On-Camera light for DVX at DVinfo.net

Nick Medrano · March 21st, 2004, 05:29 PM

Hi folks,
Anyone know of any retail stores that sell on-camera lights for the DVX or do I need to special order them from places like B&H?

Thanks, this is sort of an emergency:(

Ken Tanaka · March 21st, 2004, 05:43 PM

Nick,
To my knowledge there are no on-cam lights specifically for the DVX. That is, whatever you select will require some external power source, most likely a 12v battery. Canon makes a small 10w light that mounts to the shoe and runs directly off of Canon BP-series 7.2v batteries. Of course you would need to get batteries and a charger, but it might represent something easily purchased in a retail photo/video store. I'd be surprised to find higher models of video lights available in a store.

I've no knowledge of Brownsville, Texas so I cannot point you toward a store.

Richard Bernhart · March 29th, 2004, 09:27 PM

I located 2 types of universal camcorder lights at Best Buy that fit the mount shoe on the DVX. One is a Sima 3 Watt and they have 15 Watt light (might be Pro Line or something...can't remember the brand right now).

Nick Medrano · March 29th, 2004, 11:15 PM

But are they good enough to get decent lighting at night like at clubs and stuff? I had to shoot a week with a half-working light and it sucked.

Let me know.

Richard Bernhart · March 30th, 2004, 12:33 PM

Just picked it up last week. Will be shooting some external night footage this week to test out using on board light with existing street lights. I will post results later. I have checked all the local camera and electronics stores, but only came up with this 15w light for now.

I will try several different test using various settings. What settings has anyone had luck with using a on board light and existing light sources? Will be filming 24p and 30p plus will try some gain and white balance adjustments. Just testing for an actual training video planned for the next few weeks.

Nick Medrano · March 30th, 2004, 01:03 PM

I was shooting at 60i with the iris all the way opened (and sometimes the gain all the way) and it still sucked sometimes when I had no light.

Will await your review. Thanks.

Richard Bernhart · April 19th, 2004, 07:29 PM

Picked up the 15W light from Best Buy for night shoot...in almost pitch black with no time to white balance...no street lights...no city or horizon lights...just flipped the cam on set for progressive at 30fps and all other settings left to default and using the 15W light ended up with a really good picture. Only problem is the light is only good for 15 minutes illumination. Uses its own battery that takes 6 hours to charges only to provide 15 minutes. Will try a Bescor 645L on next couple of shoots which has a separate battery that should provide at least an hour or so. I heard that most of the on board lights available are slightly bulky when placed on the dvx100a compared to larger DV cams but they will work from what I have been told. Only way to know is to try.

John Britt · May 17th, 2004, 01:57 PM

Richard --

If you see this...

Was that the Sunpak 15W light you were using? The one shaped kind of like a little cannon?

If so, have you used it again? I just bought a Sunpak 15W on-cam light today and would like to read your opinion.

BTW: As for the "15-minute" battery, I stopped by a battery store today that told me they could build a 1500 milliamp Ni-Cd battery for the SunPak (over twice the juice of the battery that comes with it) for $15.00 -- I'm guessing that'll probably get me me 30 to 40 minutes of light.

March 21st, 2004, 05:29 PM	#1
Nick Medrano Major Player Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: San Antonio, TX Posts: 331	On-Camera light for DVX Hi folks, Anyone know of any retail stores that sell on-camera lights for the DVX or do I need to special order them from places like B&H? Thanks, this is sort of an emergency:(

March 21st, 2004, 05:43 PM	#2
Ken Tanaka Retired DV Info Net Almunus Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Chicago, IL Posts: 6,943	Nick, To my knowledge there are no on-cam lights specifically for the DVX. That is, whatever you select will require some external power source, most likely a 12v battery. Canon makes a small 10w light that mounts to the shoe and runs directly off of Canon BP-series 7.2v batteries. Of course you would need to get batteries and a charger, but it might represent something easily purchased in a retail photo/video store. I'd be surprised to find higher models of video lights available in a store. I've no knowledge of Brownsville, Texas so I cannot point you toward a store. __________________ Lady X Films: A lady with a boring wardrobe...and a global mission. Hey, you don't have enough stuff! Buy with confidence from our sponsors. Hand-picked as the best in the business...Really! See some of my work one frame at a time: www.KenTanaka.com

March 29th, 2004, 09:27 PM	#3
Richard Bernhart New Boot Join Date: Mar 2004 Posts: 5	I located 2 types of universal camcorder lights at Best Buy that fit the mount shoe on the DVX. One is a Sima 3 Watt and they have 15 Watt light (might be Pro Line or something...can't remember the brand right now).

March 29th, 2004, 11:15 PM	#4
Nick Medrano Major Player Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: San Antonio, TX Posts: 331	But are they good enough to get decent lighting at night like at clubs and stuff? I had to shoot a week with a half-working light and it sucked. Let me know.

March 30th, 2004, 12:33 PM	#5
Richard Bernhart New Boot Join Date: Mar 2004 Posts: 5	Just picked it up last week. Will be shooting some external night footage this week to test out using on board light with existing street lights. I will post results later. I have checked all the local camera and electronics stores, but only came up with this 15w light for now. I will try several different test using various settings. What settings has anyone had luck with using a on board light and existing light sources? Will be filming 24p and 30p plus will try some gain and white balance adjustments. Just testing for an actual training video planned for the next few weeks.

March 30th, 2004, 01:03 PM	#6
Nick Medrano Major Player Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: San Antonio, TX Posts: 331	I was shooting at 60i with the iris all the way opened (and sometimes the gain all the way) and it still sucked sometimes when I had no light. Will await your review. Thanks.

April 19th, 2004, 07:29 PM	#7
Richard Bernhart New Boot Join Date: Mar 2004 Posts: 5	Picked up the 15W light from Best Buy for night shoot...in almost pitch black with no time to white balance...no street lights...no city or horizon lights...just flipped the cam on set for progressive at 30fps and all other settings left to default and using the 15W light ended up with a really good picture. Only problem is the light is only good for 15 minutes illumination. Uses its own battery that takes 6 hours to charges only to provide 15 minutes. Will try a Bescor 645L on next couple of shoots which has a separate battery that should provide at least an hour or so. I heard that most of the on board lights available are slightly bulky when placed on the dvx100a compared to larger DV cams but they will work from what I have been told. Only way to know is to try.

May 17th, 2004, 01:57 PM	#8
John Britt Major Player Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Atlanta, GA Posts: 621	Richard -- If you see this... Was that the Sunpak 15W light you were using? The one shaped kind of like a little cannon? If so, have you used it again? I just bought a Sunpak 15W on-cam light today and would like to read your opinion. BTW: As for the "15-minute" battery, I stopped by a battery store today that told me they could build a 1500 milliamp Ni-Cd battery for the SunPak (over twice the juice of the battery that comes with it) for $15.00 -- I'm guessing that'll probably get me me 30 to 40 minutes of light.