various Lowel topics at DVinfo.net

Fawaz Al-Kandari · April 15th, 2003, 04:48 AM

Hi all

Today I received my Lowel kit 55
1 Rifa-lite
1 Pro-light
1 Omni-light
1 Tota-light +Brella +Flag
Plus frames,Gels,Barndoors,Stands...

I'm new in lighting so if any one know good site for lessons on lighting and any idea for good lambs

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Thanks.
Fawaz

Rob Lohman · April 23rd, 2003, 12:06 PM

I haven't worked much with lighting yet, so can't give you any
personal advise other then: do it often and you'll learn. A lot
of books tell you to sit in front of a mirror and position lights around
you and such to see what happens (most books guide you in
this matter ofcourse). With that said, I'll point you to a couple
of threads which talk about books on this subject:

http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showthrea...&threadid=4830
http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showthrea...&threadid=1871
http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showthrea...&threadid=2357
http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showthrea...&threadid=2342
http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showthrea...&threadid=2318

You are probably not waiting on "buying more"... but this is the
best advise I can give you. I hope some other people will
chime in with more "hands on" advise. But perhaps it might be
also a bit more interesting if you tell what kind of scenes you want
to be lighting (exteriours are far harder then interiors for example!)

Good luck... and KEEP practicing!

Harry Settle · April 23rd, 2003, 04:04 PM

I don't have any handy right at this moment, but, do a search for sites dealing with lighting. Either Video or still, most principles apply to both. Definitely check out the still photo sites for links and ideas.

Ken Tanaka · April 23rd, 2003, 05:14 PM

Fawaz,
Congratulations on your first lighting kit! That's a good, versatile lightweight kit to start with. I think you'll find that the Rifa's portablility alone will be very handy when you just want to travel and shoot with little gear.

Online, I think Walter Graff's site, Hellgate Pictures, offers some very good lighting tutorials.

Offline, look at our "Read About It" forum for some good books on lighting. I recently reviewed John Jackman's new book there.

DVCreators also has a pretty good tutorial CD covering lighting some basic techniques.

Have fun!

Bruce Findleton · April 25th, 2003, 12:05 AM

Fawaz,

Speaking of John Jackman I'd recommend checking out the web site he maintains at http://www.greatdv.com though it appears pretty light on matters of lighting for someone who wrote such a fine book on lighting, "Lighting for Digital Video & Television" (no pun intended). He's also the moderator of the "The Craft of Lighting" forum on the dv.com site, http://www.dv.com/forums/showTopics.jhtml?sid=1&fid=4, which, like most forums, can offer up some real prize nuggets.

Another book I'd recommend is Ross Lowell's "Matters of Light and Depth". It's broader in it's subject matter, covering photography, film & video but provides excellent insights and information that are useful for the burgeoning DV auteur.

By the way, I've got the Lowel Kit 44 (smaller Rifa) and like it a lot. It's a great interview kit. And it's half the size of my older Smith-Victor 3 light kit. Go figure.

Have at them!

Fawaz Al-Kandari · April 26th, 2003, 05:31 AM

Thanks for all the advice & informations guys..

Fawaz

Josh Bass · October 7th, 2003, 03:17 PM

I read about these fancy bulbs for the lowel totas in another thread, and no one ever answered the question I asked there.

They're called HIR bulbs, or something? Allegedly draw (?) 600 watts, but ouput like it's 1000. Anyone know what I mean? Where do you find them? How much are they compared to regular tota bulbs?

Mike Rehmus · October 7th, 2003, 05:52 PM

A Google search for Tota HIR Lamps brings up plenty of information about them. High output, lower life, not frosted which is the main reason they have a high output. OK for softlights and umbrellas.

B&H sells them.

Richard Veil · October 12th, 2003, 09:35 PM

The tota
can use

300 500 750 watt bulbs.

the 300 and the 500 come in two color temps

3000 and 3200
The 3000k bulb last much longer up to 3000 hours.

The 750 watt bulb is 3200 k and last like most 3200k around 400 hours

there is a 650 watt bulb that GE makes that puts out 1000 watts of light but with less heat and wattage draw.
This GE 650 watt bulb runs around $25
The other bulbs mentioned will run about $16

They are all listed in the Lowel catalog with the light.

PS. There is a 1000 watt bulb that fits the Tota and people sometimes think they can use them.. WeLL you can but you will burn out the sockets of the tota light and it will die.
That is why they list and invented the 650 watt bulb.

www.lowel.com

Bryan Beasleigh · October 12th, 2003, 10:36 PM

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/cont...=135780&is=REG

Josh Bass · October 13th, 2003, 12:35 AM

Alright thanks.

