

The light stand situation, you can't go wrong with the Avenger light stands. They are a bit pricey but they will last you forever. If anyone has any cheaper alternatives, I'm curious myself.

I"m a little confused by your post though if you want to go with Flos or Tungs? If you're doing a lot of run and gunning, I highly recommend that you go with Tungs. Its just when I hear the term run and gunning, I just picture equipment being slung around and packed up quickly. I don't have much faith in Flos being able to take that kind of beating. The Triolet Kit looks expensive but its an amazing deal because it comes with the light, softbox, grid, stand, and bag. I mean once you buy all that separately, you're looking at around +$500.
 
Hi, what I meant by run and gun, these are probably the right words, but I am called a lot to do interviews, so I need to take my stuff to location and set up.

What Triolet Kit do you recommend. If you have a link, that would be great.
 
Deer Film said:
Hi, what I meant by run and gun, these are probably the right words, but I am called a lot to do interviews, so I need to take my stuff to location.
Click to expand...

I wouldn't consider location interviews run n gun.

If it were me shooting interviews on a very limited budget, I would likely pickup something along the lines of the ePhoto/fancier 4x55w Biax fluorescent for a soft key light, a sheet of 1/4 minus green gel, a light stand, a 25' stinger.

You could also use a second 4x55w for your fill light, it will half down to 2x55w. You could even use a reflector for fill if needed.

Search eBay for a used mini-mole 200w for a hair light. It will run you around $100. Then pickup a harbor freight router controller for $20 to use as a dimmer on the mini-mole.

A used Teenie-weenie-mole 600w off ebay and a piece of foam core cut into a cookie make for an inexpensive background treatment.
 
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What about 3 800 redheads, maybe get a lower wattage bulb for any backlight use and a shoot through lastolite to create a soft key

You should not need to go offbrand with your cash and when you add more fancy fixtures over time you will still find those redheads useful for space lighting..

I bought a lot of kit before I came back to 3 800 redheads after selling my first set

S
 
Is an arri 150 Fresenal better to invest in then a pro light. Or one of each? Or a different size fresenal. Would like a snoot and barn door. Do they throw out a lot of heat to bother someone in a small room.
It seems no matter what type of lighting setup I get, that these lights are used with just about everyone. That it won't be a lost investment. Is that true?
 
A Mole Richardson Mini-Mole 2801 is roughly the same size as an Arri 150w Fresnel. It can be lamped as a 100w, 150w, 200w, 250w. I have purchased used Mini-Moles with snoot set, barn doors, scrim set on eBay for around $100.
 
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