Looking for a lighting kit - Britek?

Jack Barker · May 17th, 2005, 02:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by David Lach

My grip with Britek is also that for some reason the bulbs that I used with them always burned at the slightest hit they took. While it is definitelly not a bright move to touch or hit a lit or hot lamp, they should not be that fragile.

I hope that you are not touching them with your bare fingers at all. Oils from your fingers cause uneven heating over the glass and....blink!

Since more and more of our goods are coming from overseas, including third world countries, it occured to me that the people packaging this stuff don't know to wear gloves, and since lamps ain't cheap, I've taken to cleaning all new lamps with isopropyl alcohol as soon as they arrive. It doesn't take long and means I have eliminated one uncertainty. I also carry a small bottle of isopropyl in my kit in case someone touches a lamp by mistake. Sounds kinda anal, now that I've written it down.

David Lach · May 17th, 2005, 02:59 PM

No I meant touching the stand or external part of the spot. Not the bulb itself. I too will alcohol clean every new bulb, I don't trust people that handle them either.

No really, with the Briteks, I could blow on them and they'd go pop! (well they wouldn't actually explode mind you). The faulty bulbs all came from the same store so it might be a case of cheap brand or poor batch.

Brian Austin Whitney · May 17th, 2005, 03:24 PM

Jack,

That's a great tip! I'll use it!

Thanks,

Brian

Jack Barker · May 17th, 2005, 03:30 PM

Brian, while you're out shopping for alcohol, don't forget to pick up a pair or two of cheap cotton gardening gloves for handling lamps. I got mine at ACE hardware for $1/pair and they are thin enough to retain sensitivity in your finger tips (do I have a grip on this bulb, or not?) and thick enough to handle bulbs still pretty warm.

Maximo Salaberry · June 8th, 2005, 08:45 AM

Jean-Philippe (or others):

What has been your experience with the set that you bought from rostronics? I'm interested in ordering my first lighting set from them and I'd appreciate your insight.

thank you

Maximo

Jean-Philippe Archibald · June 8th, 2005, 09:38 AM

Maximo,

I am extermely surprised! First, the service from Tom is really excellent. He replied to my emails quickly and adapted the kit to my needs at no additionnal cost.

So the kit I purshased consisted in two 650W focussables lights with barn doors and soft boxes, one 200W focussable light with barn doors, 3 7,5" Trimax light stands and the carrying case.

The lights are really well made, and the focus ability is a nice addition. The barn doors are strongs, with built in gel holder clips. The softboxes does a really good job, are easilly assembled.

The only weak point (and not by much) is the quality of the stands. Don't worry, it's a quality piece of gear, but the overal quality is lower than the rest of the kit. The stands could be a bit stronger, but are able to support the lights adequatly.

After reading comments on the net about Britek, I was expecting a good product, money well spend. But I was really surprised. This is a top notch product that could sell a lot higher. Go with Britek and you won't be disapointed.

I will post some pictures of the differents items soon.

David Lach · June 8th, 2005, 11:44 AM

Well, although I can somewhat echo Jean-Phillipe's praises, considering the price, I would still issue a warning regarding the bulbs for the Briteks, especially for the G-3000. They are expensive, do not last very long and whether it is a result of a flimsy built on the light's or bulb's part I couldn't say, but they are very easy to burn. If you need some rugged equipment that will be abused during shooting, and therefore needs to take more robust bulbs (like the Britek 2-point contact lamps or a Lowel DP for example), I would suggest not to go the focusable Britek's route. The cost saving will quickly melt when you have to change those 300w/600w bulbs at $20 a piece over and over again.

Patrick King · June 8th, 2005, 11:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by David Lach

I would suggest not to go the focusable Britek's route. The cost saving will quickly melt when you have to change those 300w/600w bulbs at $20 a piece over and over again.

David, Are the Britek focusable lights any less robust than the Altmans, LTMs, Arris, etc. What I'm trying to ask is, in your experience does it take more 'manhandling' of a hot lamp to fracture it in other lights compared to Briteks?

David Lach · June 8th, 2005, 01:27 PM

Patrick, hard to say since the Briteks are the only ones I have that I use with EYH and JCD bulbs. Taking a guess, I'd say yes. The square type of Briteks are very resistant to shock and so is a Lowel DP or an LTM Pepper for example. Same for Arris.

The focusable 600/650w from Britek are less of a problem than the focusable 250/300w, and the non-focusable 1000w with DXW bulbs are far better than anything else in the Britek family.

I'd say if you want better focusing ability and rugged construction, get a good Fresnel. Non-focusable Briteks are GREAT to use with softboxes or bounce off the ceiling, that's mostly what I use them for. I NEVER use a focusable Britek for critical lighting, where it could spell disaster to have one go down during a shoot.

Plus there's also the fuse that can blow, a thing in my experience that happens fairly often with the Briteks. That being said, I'm not the most gentle when it comes to handling lighting gear, and people that don't shoot in an environment where lots of hands have to quickly set or store those lamps might do just fine with the Briteks.

