Anybody use Britek lights

[Bryan Litt]

I'm looking for an affordable light kit w/ softbox for some interviews. I found a pretty good deal on Britek. Any advice from Britek users?

thanks.

[Josh Brusin]

I've been looking for answers as well...

[K. Forman]

I found a review here, for what it's worth...
http://www.photographyreview.com/......7_4203crx.aspx

[Josh Brusin]

those are just the photo studio flash lights.... or am I missing it?

[K. Forman]

They aren't what you are looking for, but the review gives a general statement about quality, and most important, support.

I guess you did miss it ;)

[Philip Boyer]

Here's a thread on DVXUSER.com that talks about Briteks.

http://www.dvxuser.com/cgi-bin/DVX2/...num=1084814927

[Bryan Litt]

Phil, thanks for the link to DVXUSER.com. That was some very insightful thread. I think I'll take the plunge and post the results in a few weeks.

[Barry Green]

Follow the pictures on the DVXUser thread and make sure you're getting the right ones.

I used the flat-faced "worklight" versions, and they performed well, about on par with the JTL's, maybe a bit better. But the newer ones that Jarred has look to be significantly better lights.

[Jarred Land]

significant doesnt even start.. these are very nice lights, better then Arri barndoors, and are focusable.. The best thing that I was originally concerned about was the composite frame, but was happy when the lights cooled down very quickly after shutdown.

[Barry Green]

I've had a chance to use the Briteks more extensively, and even bought a couple of the 250's.

These lights are, in my limited experience with both, a much better deal than the JTL Everlights.

The Briteks are a better design. They're an open-face unit which is focusable, they don't get hot (or at least they cool down quickly), and the barn doors that come with them are just excellent. They're perfectly usable as standalone pseudo-fresnels, which is something the JTL's can't do (you have to buy barn doors and "reflector" assemblies separately for the JTL's.)

When using the softbox, the Britek softbox is a better design: it's larger (32 x 32 instead of 24 x 24, so you get almost twice as much surface area for much softer light!) There are also no light-leaking "cooling flaps" on the Britek boxes.

I used to think the JTL Everlights were the best bang for the buck, but the Briteks (in my opinion, having used both) are a much better design, for about the same price, and more usable. Make sure you get the new design, the ones with the focusable lens.

[Bryan Litt]

I said I would come back and let you guys know how my Britek light kit worked out.

First, I purchased them from Rostronics.com and had an excellent experience. Tom there was very helpful and willing to put together any kit you might want.

Because I purchased two 600W lamps w/ barn doors and soft box, I will compare to the Lowell Omni.

The negatives first:
-The light head does not fit well on the stand. It shakes a little bit. No big deal.
-The lamp doesn't quite tighten enough to keep it from tilting down at times.
-Not nearly as light and portable as the Lowell Omni.

The positives next:
-The barn doors are fantastic. Very well made, light, and durable. They blow away the Lowell Omni barn doors.
-The soft box, as well, is very well constructed.
-There is room for scrims.
-The floot and spot mechanism is superior to the Lowell Omni light.


Perhaps, I should be comparing to an Arrilite because it is shaped and works more like the arrilite than the Omni.

If you are going to keep this light in a studio, it's great.

If you are going to be taking this out on interviews, as I am, there are some compromises. It's not as light as the Omni or Rifa Lite, and it doesn't set up as quickly as the Rifa, but it's much less expensive than either a Rifa or an Omni with a soft box.

I'm very pleased.

[Luis Caffesse]

Thanks for the review Bryan.
That's very helpful.

For anyone else who might be interested, we've got one of the new 250watt Britek's coming our way this week.

Once we get to play around with it, I'll come back and add my impressions of that model.

-Luis

[Barry Green]

I've got a couple of the 250's. The most directly comparable light to them would be probably the Lowel Pro-Lite.

Both are small, 250-watt fixtures, with barn doors and focusable assemblies that simulate, but are not, fresnels.

The Pro-Light is much smaller and puts out a more intense beam. The Britek is bigger, but has several advantages: it's got real barn doors (including nifty gel clips), it puts out a softer beam, it has a frame that would accomodate scrims, it doesn't get hot, and it costs half as much.

Very impressive light for the money, because the money is not a lot at all -- $76 (after dvxuser discount) for a focusable 250-watt light fixture, with lamp and barn doors.

Nobody should ever use a "worklight" again, now that these Briteks are here -- they're infinitely better than worklights, and amazingly inexpensive.

[Jack Barker]

<<<-- Originally posted by Bryan Litt :
-The light head does not fit well on the stand. It shakes a little bit. No big deal.
-The lamp doesn't quite tighten enough to keep it from tilting down at times.-->>>

Bryan,
When you bought these, did you order the stands as well, or are you using your own stands from another source? I'm wondering if the problem is the head or the stand.

[Barry Green]

I mounted the 250 on a standard c-stand and it fit just fine...