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Lighting Kit Recommendations Please

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This here is a very barebones 3-point lighting kit, which is suitable for a sub-$300 budget: http://amzn.to/11Xb6Eb

I own a simlar kit, that's still kickin' around. The stands are very lightweight and top-heavy. You'll need to get sandbags to go with them. (You can buy empty sandbags, and fill them locally with a $5.00 sack of pea-gravel from Home Depot. Don't use sand - it just gets everywhere)

While at Home Depot getting pea-gravel, pick up some replacement CFL bulbs... and also diferent colour-temp CFL bulbs! 3600-ish Kelvin for a tungsten look, and 5600-ish for a daylight look. Options are great. :cool:

Now, this it is not the be-all end-all of lighting. As time goes by, and you build up a real kit, it will become just part of the package. There's no such thing as "the right lights" - much like choosing a camera, you try to pick the right tools for the right job. However, it's a great starting point for someone with little/no experience, and the principle of basic 3-point lighting will be invaluable further down the line.

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Zensteve said:
This here is a very barebones 3-point lighting kit, which is suitable for a sub-$300 budget: http://amzn.to/11Xb6Eb

I own a simlar kit, that's still kickin' around. The stands are very lightweight and top-heavy. You'll need to get sandbags to go with them. (You can buy empty sandbags, and fill them locally with a $5.00 sack of pea-gravel from Home Depot. Don't use sand - it just gets everywhere)

While at Home Depot getting pea-gravel, pick up some replacement CFL bulbs... and also diferent colour-temp CFL bulbs! 3600-ish Kelvin for a tungsten look, and 5600-ish for a daylight look. Options are great. :cool:

Now, this it is not the be-all end-all of lighting. As time goes by, and you build up a real kit, it will become just part of the package. There's no such thing as "the right lights" - much like choosing a camera, you try to pick the right tools for the right job. However, it's a great starting point for someone with little/no experience, and the principle of basic 3-point lighting will be invaluable further down the line.

.
Click to expand...

Thanks. Great tip about the pea gravel.
 
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If you shop and buy used, you can pick up a Lowel omni light, stand, and umbrella for $100. It's a real TV light. It's simple and open-faced, but it uses quality bulbs, has barn doors and solid enough to last you your entire career. I still use my lowels, I've upgraded since then but there's always a place or use for them on set. A cheaper CFL kit will be outdated much faster and won't blend well with pro lights in the future.

eBay is a great place to pick up used omni lights (I've bought close to a dozen for myself and others).

Amazon and eBay both sell cheap umbrellas. You can use diffusion gel too, but at like $5 it's hard to beat an umbrella for budget and ease of use.

Barndoorlighting.com had great 650w lamps for them at $5-6ish a pop. Get at least one extra per fixture so you're not screwed on set if one goes.

The last kit I put together was $350. Two omni's, a Tota (also lowel), nice case, stands, spare lamps and a variety of little grip tools like clamps, three way power splitters, some gels, etc. It's a pro kit. A cheap kit, but still pro.
 
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PaulGriffith said:
If you shop and buy used, you can pick up a Lowel omni light, stand, and umbrella for $100. It's a real TV light. It's simple and open-faced, but it uses quality bulbs, has barn doors and solid enough to last you your entire career. I still use my lowels, I've upgraded since then but there's always a place or use for them on set. A cheaper CFL kit will be outdated much faster and won't blend well with pro lights in the future.

eBay is a great place to pick up used omni lights (I've bought close to a dozen for myself and others).

Amazon and eBay both sell cheap umbrellas. You can use diffusion gel too, but at like $5 it's hard to beat an umbrella for budget and ease of use.

Barndoorlighting.com had great 650w lamps for them at $5-6ish a pop. Get at least one extra per fixture so you're not screwed on set if one goes.

The last kit I put together was $350. Two omni's, a Tota (also lowel), nice case, stands, spare lamps and a variety of little grip tools like clamps, three way power splitters, some gels, etc. It's a pro kit. A cheap kit, but still pro.
Click to expand...

Thanks.
 
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Get blackwrap. Try to learn how to control light. Get a piece of foamcore,get black material (foamcore,duvetyne) and learn how to shape light. Lighting is all about control. There is a ton of great info online
 
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don't worry about a 3 point kit out the gate... you can always use a bounce card or reflector to get your fill light

http://www.amazon.com/LimoStudio-Di...d=1383595994&sr=1-16&keywords=led+video+light

if you are a DIY'er... I'm looking at some LED strip lights to create some of my own light panels

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_n...ip+lights&rh=i:aps,k:+5500+k+led+strip+lights

you can source this stuff from China to save a few bucks... put different temperature lights on a board, add a couple switches and a dimmer and viola!
 
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Here's a 3 light kit (Red heads) for $270 with stands and a case.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/2-4m-stands...658?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item20dc8382aa

Or a 2 light kit (Red Heads) for $138 with stands:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/1600-Watt-D...237?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3a796e5da5

If you go to the 2 light kit, that leaves you extra money for gels (you'll need some difusion, color correction and maybe some fun colors), extra power cords, spare bulbs, black wrap and maybe an inexpensive LED light

500 LED light for $120.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Dimmable-50...397?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item5af8e0007d

Hope this helps. Do some hunting around on Ebay.

Scott
 
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In order to soften light you have to increase the size of the light source. Bounce or diffusion. Cheap LED's (and expensive ones as well but not as bad) have horrendous CRI. Chinese knock offs are pretty bad. You can get used lights which will be much better and considerably cheap.

You can light with a household bulb if you know how to. Take a look at Roger Deakins work. Get ome books,get ASC subscription.

