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b&h vs home depot lights

dlevanchuk

dlevanchuk

How many of you guys are using lights that are not construction lights? Would you prefer to own or rent the lighting set up?

I had an itch to buy some lights from b&h. Browsed around some light kits , and debating if they re that much different from equivalent construction lights for 30 bucks from home depot.
 
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There's really no comparison. I've done the whole DIY Home Depot lighting thing and hope I never have to do it again. While I'll still use them to occasionally supplement pro lights, I'd be lost without my crew's Arri Fresnel kit.
 
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I'm not saying it's absolutely necessary to get pro lights to shoot a short film, it just makes controlling the light so much easier. Starting out people generally just throw light everywhere to get exposure; good lighting takes so much more than that. If you're not too familiar with lighting I'd suggest you get Lighting for Film and Television. I realize it's a bit pricey but it's well worth the cost. It essentially crams everything you'd learn in film school about lighting into 3 DVDs.
 
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The pro lights are infinitely better.

Name brand lights are also way better than the cheap lights B&H sells.

A good light is rugged, the only thing that goes bad is bulbs. Buying used is a great option. I put a 5 light + grip kit together for $500 that included umbrellas, diffusion, stands, a boon stand, sand bags, reflectors, extra bulbs, a case, clamps and more by buying each piece individually. They're all lowel lights, and an equivalent kit would have been over $1500 new. I just spent a lot of free time on eBay for 3 weeks straight haha.
 
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PaulGriffith said:
Name brand lights are also way better than the cheap lights B&H sells.
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B & H sells name brand lights such as Mole Richardson and ARRI. I buy ALL of my film/movie equipment directly through B & H simply because they are always cheaper than their competition (minus EBAY) and their customer service is outstanding. That said, I buy my lights from Cool Lights. They are excellent, durable (I've tipped them over multiple times and they haven't broke), and they are relatively cheap!
 
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PaulGriffith said:
The pro lights are infinitely better.

Name brand lights are also way better than the cheap lights B&H sells.

A good light is rugged, the only thing that goes bad is bulbs. Buying used is a great option. I put a 5 light + grip kit together for $500 that included umbrellas, diffusion, stands, a boon stand, sand bags, reflectors, extra bulbs, a case, clamps and more by buying each piece individually. They're all lowel lights, and an equivalent kit would have been over $1500 new. I just spent a lot of free time on eBay for 3 weeks straight haha.
Click to expand...

I have that Lowel $1500 kit from B&H and, looking back, wish I took the time to do what you did.
 
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Sorry, I meant the name brand lights (that B&H and others sell) are better than the cheap lights they sell. Just because they sell it doesn't make it a nice kit, like the Smith Vector kits, etc.

B&H is solid for sure, bought literally tens and thousands worth of product for them putting camera kits together for people. On a budget however, when used can work go for it. A used quality light is better and will last longer than a new cheap light.
 
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PaulGriffith said:
Sorry, I meant the name brand lights (that B&H and others sell) are better than the cheap lights they sell. Just because they sell it doesn't make it a nice kit, like the Smith Vector kits, etc.

B&H is solid for sure, bought literally tens and thousands worth of product for them putting camera kits together for people. On a budget however, when used can work go for it. A used quality light is better and will last longer than a new cheap light.
Click to expand...

+1


:)
 
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Gonzo_Entertainment said:
I'm a renter. At least in my area, a basic grip kit (ARRI 4 ight kit) plenty of stands, sandbags, apple boxes, flags, etc... is less than $200 a day.
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How many times do you think you've rented that? Especially if you were going to shoot a feature... you might as well buy the ARRI kit. It'd pay for itself in no time.

The only things I'd ever rent are lenses and cameras.
 
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When I shoot a feature I need far more than I can afford or store.
And good lighting isn't just the lamps - it's all the grip equipment,
too. For an 18 day shoot I can get the entire package (as Gonzo
mentions) for $1,500. C-stands, crank-o-vators, apple boxes, flags,
silks, sandbags. If I were shooting 6 features a year and had the
storage space I would buy. But as much as I would love to be shooting
that often, I just don't. It's a good $12,000 worth of equipment. I
can't afford that kind of up front money.

I do own a nice Arri kit - cost me $2,200. It's great for quickies, for
helping out a friend, for interviews, but it's not enough for a full feature.
Anyone who has read my posts knows I am all for DYI, including worklights,
and I can get some nice lighting with very little. But when shooting a
feature when time is devil I need more equipment. Renting is usually the
most economical way to get everything you need.
 
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DeJager said:
How many times do you think you've rented that? Especially if you were going to shoot a feature... you might as well buy the ARRI kit. It'd pay for itself in no time.

The only things I'd ever rent are lenses and cameras.
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The Arri kit itself is only about $75 a day. The other $125 is all the rest of the grip gear (8 sandbags at $2 each, 4 c_stands at $7 each, etc...)

I rent from a place here in Nashville. they know me, I know them. I can pick up on a Friday afternoon and return on Monday morning for a 1 day rental charge. If I owned all that stuff I'd have to store it, I'd have to replace burnt out bulbs, and most of all I'd have to put a ton of money out up front.

As Rik noted, when you are paying people, renting locations, etc... whether a feature or a short, time = money. The 30 minutes extra it takes to figure out to rig whatever you have to get the right light on a scene instead of being able to quickly and efficiently set up pro gear with all the accessories needed to make it work smoothly pays for the grip rental and gets a better result.

The happiest day of my filmmaking life is probably going to be the day I have the buget to rent a real grip package, I mean a 2 ton grip truck kind of grip package.
 
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directorik said:
And good lighting isn't just the lamps - it's all the grip equipment,
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This.

Flags, nets, diffs, gels, bounce boards, shiny boards, mirrors, 6x6/12x12/20x20 frames and associated silks, grids, rolls of rosco scrim, sand bags, stands, every sort of clamping device imaginable with a baby pin welded onto it.

That stuff adds up, but you want to have it around for controlling the light and solving mounting/rigging problems.
 
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Using a real light is liberating. The one thing I don't mind using DIY for it greenscreen, not a cyc, just simple bg, I use long home depot flos and bolt mop holders to them so they clamp on efficiently to a light stand. Then I took black foil and spray painted one side with silver reflective paint and use them as barn doors. Gives a nice even pool of light and the barn doors prevent spill. It works. Poorman's Kinoflo.
 
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David.rhsc said:
This.

Flags, nets, diffs, gels, bounce boards, shiny boards, mirrors, 6x6/12x12/20x20 frames and associated silks, grids, rolls of rosco scrim, sand bags, stands, every sort of clamping device imaginable with a baby pin welded onto it.

That stuff adds up, but you want to have it around for controlling the light and solving mounting/rigging problems.
Click to expand...

This all over. And, given the option, I'd usually much rather shoot with worklights and a decent grip kit than nice ARRI fixtures and nothing to shape the light.
 
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BEWARE OF GEAR FREAKS!

lol!

You can accomplish virtually the same lighting effects with Home Depot gear as pro gear. Sure it takes you more time to set it up, but time cost you nothing. Pro gear can cost more than your entire budget.

Besides, pro gear isn't going to impress your hungry crew. They will be more impressed with the home depot stuff and PIZZA everyday!

Don't buy or rent pro gear unless (A) You've plenty of OTHER PEOPLE'S MONEY underwriting your film or (B) you need the gear to make a living.

The other thing, NOBODY is going to see your expensive gear on the screen. If you can make Home Depot gear light like pro gear, why spend the money just to impress the gear freaks here?

:)

Good luck though.
 
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