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What is the worst studio lighting equipment..
Serious.. Everyone likes to pipe dream, but most of the folks out here cobbling together equipment can't afford the best.. So when the options are limited by budget.. Which brands and which models should people be running in terror from? (Dunno, seemed like it might be useful...) May 28 07 05:04 pm Link I would avoid Novatron, maybe their new stuff is better with fan cooled heads and bare bulbs, but the 20 year old set I have... don't bother. May 28 07 05:06 pm Link David Allen Smith wrote: I would second the nom. for the "Worst of the Worst" being Novatron, the only lighting that actually killed someone. May 28 07 05:09 pm Link W.G. Rowland wrote: Lowe's, Home Depot? May 28 07 05:10 pm Link I got sold Smith-Vector when I was starting out by a local store (no longer in business). Not very impressed mostly because of lack of accessories. Have since switched to AB's. Before anyone screams they may not be the best but price and customer service are hard to beat. May 28 07 05:11 pm Link David Allen Smith wrote: Frick thats what I've got. May 28 07 05:30 pm Link Black and Blue wrote: Doesn't eveyone start out with Novatron? May 28 07 05:35 pm Link I think that the list of bad studio lighting tools could be a looong one... I kinda' think that stuff like AB is not that good either... I like having consitent output and color...but that's just me. May 28 07 05:36 pm Link I'm cheaper than AB's.. (Mono's seemed so much smarter than packs before I bought them.. Now I'd kill to be able to charge and set from one spot.. Ah well).. I'm using Flashpoint II's.. Cheaper than AB's even.. (i.e. junk lights).. They're solid.. They work (except when the power blows out... Er, long story..) But getting modifiers for them is a bitch.. So I'd highly recommend staying away.. May 28 07 05:37 pm Link W.G. Rowland wrote: My first experience was with Britek. Hated them!! hate hate hate hate! May 28 07 05:38 pm Link Black and Blue wrote: I had a Novatron V600 kit for many years.. never missed a beat. My only complaint was the way the lamp cords curled up and twisted over time, but they worked flawlessly. May 28 07 05:39 pm Link ABs May 28 07 05:39 pm Link I'd have to go with Smith Vector first...followed by Britek a close second. May 28 07 05:41 pm Link What ever breaks in the middle of my using it. It's usually total crap. Well, if not then, it is by the time I back over it with my truck a few times... Yes, I have anger management issues. -Major May 28 07 05:41 pm Link My only real complaint with Novatron is the lack of good modifiers and output control. I have a 20 year old 1600ws kit with all original flash bulbs, and even one original modeling light. The thing will put out light and keep on trucking. Hell, it's only started burning once during a shoot! Another photographer I know has a newer Novatron 1000ws pack that has exploded twice in as many years. Yeah, I won't be shopping with them again. May 28 07 05:45 pm Link My lighting rig... yay for low budget... walmart lamps and ge reveal light bulbs( beats the regulars for that yellow tint hehe) May 28 07 05:49 pm Link Black and Blue wrote: - May 28 07 05:54 pm Link what kind of lighting will suit you the best? are you looking for a location kit, or something a little more 'stationary'? 19 years ago, i bit the bullet and bought four Photogenic Studiomaster II's...the BEST money i've ever spent, in retrospect. i've looked at it as an investment, and requiring only minor, and i mean MINOR service in 18 years. hell, i'm still using the ORIGINAL flashtubes! they are well-built, heavy studio units that DON'T like to travel (thus the long tube life...), but my next choice for a location kit would be Speedotron Blacklines. look at your lighting as an investment if you plan to be doing this for any length of time. availability to accessories and modifiers are a HUGE consideration in your prosepective purchase. May 28 07 06:01 pm Link Finelight wrote: I'm not buying anything.. We're talking about BAD lights.. To warn potential buyers what to avoid.. Because, um, anecdotal evidence is everything.. *shrug* May 28 07 06:04 pm Link sorry....misunderstood. May 28 07 06:08 pm Link A Balcar unit tried to kill after it was turned off and discharged while I was changing a burnt out flash tube. the on off switch was defective. I sold Normans many years ago and they had a 30% failure rate within two weeks. May 28 07 06:09 pm Link ...i guess i haven't had many bad lighting experiences....thankfully. =^) May 28 07 06:10 pm Link I shot "Court TV" ,for the network "court tv",with novatron hot lights....they worked good and I still use them for documentary work when I travel to remote locations where I worry that somebody might steal the gear or drop it or whatever..... less value to lose.... GEOF May 28 07 06:13 pm Link Worst