The first question should have probably be, what do you want to light? Corporate? Film? Music vids?
 
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baoliun said:
Get blackwrap. Try to learn how to control light. Get a piece of foamcore,get black material (foamcore,duvetyne) and learn how to shape light. Lighting is all about control. There is a ton of great info online
Click to expand...

I looked up blackwrap. Can you give me an example of a simple scene that you would use blackwrap for?
 
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tokenwhiteboy said:
don't worry about a 3 point kit out the gate... you can always use a bounce card or reflector to get your fill light

http://www.amazon.com/LimoStudio-Di...d=1383595994&sr=1-16&keywords=led+video+light

if you are a DIY'er... I'm looking at some LED strip lights to create some of my own light panels

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_n...ip+lights&rh=i:aps,k:+5500+k+led+strip+lights

you can source this stuff from China to save a few bucks... put different temperature lights on a board, add a couple switches and a dimmer and viola!
Click to expand...

I am a DIY'er. I'm thinking about buying the parts separately and building the stands. I don't understand light well enough yet to know what I'd want to build.
 
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scottspears said:
Here's a 3 light kit (Red heads) for $270 with stands and a case.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/2-4m-stands...658?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item20dc8382aa

Or a 2 light kit (Red Heads) for $138 with stands:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/1600-Watt-D...237?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3a796e5da5

If you go to the 2 light kit, that leaves you extra money for gels (you'll need some difusion, color correction and maybe some fun colors), extra power cords, spare bulbs, black wrap and maybe an inexpensive LED light

500 LED light for $120.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Dimmable-50...397?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item5af8e0007d

Hope this helps. Do some hunting around on Ebay.

Scott
Click to expand...

The Red Head kits look nice. It's hard to know what's good quality or the right thing. So, the 3 light kit is 800 watt while the 2 light kit is 1600 watt; does that effect the brightness of the light? Would 3 lower intensity lights be better than 2 bright ones?

How would a panel LED light compare to the Red Heads?

Thank you for your thoughts and help.
 
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baoliun said:
In order to soften light you have to increase the size of the light source. Bounce or diffusion. Cheap LED's (and expensive ones as well but not as bad) have horrendous CRI. Chinese knock offs are pretty bad. You can get used lights which will be much better and considerably cheap.

You can light with a household bulb if you know how to. Take a look at Roger Deakins work. Get ome books,get ASC subscription.

The first question should have probably be, what do you want to light? Corporate? Film? Music vids?
Click to expand...

So cheap led's will have unappealing frequencies for film?

I found ASC. What's ome?

I would like to light for film indoors.
 
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Can anyone tell me about the halogen shop light I have right now?

http://www.homedepot.com/catalog/productImages/300/1d/1d486500-4b1d-4722-8dec-68890b5f5fee_300.jpg

What kind of CRI does it have? What could it be used for and what makes it a poor substitute for good lighting?

I can say it's very bright and it gets really hot. When I do green screen with it it works better than regular lighting. It seems to have harsh yellow color, but could that be diffused with an umbrella? -> Would that be dangerous because of the heat?
 
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Subscribe to ASC it is around 20$ for a year digital,I don't know how much is print one as I am overseas,but prolly quite affordable as well. I would advice to get the theoretical knowledge first,you can def learn all the basics with a worklight.

Get blackwrap (20$ or smth) get cheap reflector or make your own from foamboard (foamboard + kitchen foil for silver side). Get a person/object to light. understand the difference between soft and hardlight. Find out how to control spill so you can light background separately. Try different contrast ratios with your reflector.

Possibilities are endless on a no budget.


All LED and especially cheap ones have green spike ( notice how skin appears zombie like under household florecents and leds).

CRI of the worklight is not too great,but still fine as long as you don't blast it directly into someones face.
Umbrella will burn in no time so forget about it,bounce light instead. (Aim it at the wall,ceiling,floot,reflector,foamboard w.e) it will splash everywhere but it will give you nice soft light. Next step is to control it,which is quite hard but possible.

Get a china ball and ceramic socket with some household or photoflood bulb,learn to control that. It will give nice soft light and it costs under 20$.
 
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Redheads are a bad idea. They're overpowered for the components they use. There are plenty of stories out there of them exploding, melting, catching fire etc.

The shop lights are a great cheap light. I like to have a couple on hand because they're bright and in a lot of situations work as a practical light (ok to see on camera).

The Lowel tota lights are very similar, but have pro features like a light stand mount, gel frame and umbrella holder, mesh over the bulb (for safety) etc. Super portable too.

The big downside to straight up shop lights is they're kissing all those features. Sure, an umbrella will diffuse it but how do you mount it? How do you get it 5 feet off the ground, or 10'? How small do they collapse and how many can you fit In a bag? How do you attach gels without melting it?

You can DIY a mount, an umbrella holder, a case and barn doors but chances are after all that you'll have spent what a pro light costs plus a lot of hours and have a fixture that's not as good. Totas and omnis are about the same price, and I like the omni's better since they have proper barn doors and are mildly focusable.

I just used some of the cheap LEDs for the first time last week. They were pretty rough. Each one (same brand) was a little different color and there's bit a lot you can do to modify them because they're very unfocused. The nice LEDs are great, but you pay for them.
 
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PaulGriffith said:
Redheads are a bad idea. They're overpowered for the components they use. There are plenty of stories out there of them exploding, melting, catching fire etc.
Click to expand...

Just to clarify "chinese knock-offs" redheads are a bad idea. Normal redheads,blondes etc. are common workhorse and you can get them very cheap used
 
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