Barry Rivadue · May 21st, 2004, 07:08 AM

I'm studying the advantages of the Lowel Caselite 4, and would like to know your experiences with it. Do you use it "as is" when setup, or do you find various ways of manipulating the broad light it casts? I'm mainly interested in traveling interviews, and have read where it's useful as a key. I have my share of tungstens, and I can understand how useful a caselite can be when minimizing heat, power output etc. What has been the biggest improvement to your work that a Caselite 4 has given you, either as a supplement to tungsten or being used on its own?

Thanks!

Barry Rivadue · May 24th, 2004, 11:28 AM

To answer my own question, I'll be going to B & H Photo to check it out personally--it's only a 40 minute train trip away (and several blocks due east from Penn Station).

Barry Rivadue · May 26th, 2004, 07:08 AM

I went to B & H Photo and saw a sample Caselite 4 illuminating part of the Lowel section of the lighting department. I held a catalog in front of it and was duly impressed by the gorgeous, clean light it gave, so I bought it. Definitely a major investment but one I will have practical use for almost immediately.

John Locke · May 26th, 2004, 07:24 AM

Barry,

My Caselight 4 is my favorite light source. Shooting in Japan, I had to consider the small spaces and the electrical circuitry. With the Caselight, though, I didn't have to worry about either.

I only have one, but plan to get another. I saw an interview on TV recently...might have been an E! Entertainment interview...where the interviewer and the interviewee where positioned facing each other, and then each had a Caselight 4 over their shoulder. That allowed each light to act as both a rim light for the person sitting away from the light, and as a key light for the person facing the light. Nice, easy setup...and the lighting looked great.

April 15th, 2003, 04:48 AM	#1
Fawaz Al-Kandari New Boot Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Kuwait Posts: 16	various Lowel topics Hi all Today I received my Lowel kit 55 1 Rifa-lite 1 Pro-light 1 Omni-light 1 Tota-light +Brella +Flag Plus frames,Gels,Barndoors,Stands... I'm new in lighting so if any one know good site for lessons on lighting and any idea for good lambs Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks. Fawaz

April 23rd, 2003, 12:06 PM	#2
Rob Lohman RED Code Chef Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Holland Posts: 12,514	I haven't worked much with lighting yet, so can't give you any personal advise other then: do it often and you'll learn. A lot of books tell you to sit in front of a mirror and position lights around you and such to see what happens (most books guide you in this matter ofcourse). With that said, I'll point you to a couple of threads which talk about books on this subject: http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showthrea...&threadid=4830 http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showthrea...&threadid=1871 http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showthrea...&threadid=2357 http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showthrea...&threadid=2342 http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showthrea...&threadid=2318 You are probably not waiting on "buying more"... but this is the best advise I can give you. I hope some other people will chime in with more "hands on" advise. But perhaps it might be also a bit more interesting if you tell what kind of scenes you want to be lighting (exteriours are far harder then interiors for example!) Good luck... and KEEP practicing! __________________ Rob Lohman, visuar@iname.com DV Info Wrangler & RED Code Chef Join the DV Challenge \| Lady X Search DVinfo.net for quick answers \| Buy from the best: DVinfo.net sponsors

April 23rd, 2003, 04:04 PM	#3
Harry Settle Major Player Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Bemidji, MN Posts: 276	I don't have any handy right at this moment, but, do a search for sites dealing with lighting. Either Video or still, most principles apply to both. Definitely check out the still photo sites for links and ideas. __________________ "DOH"!!!

April 23rd, 2003, 05:14 PM	#4
Ken Tanaka Retired DV Info Net Almunus Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Chicago, IL Posts: 6,943	Fawaz, Congratulations on your first lighting kit! That's a good, versatile lightweight kit to start with. I think you'll find that the Rifa's portablility alone will be very handy when you just want to travel and shoot with little gear. Online, I think Walter Graff's site, Hellgate Pictures, offers some very good lighting tutorials. Offline, look at our "Read About It" forum for some good books on lighting. I recently reviewed John Jackman's new book there. DVCreators also has a pretty good tutorial CD covering lighting some basic techniques. Have fun! __________________ 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

October 7th, 2003, 03:17 PM	#7
Josh Bass Slash Rules! Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Houston, Texas Posts: 5,472	fancy bulbs for Lowel tota lights I read about these fancy bulbs for the lowel totas in another thread, and no one ever answered the question I asked there. They're called HIR bulbs, or something? Allegedly draw (?) 600 watts, but ouput like it's 1000. Anyone know what I mean? Where do you find them? How much are they compared to regular tota bulbs? __________________ The Bass' camerawork The Bass on IMDB

