3 softboxes enuff as a kit? at DVinfo.net

Yang Wen · August 3rd, 2003, 01:53 PM

I'm thinking of the JTL everlight kit, I guess it's 3 open face lights each with a softbox. My question is will 3 softboxes/open face lights adequate for as a budget light kit?? I'll be mostly be lighting for interviews and some small rooms.

thanks

Jacques Mersereau · August 3rd, 2003, 03:39 PM

Hi Yang,

Jacques here . . . you know the guy who did the ISA shoots in the
video studio?

Give us a URL for some information about this kit. I've never heard
of them.

PS. You don't have to use a softbox for backlight.

Yang Wen · August 4th, 2003, 09:01 AM

Hey Jacques, good to hear from you! Here's a link to the kit.

http://www.adorama.com/refby.tpl?refby=rflAID009556&SKU=JTELK

As you can see, it's rather low budget but it has gotten good review from some people here:

http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showthread.php?s=&threadid=7629&highlight=JTL+Everlight+Kit

Yeah let me know what you think of the kit, as far as the specs goes. Again, I'll mostly use it for interviews. You guys keeping busy up there? I'll stop by again next time I'm in town.

Richard Veil · August 6th, 2003, 12:58 AM

I would suggest you mix up your kit with a hard light that can focus like an arri 650 plus or a mole. JTL makes some cheap kits but they dont last as long as a better constructed box. Chimera makes a 24x32 kit with grids an avenger stand and 500 watt bulb. The kit has a 5 yr warr but your bank will last much longer and hold up and look better. You can find this kit for around $550 which I know is more than the whole JTL kit but you will be happy you invested in it a few years from now. It is item 8000. OH PS. get a reflector panel or a bounce card too.. you will be good to go...
Let me know if you have any questions.
Strength and honor
r

Will Fastie · August 20th, 2003, 09:00 AM

I have the Everlight kit and am using it in small settings. I, too, wondered if 3 softboxes at 500W each would be enough.

Turns out it was too much. I'm using two of the boxes with another smaller, harsher light for the background.

In a larger setting, the third Everlight would be needed.

Will

James Hall · August 25th, 2003, 07:37 PM

The temptation is there to use the less expensive kit. However, go with the Chimera, even if it takes a little longer to build your kit.

I have a couple medium Quartz and several small Video Pro bags and they are constructed/perform superbly.

An associate uses a well-known copy, and he wishes he had spent the extra dollars. He will be replacing his long before I replace mine. In addition, the flexibility and quality of the various diffusion accessories is superior with Chimera.

A fellow who has been DP on several major films indicated to me that Chimera is the only bag that has wide acceptance at the top filmmaking levels. He said that others are trying, but they just aren't there yet. That is only one man's view, but I can certainly see how it would be true.

It took some major $$$ to get the Chimeras, but I view the expenditure as a long-term investment in doing the best work that I can.

Good luck with your decision.

JH

Jim Giberti · August 26th, 2003, 09:41 PM

No offense, but I thought these boards were for discussions between users, not opportunities for corporate representatives to hype product. I value third party user opinons because corporate opinions are simply not objective by their very definition.

That said, Photoflex, in my professional experience makes great sofft boxes with great light controls. They're reasonably priced and easily adaptable with various speed rings for just about any light you'd likely be using. For example a simple Lowel kit with 2-500 watt Omnis and a 750 watt Tota kit can be used in a number of differnent soft/hard configurations by adding medium and large softboxes.

Photflex also makes a nice Starlight kit with a spefifically designed fixture/lamp that's made for their softboxes and I like that as well. All told I use 4 Photflex soft boxes and one Chimera. I find them equally good.

Just trying to bring a little balance <g>

David Ziegelheim · August 27th, 2003, 10:53 AM

It is ok if a manufacturer has something to say, especially about their product. If they were abuse of other posters, that would an issue.

Frequently the manufacturer has information that the rest of us don't.

Imran Zaidi · August 27th, 2003, 10:59 AM

Richard very clearly shows that he is with Chimera, so I don't see anything wrong with it at all. I think it's kind of handy having reps of the companies hanging around. It may also mean that occasionally our discussions might influence product lines, the thought of which is really cool. This really is a big board and the best of its kind, and I'm sure many vendors realize that.

Jim Giberti · August 27th, 2003, 01:23 PM

<<Richard very clearly shows that he is with Chimera, so I don't see anything wrong with it at all. I think it's kind of handy having reps of the companies hanging around.>>

No question...Having reps to answer questions is great, I've done a bit of "spokesperson" work as a user of audio and film/video gear in print ond on the internet. I've also been involved in a user group where the professional input from us...the users was in fact used to develop the latest generation DAW.

I had read this and an earlier post that I thought were a bit too...hypey shall we say. I love the input from all quarters, but when you make definitive statements saying my product is better than the other options, that's salesmanship to me not objective commentary.

Talking about your product without comparison to your competitors, pointing people to your url for individual research is, to me, a better approach especially with a lot of neophites and younger users that can take information as gospel when presented a certain way.

Just my opinion.