lighting are the generic chinese-made lights on ebay, and the re-branded ones such as interfit. JTL and Smith Victor aren't so hot either. And I second the "old novatron" thing. May 28 07 06:13 pm Link Finelight wrote: so what's a good location kit? May 28 07 07:55 pm Link I'd say indoor use of Tiki torches would be an extremely bad lighting idea. May 28 07 08:40 pm Link Pop up flash is, without a doubt, the absolute worst... May 28 07 09:02 pm Link OPUS... barf! -PKD May 28 07 09:38 pm Link Madcrow Studios wrote: Wow, I laughed.. and agree. May 28 07 10:00 pm Link ED Edmonds wrote: Doesn't the capacitor in most flashes hold a charge? My comets tried killing me plenty o' times.. just to remind me to discharge the remaining "pop" before fiddling with it... Maybe it's just Comets... hmm. Add comet to the list ( though they were actually rocking strobes for the price) May 28 07 10:10 pm Link David Allen Smith wrote: So it lasted 20 years and you're bitching? mine lasted 15 years and not a hitch. I even sold it used for a good chunk of change and 2 years later that guy is still happy with it. He asked me about the new stuff not working with his old pack..new extra grounding pin..but you can get an adapter for $20. I praise Novatron for years of great commercial use. David Allen Smith wrote: So i had 3 different grids a long and short snoot a honeycomb, grids for the snoots and 4 door barndoors. i had flexible flag holders and a bunch of other stuff..and with the mounting ring you can put most softboxes, starfish and what ever you want on them..i think you must have been mislead??? packs were 2 stop reducing and the heads were too. if that's not enough then use the clip on gel holder to ND the lights or just diffuse them more or stick them in an umbrella. I think I even had a focusing (lico) attachment for them. Sold it all a few years back when I was heavily investing in more hot lights. May 28 07 10:10 pm Link Madcrow Studios wrote: Actually the pop up can be pretty cool. You have to know how much to cover with your finger to adjust to the amount of shutter drag... a bit of a hit and miss, but it is very productive and always available. Both of these shots were used in advertising, the Icon shot was for an ad for the Icon glove and the Timmy Woods handbag was on the street in Vegas. Both shots involved a time exposure with only flash from the pop up. I would put my finger over the lens of the flash knocking it down about 50% so the ambient would burn in... fun. May 28 07 10:29 pm Link Norman p2000d bullet proof norman sl800 bullet ridden! May 28 07 10:29 pm Link Norman p2000d bullet proof, norman sl800 bullet ridden! WTF double again? May 28 07 10:29 pm Link Britek! May 28 07 10:34 pm Link The Vast Difference wrote: Hensel. May 28 07 10:34 pm Link Novatrons are fine if you remember and obey the (many) rules. Like don't pull a light's plug out of the pack unless the pack has been discharged; always make sure one full power light is plugged into the unit (not just -1, -2 stop lights); never flip a power selction switch on a plugged in light with the pack charged; and always adhere to the instructions on the power selection switch. A nice thing about Novatrons is that they're dirt cheap and even the oldest pack I have uses a less than 6v sync voltage. My first lighting setup was a Novaton 444HDX with 3 heads and accessories and stands for $250. Another positive is that they're easy to repair and parts are cheap. It definitely got my foot in the door and served my purposes until I figured out what I wanted in a lighting system and went with Balcar. I hear the Novatron monolights are great but more pricey. Balcar's are great too, I've never had any of mine try and kill me. After the Novatrons they seem like a breeze to operate. Balcar systems are rediculously powerful for their price on the used market. You will need a safe sync, or radio trigger with pretty much all of them. Repairs and parts for Balcar equipment is about 2-4x that of Novatrons. I had a older Bowens can light and I'd say to avoid these. The replacement tubes are incredibly expensive if you can even find them and their sync voltage is extremely high. I wasn't a big fan of their yoke mounting system either. -James May 28 07 10:47 pm Link So what studio lights would a budget starter get? I have a budget of ummm 8 dollars (well more then that but I'm so starving artist) and making a fairly DIY studio from the pool house in my backyard, I need good price studio lights that AREN'T the worst!! -Hana May 28 07 10:48 pm Link LeWhite wrote: what's wrong with your P-2000D? I have a few that worked great for years, tons of uncontrollable power, but they were bullet proof. I haven't used them in a long time and now use Profoto. May 28 07 11:46 pm Link 215 Studios wrote: Sooo, I guess you expect the equipment to break while you weren't using it??? May 28 07 11:52 pm Link |