April 25th, 2003, 12:05 AM	#5
Bruce Findleton Regular Crew Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Lafayette, CA Posts: 42	Fawaz, Speaking of John Jackman I'd recommend checking out the web site he maintains at http://www.greatdv.com though it appears pretty light on matters of lighting for someone who wrote such a fine book on lighting, "Lighting for Digital Video & Television" (no pun intended). He's also the moderator of the "The Craft of Lighting" forum on the dv.com site, http://www.dv.com/forums/showTopics.jhtml?sid=1&fid=4, which, like most forums, can offer up some real prize nuggets. Another book I'd recommend is Ross Lowell's "Matters of Light and Depth". It's broader in it's subject matter, covering photography, film & video but provides excellent insights and information that are useful for the burgeoning DV auteur. By the way, I've got the Lowel Kit 44 (smaller Rifa) and like it a lot. It's a great interview kit. And it's half the size of my older Smith-Victor 3 light kit. Go figure. Have at them!

April 26th, 2003, 05:31 AM	#6
Fawaz Al-Kandari New Boot Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Kuwait Posts: 16	Thanks for all the advice & informations guys.. Fawaz

October 7th, 2003, 05:52 PM	#8
Mike Rehmus Wrangler Join Date: May 2002 Location: Vallejo, California Posts: 4,049	A Google search for Tota HIR Lamps brings up plenty of information about them. High output, lower life, not frosted which is the main reason they have a high output. OK for softlights and umbrellas. B&H sells them. __________________ Mike Rehmus Hey, I can see the carrot at the end of the tunnel!

October 12th, 2003, 09:35 PM	#9
Richard Veil Chimera Lighting Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Santa Cruz CA Posts: 293	OK here is the deal The tota can use 300 500 750 watt bulbs. the 300 and the 500 come in two color temps 3000 and 3200 The 3000k bulb last much longer up to 3000 hours. The 750 watt bulb is 3200 k and last like most 3200k around 400 hours there is a 650 watt bulb that GE makes that puts out 1000 watts of light but with less heat and wattage draw. This GE 650 watt bulb runs around $25 The other bulbs mentioned will run about $16 They are all listed in the Lowel catalog with the light. PS. There is a 1000 watt bulb that fits the Tota and people sometimes think they can use them.. WeLL you can but you will burn out the sockets of the tota light and it will die. That is why they list and invented the 650 watt bulb. www.lowel.com __________________ Strength and Honor RLV

October 12th, 2003, 10:36 PM	#10
Bryan Beasleigh Trustee Join Date: May 2002 Location: Barrie, Ontario, Canada Posts: 1,922	http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/cont...=135780&is=REG

October 13th, 2003, 12:35 AM	#11
Josh Bass Slash Rules! Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Houston, Texas Posts: 5,472	Alright thanks. __________________ The Bass' camerawork The Bass on IMDB

May 21st, 2004, 07:08 AM	#12
Barry Rivadue Major Player Join Date: Jun 2002 Posts: 508	A Lowel Caselite 4 Inquiry I'm studying the advantages of the Lowel Caselite 4, and would like to know your experiences with it. Do you use it "as is" when setup, or do you find various ways of manipulating the broad light it casts? I'm mainly interested in traveling interviews, and have read where it's useful as a key. I have my share of tungstens, and I can understand how useful a caselite can be when minimizing heat, power output etc. What has been the biggest improvement to your work that a Caselite 4 has given you, either as a supplement to tungsten or being used on its own? Thanks!

May 24th, 2004, 11:28 AM	#13
Barry Rivadue Major Player Join Date: Jun 2002 Posts: 508	To answer my own question, I'll be going to B & H Photo to check it out personally--it's only a 40 minute train trip away (and several blocks due east from Penn Station).

May 26th, 2004, 07:08 AM	#14
Barry Rivadue Major Player Join Date: Jun 2002 Posts: 508	I went to B & H Photo and saw a sample Caselite 4 illuminating part of the Lowel section of the lighting department. I held a catalog in front of it and was duly impressed by the gorgeous, clean light it gave, so I bought it. Definitely a major investment but one I will have practical use for almost immediately.

May 26th, 2004, 07:24 AM	#15
John Locke Retired DV Info Net Almunus Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: Austin, TX USA Posts: 2,882	Barry, My Caselight 4 is my favorite light source. Shooting in Japan, I had to consider the small spaces and the electrical circuitry. With the Caselight, though, I didn't have to worry about either. I only have one, but plan to get another. I saw an interview on TV recently...might have been an E! Entertainment interview...where the interviewer and the interviewee where positioned facing each other, and then each had a Caselight 4 over their shoulder. That allowed each light to act as both a rim light for the person sitting away from the light, and as a key light for the person facing the light. Nice, easy setup...and the lighting looked great. __________________ John Locke SursumFilms.com