August 3rd, 2003, 01:53 PM	#1
Yang Wen Major Player Join Date: May 2003 Location: Chicago, IL Posts: 991	3 softboxes enuff as a kit? I'm thinking of the JTL everlight kit, I guess it's 3 open face lights each with a softbox. My question is will 3 softboxes/open face lights adequate for as a budget light kit?? I'll be mostly be lighting for interviews and some small rooms. thanks

August 3rd, 2003, 03:39 PM	#2
Jacques Mersereau Trustee Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Ann Arbor, MI Posts: 1,334	Hi Yang, Jacques here . . . you know the guy who did the ISA shoots in the video studio? Give us a URL for some information about this kit. I've never heard of them. PS. You don't have to use a softbox for backlight. __________________ Jacques Mersereau University of Michigan-Video Studio Manager

August 6th, 2003, 12:58 AM	#4
Richard Veil Chimera Lighting Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Santa Cruz CA Posts: 293	HI. WEll it depends.. I would suggest you mix up your kit with a hard light that can focus like an arri 650 plus or a mole. JTL makes some cheap kits but they dont last as long as a better constructed box. Chimera makes a 24x32 kit with grids an avenger stand and 500 watt bulb. The kit has a 5 yr warr but your bank will last much longer and hold up and look better. You can find this kit for around $550 which I know is more than the whole JTL kit but you will be happy you invested in it a few years from now. It is item 8000. OH PS. get a reflector panel or a bounce card too.. you will be good to go... Let me know if you have any questions. Strength and honor r __________________ Strength and Honor RLV

August 4th, 2003, 09:01 AM	#3
Yang Wen Major Player Join Date: May 2003 Location: Chicago, IL Posts: 991	Hey Jacques, good to hear from you! Here's a link to the kit. http://www.adorama.com/refby.tpl?refby=rflAID009556&SKU=JTELK As you can see, it's rather low budget but it has gotten good review from some people here: http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showthread.php?s=&threadid=7629&highlight=JTL+Everlight+Kit Yeah let me know what you think of the kit, as far as the specs goes. Again, I'll mostly use it for interviews. You guys keeping busy up there? I'll stop by again next time I'm in town.

August 20th, 2003, 09:00 AM	#5
Will Fastie Major Player Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Jarrettsville, MD Posts: 353	I have the Everlight kit and am using it in small settings. I, too, wondered if 3 softboxes at 500W each would be enough. Turns out it was too much. I'm using two of the boxes with another smaller, harsher light for the background. In a larger setting, the third Everlight would be needed. Will

August 25th, 2003, 07:37 PM	#6
James Hall New Boot Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Philadelphia, PA Posts: 11	The temptation is there to use the less expensive kit. However, go with the Chimera, even if it takes a little longer to build your kit. I have a couple medium Quartz and several small Video Pro bags and they are constructed/perform superbly. An associate uses a well-known copy, and he wishes he had spent the extra dollars. He will be replacing his long before I replace mine. In addition, the flexibility and quality of the various diffusion accessories is superior with Chimera. A fellow who has been DP on several major films indicated to me that Chimera is the only bag that has wide acceptance at the top filmmaking levels. He said that others are trying, but they just aren't there yet. That is only one man's view, but I can certainly see how it would be true. It took some major $$$ to get the Chimeras, but I view the expenditure as a long-term investment in doing the best work that I can. Good luck with your decision. JH

August 26th, 2003, 09:41 PM	#7
Jim Giberti Major Player Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Bethel, VT Posts: 824	No offense, but I thought these boards were for discussions between users, not opportunities for corporate representatives to hype product. I value third party user opinons because corporate opinions are simply not objective by their very definition. That said, Photoflex, in my professional experience makes great sofft boxes with great light controls. They're reasonably priced and easily adaptable with various speed rings for just about any light you'd likely be using. For example a simple Lowel kit with 2-500 watt Omnis and a 750 watt Tota kit can be used in a number of differnent soft/hard configurations by adding medium and large softboxes. Photflex also makes a nice Starlight kit with a spefifically designed fixture/lamp that's made for their softboxes and I like that as well. All told I use 4 Photflex soft boxes and one Chimera. I find them equally good. Just trying to bring a little balance <g>

August 27th, 2003, 10:53 AM	#8
David Ziegelheim Major Player Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Warren, NJ Posts: 398	It is ok if a manufacturer has something to say, especially about their product. If they were abuse of other posters, that would an issue. Frequently the manufacturer has information that the rest of us don't.

August 27th, 2003, 10:59 AM	#9
Imran Zaidi Trustee Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Orlando, FL Posts: 1,315	Richard very clearly shows that he is with Chimera, so I don't see anything wrong with it at all. I think it's kind of handy having reps of the companies hanging around. It may also mean that occasionally our discussions might influence product lines, the thought of which is really cool. This really is a big board and the best of its kind, and I'm sure many vendors realize that.

August 27th, 2003, 01:23 PM	#10
Jim Giberti Major Player Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Bethel, VT Posts: 824	<<Richard very clearly shows that he is with Chimera, so I don't see anything wrong with it at all. I think it's kind of handy having reps of the companies hanging around.>> No question...Having reps to answer questions is great, I've done a bit of "spokesperson" work as a user of audio and film/video gear in print ond on the internet. I've also been involved in a user group where the professional input from us...the users was in fact used to develop the latest generation DAW. I had read this and an earlier post that I thought were a bit too...hypey shall we say. I love the input from all quarters, but when you make definitive statements saying my product is better than the other options, that's salesmanship to me not objective commentary. Talking about your product without comparison to your competitors, pointing people to your url for individual research is, to me, a better approach especially with a lot of neophites and younger users that can take information as gospel when presented a certain way. Just my opinion.