View Full Version : Home Depot Clip Halogens


Barry Gribble
November 21st, 2003, 02:22 PM
All,

I found a great light at home depot... it is a 250 Watt halogen clip light that costs a hair under $10. I was amazed. It was absolutely perfect for setting up back lights and kickers in the house we were shooting in... I don't have stands to get lights this high, and if I did they would be in the shot. I was able to clip this on to window frames, curtain rods and cabinet tops...

I used black wrap to block spillage... on the daylight scenes I used just a little, but on night scenes I wrapped the light enough to basically turn it in to a spot.

I also dimmed them as needed. It did change the color temperature a bit, but it didn't kill us.

A photo of the light in use is here: http://www.integralarts.com/cliplight.htm

For $10, there really is no reason to not have 2 or 3 of these in the bag...

Barry

P.S. For those of you who haven't used black wrap, you need to. It is basically tin foil painted flat black. It is easy to shape, extremely light weight, and reusuble. A 24" x 24' roll cost me about $24 at the local photo store (fancy that). It gave us lots of flexibillity.

Anthony Lee
December 8th, 2003, 09:53 PM
possible stupid question. Can you just buy some tinfoil and paint it black? or do you need to buy actual "black wrap"? If you painted tin foil would you need to use a primer to get it to stick?

Barry Gribble
December 8th, 2003, 10:16 PM
"Can you just buy some tinfoil and paint it black?"

To be honest I am not sure... I haven't tried. The black wrap is a little more durable though... it it thicker and easier to shape.

You could ask someone in a paint store what would stick and hold up to the heat... by the time you buy the foil, buy the paint, and spend the time it takes to put it all together I think $24 isn't a bad price though :).

There are a small handful of purposes for which you could just use the foil and not even paint it black... it is still opaque... it will just scatter some light where you might not want it...

I'd say try it and let us know...

Bill Markel
December 9th, 2003, 10:57 AM
Barry,

Funny you should post that. I just saw those in the Depot yesterday. Guess I'll have to make another trip back.

Bill

Bryan Beasleigh
December 9th, 2003, 01:45 PM
At $25 for a lifetime supply of black wrap it would be hard to justify the time and aggrevation of painting aluminum foil black.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=productlist&A=details&Q=&sku=44690&is=REG

Carlos E. Martinez
December 10th, 2003, 11:08 AM
<<<-- Originally posted by Anthony Lee : possible stupid question. Can you just buy some tinfoil and paint it black? or do you need to buy actual "black wrap"? If you painted tin foil would you need to use a primer to get it to stick? -->>>

The paint first has to stick onto the aluminum, which is far from easy; second it has to be heat resistant, or it will burn, peel off, smoket etc.

Not to be done!


Carlos