Maglite Mount for GL-2 + white balance at DVinfo.net

Paul Bravmann · June 3rd, 2004, 11:13 AM

i'm wondering if any of you have used a mini-maglite as an inexpensive camera-mounted fill. it's something zero-budget doc producers seem to be doing. they sand the lens so that the output is diffused.

if so, any thoughts as to how to mount it to the camera? i've got a mic attached to the hot shoe, but maybe there's a cheap hotshoe adaptor that could give me two mounting options? velcro? spring clamps?

suggestions welcome.

also, i'm curious what kind of white balance issues i may run into. i plan to use the mini mag indoors, in low light, to keep from having to adjust the gain above 6db.

thanks,
phb

Charles Papert · June 3rd, 2004, 11:39 AM

Interesting--I would think that if you were going to bother, a Surefire light or equivalent would be more effective, lots more bang for the buck. That means you can diffuse it a bit more, too (make a tiny softbox for it).

Paul Bravmann · June 4th, 2004, 03:43 PM

the surefire looks pretty expensive. but thanks for the link.

i'm looking for a cheap solution that will allow me to keep my shutter speed at 1/60th, am thinking that the mag will do this. and at $15 for the mini version.

phb

Joe Cirino · June 10th, 2004, 09:16 PM

Go buy some PVC, a size that will allow the light to fit into and some velcroe tape and wrap it around the handle to lock into place. Or see if you can find some sort of light holder for rifles or handguns. I use to use one on my HK. Cant remember where I got the attachement....you may be able to hyperfit it. Just head off to the harware store....

Or get a hat and mount it that way on your head.

Brian Miller · June 10th, 2004, 11:35 PM

Reading this thread got me thinking. I have an MA-300 XLR adapter which I use with an Azden SGM-1X shotgun mike. The Azden is too skinny to fit in the microphone holder on the MA-300. Maybe putting a flashlight in that holder would make it more useful?

I crammed one of my mini-maglites (2-AA size) into that holder, and put some frost (Rosco 101) in front of the flashlight, and lo and behold, it has about one-tenth the output of my VL-3 light. Not enough to be of much use, except for extreme close-ups with the gain all the way up!

What kind of maglite were you planning to use?

The long "D" size ones put out a lot of light, but they weigh almost as much as my GL-2 does.

The color temperature of the maglites is pretty good though!

Paul Bravmann · June 11th, 2004, 07:05 AM

i tried the mini, too. ended up attaching it with velcro. sanded the lens, which diffused the light nicely--what light there was.

yeah, it seems way too dim to be of much use...

the VL-3 is ten times brighter, you think? if so, i should look into getting one.

Brian Miller · June 11th, 2004, 09:22 AM

That 'ten times brighter' comment was not substantiated. I don't have a meter to test it.

I just tried to quantify the difference, though, and here is what I found. I had to zoom in a bit to cover the whole field evenly with the VL-3. With gain at 0 db, I got a proper exposure of between 1/30 and 1/60 at f1.8 at about 4 feet. When I switched to the maglite, I had to drop to 1/8. That is what, 2.5 stops? So, its only about six times brighter.

Again, that is at a distance of four feet. You need to play with focus of the maglite a bit to get even coverage, and that might vary the intensity too.

Alex T. Hurter · June 11th, 2004, 09:31 PM

<<<-- Originally posted by Brian Miller :
You need to play with focus of the maglite a bit to get even coverage, and that might vary the intensity too. -->>>

In my experience with maglites for camping and other uses I found it very frustrating that you can not get even coverage from the ligh. there is usually a spot in the middle that is not as well lit as the rest. This would probably present itself as a problem when you see how the lighting looks on tape.

Brian Miller · June 11th, 2004, 09:50 PM

Alex, I totally agree with you! However, using the diffusion gel over the light, or sanding down the lens of the maglite eliminates that spot, and evens out the throw quite nicely. I found that changing the focus of the maglite with the frost in front of it only slightly changed the relative size of the beam of light.

In fact, the light coming out of the VL3 (without diffusion, mind you) isn't even either, nor is it wide enough to fill in the entire field at wide angle.

This morning, I also with my el cheapo portable $20.00 high beam searchlight (the kind of thing you keep in your car trunk, and find that its battery has completely drained the first time you need it in an emergency). It took a whole lot of diffusion gel, but the results were quite pleasing!

Alex T. Hurter · June 11th, 2004, 09:54 PM

I'll have to try give this a try for myself I think. Brian where did you get your diffusion gels? Are we talking about the same gels you would use on a stage lights?

Brian Miller · June 12th, 2004, 04:47 PM

Yep! The big advantage when diffusing a maglite is that the free sample books of gels that are available at any theatrical supply house is enough to do several maglites worth!

