Looking for a cheap Light set

[shluk]

I'm a beginner filmmaker, and I would like to buy a 3 light set for 400$ MAX.
I'm pretty new at this, so I don't know the practical differences between red head, CFL, Leds, or whatever.
I've looked a little through eBay and saw some interesting offers:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/2400w-Studi...536?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item5646337b88
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Lighting-Ki...430?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item231689651e
http://www.ebay.com/itm/4500W-Photo...875?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item4ab2f78553
http://www.ebay.com/itm/3000W-PHOTO...025?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item4ab2f785e9


For a beginner with a tight budget who uses mainly HDSLR for his videography what would you recommend?
thanks!

 

[PaulGriffith]

Hey, personally, I can't sand the CFL setups. They're an awful color and don't ever meet anywhere near the light output they offer. The redheads are a little better, but they're cheap fixtures for sure and lots of stories of fire and burns and what not haha.

My recommendation to people (and the first light I bought): go with some used Lowel Omni or Tota Fixtures. They're for real lights that will last you a career, Omni's can have barn doors and focus (a little) from wide to tight and if you shop around you can usually find them for about $100 each with a stand. Add a few ebay $8 umbrellas for when you need soft light and a few sheets of CTB, extra bulbs and a dimmer or two and you can have a great starter kit with 3 or 4 lights for under $400. Again, lights you won't want to throw away when you upgrade. Sure there are nicer fixtures we use now, but we also supplement with the omnis and totas at almost every shoot still.

 

[Rayandmigdalia]

After many years of using Lowel light kits (which I love), I started using clamp-on work
lights from home depot. I LOVE those things. They are about $6.00 each, and you can
either put 60-watt bulbs in them, or if you need less light, 30-watt bulbs. You can clamp them
anywhere, and if there's no place to clamp it, clamp it onto a big cardboard box, which you
can place anywhere. On our current film we are using seven clamp-on lights and nothing
else. http://bigfootmovie.tripod.com