June 3rd, 2004, 11:13 AM	#1
Paul Bravmann Regular Crew Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Brooklyn, NY Posts: 44	Maglite Mount for GL-2 + white balance i'm wondering if any of you have used a mini-maglite as an inexpensive camera-mounted fill. it's something zero-budget doc producers seem to be doing. they sand the lens so that the output is diffused. if so, any thoughts as to how to mount it to the camera? i've got a mic attached to the hot shoe, but maybe there's a cheap hotshoe adaptor that could give me two mounting options? velcro? spring clamps? suggestions welcome. also, i'm curious what kind of white balance issues i may run into. i plan to use the mini mag indoors, in low light, to keep from having to adjust the gain above 6db. thanks, phb

June 3rd, 2004, 11:39 AM	#2
Charles Papert Wrangler Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 6,810	Interesting--I would think that if you were going to bother, a Surefire light or equivalent would be more effective, lots more bang for the buck. That means you can diffuse it a bit more, too (make a tiny softbox for it). __________________ Charles Papert www.charlespapert.com

June 4th, 2004, 03:43 PM	#3
Paul Bravmann Regular Crew Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Brooklyn, NY Posts: 44	the surefire looks pretty expensive. but thanks for the link. i'm looking for a cheap solution that will allow me to keep my shutter speed at 1/60th, am thinking that the mag will do this. and at $15 for the mini version. phb

June 10th, 2004, 09:16 PM	#4
Joe Cirino Regular Crew Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: United States Posts: 101	Go buy some PVC, a size that will allow the light to fit into and some velcroe tape and wrap it around the handle to lock into place. Or see if you can find some sort of light holder for rifles or handguns. I use to use one on my HK. Cant remember where I got the attachement....you may be able to hyperfit it. Just head off to the harware store.... Or get a hat and mount it that way on your head.

June 10th, 2004, 11:35 PM	#5
Brian Miller Regular Crew Join Date: May 2004 Location: Lafayette, CO Posts: 46	Reading this thread got me thinking. I have an MA-300 XLR adapter which I use with an Azden SGM-1X shotgun mike. The Azden is too skinny to fit in the microphone holder on the MA-300. Maybe putting a flashlight in that holder would make it more useful? I crammed one of my mini-maglites (2-AA size) into that holder, and put some frost (Rosco 101) in front of the flashlight, and lo and behold, it has about one-tenth the output of my VL-3 light. Not enough to be of much use, except for extreme close-ups with the gain all the way up! What kind of maglite were you planning to use? The long "D" size ones put out a lot of light, but they weigh almost as much as my GL-2 does. The color temperature of the maglites is pretty good though!

June 11th, 2004, 07:05 AM	#6
Paul Bravmann Regular Crew Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Brooklyn, NY Posts: 44	i tried the mini, too. ended up attaching it with velcro. sanded the lens, which diffused the light nicely--what light there was. yeah, it seems way too dim to be of much use... the VL-3 is ten times brighter, you think? if so, i should look into getting one.

June 11th, 2004, 09:22 AM	#7
Brian Miller Regular Crew Join Date: May 2004 Location: Lafayette, CO Posts: 46	That 'ten times brighter' comment was not substantiated. I don't have a meter to test it. I just tried to quantify the difference, though, and here is what I found. I had to zoom in a bit to cover the whole field evenly with the VL-3. With gain at 0 db, I got a proper exposure of between 1/30 and 1/60 at f1.8 at about 4 feet. When I switched to the maglite, I had to drop to 1/8. That is what, 2.5 stops? So, its only about six times brighter. Again, that is at a distance of four feet. You need to play with focus of the maglite a bit to get even coverage, and that might vary the intensity too.

June 11th, 2004, 09:31 PM	#8
Alex T. Hurter Regular Crew Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada Posts: 94	<<<-- Originally posted by Brian Miller : You need to play with focus of the maglite a bit to get even coverage, and that might vary the intensity too. -->>> In my experience with maglites for camping and other uses I found it very frustrating that you can not get even coverage from the ligh. there is usually a spot in the middle that is not as well lit as the rest. This would probably present itself as a problem when you see how the lighting looks on tape.

June 11th, 2004, 09:50 PM	#9
Brian Miller Regular Crew Join Date: May 2004 Location: Lafayette, CO Posts: 46	Alex, I totally agree with you! However, using the diffusion gel over the light, or sanding down the lens of the maglite eliminates that spot, and evens out the throw quite nicely. I found that changing the focus of the maglite with the frost in front of it only slightly changed the relative size of the beam of light. In fact, the light coming out of the VL3 (without diffusion, mind you) isn't even either, nor is it wide enough to fill in the entire field at wide angle. This morning, I also with my el cheapo portable $20.00 high beam searchlight (the kind of thing you keep in your car trunk, and find that its battery has completely drained the first time you need it in an emergency). It took a whole lot of diffusion gel, but the results were quite pleasing!

June 11th, 2004, 09:54 PM	#10
Alex T. Hurter Regular Crew Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada Posts: 94	I'll have to try give this a try for myself I think. Brian where did you get your diffusion gels? Are we talking about the same gels you would use on a stage lights?

June 12th, 2004, 04:47 PM	#11
Brian Miller Regular Crew Join Date: May 2004 Location: Lafayette, CO Posts: 46	Yep! The big advantage when diffusing a maglite is that the free sample books of gels that are available at any theatrical supply house is enough to do several maglites worth!