Ash Greyson · June 9th, 2005, 11:55 AM

I have 2 of the 1000w and 1 of the 650w... great performers for the price, not a replacement for Lowel but certainly a viable alternative.

ash =o)

Shawn Murphy · June 10th, 2005, 02:26 PM

[QUOTE=David Lach]..I'd say if you want better focusing ability and rugged construction, get a good Fresnel...QUOTE]

I posted this same question elsewhere to no avail, but I was wondering if anyone knows if it's possible (or economical) to use a replacement fresnel lens on any of the Britek lights? Thx.

David Lach · June 10th, 2005, 11:51 PM

Honestly Shawn, I don't know why you'd want to do that. The Briteks don't have 1/10th of the focusing range from a fresnel light. I guess in theory you could jerry-rig something, to change the quality of the light a little, but you'd be better served getting a used Fresnel on eBay for cheap. You can easily find some good ones in the $200-300 ball park.

Shawn Murphy · June 11th, 2005, 02:24 AM

David,

I didn't realize that the focusing range was a factor, I actually thought that behind the lens they were essentially the same, so, what you're saying is that pretty much all of the open faced lamps, even if they do have a "focus" design, are significantly less suitable to taking advantage of a Fresnel lens primarily due to the focus design/range?

David Lach · June 11th, 2005, 10:09 AM

Fresnels are designed to be able to give a great range from flood to spot. I wouldn't say that the focusing element on an open faced light is a gimmick because it's not, it's useful to tweak the light, but it is not designed to give you complete control over the focused area like a Fresnel.

In an open faced light, the bulb can only move back and forth about roughly an inch or so, while in a Fresnel, it can move several due to the increased room and the way it is designed (the reflector can move with the bulb on a rod or plate system of some sort).

That translates into a much broader range between extreme values. Of course there's also the lens that comes into play, but regardless, the rule of thumb is pretty much any Fresnel will beat any opened face light as far as focusing ability goes, and this is dues to the design both "of" and "past" the lens.

Shawn Murphy · June 11th, 2005, 12:08 PM

Thanks for the clarification, in the spirit of DIY and cost savings I was just wondering if there was any value in trying to rig a Fresnel lens to one of the Briteks.

If you think about it, that would be a great deal, the Britek 650 costs $98, with barn doors! ..and a replacement Arri 650 Fresnel lens is $32.95 from B&H, so, $130.95 vs. $307.95 for an Arri Fresnel 650 Plus would have been a nice DIY cost saving venture if it could have produced a similar light control.

May 17th, 2005, 03:24 PM	#18
Brian Austin Whitney Regular Crew Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Indianapolis, IN Posts: 45	Jack, That's a great tip! I'll use it! Thanks, Brian __________________ Brian Austin Whitney Founder Just Plain Folks Music Organization www.justplainfolks.org

June 8th, 2005, 09:38 AM	#21
Jean-Philippe Archibald Trustee Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Saguenay, Québec, Canada Posts: 1,051	Maximo, I am extermely surprised! First, the service from Tom is really excellent. He replied to my emails quickly and adapted the kit to my needs at no additionnal cost. So the kit I purshased consisted in two 650W focussables lights with barn doors and soft boxes, one 200W focussable light with barn doors, 3 7,5" Trimax light stands and the carrying case. The lights are really well made, and the focus ability is a nice addition. The barn doors are strongs, with built in gel holder clips. The softboxes does a really good job, are easilly assembled. The only weak point (and not by much) is the quality of the stands. Don't worry, it's a quality piece of gear, but the overal quality is lower than the rest of the kit. The stands could be a bit stronger, but are able to support the lights adequatly. After reading comments on the net about Britek, I was expecting a good product, money well spend. But I was really surprised. This is a top notch product that could sell a lot higher. Go with Britek and you won't be disapointed. I will post some pictures of the differents items soon. __________________ Jean-Philippe Archibald http://www.jparchibald.com - http://www.vimeo.com/jparchib Last edited by Jean-Philippe Archibald; June 8th, 2005 at 11:46 AM.

June 8th, 2005, 01:27 PM	#24
David Lach Major Player Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Montreal, QC, Canada Posts: 570	Patrick, hard to say since the Briteks are the only ones I have that I use with EYH and JCD bulbs. Taking a guess, I'd say yes. The square type of Briteks are very resistant to shock and so is a Lowel DP or an LTM Pepper for example. Same for Arris. The focusable 600/650w from Britek are less of a problem than the focusable 250/300w, and the non-focusable 1000w with DXW bulbs are far better than anything else in the Britek family. I'd say if you want better focusing ability and rugged construction, get a good Fresnel. Non-focusable Briteks are GREAT to use with softboxes or bounce off the ceiling, that's mostly what I use them for. I NEVER use a focusable Britek for critical lighting, where it could spell disaster to have one go down during a shoot. Plus there's also the fuse that can blow, a thing in my experience that happens fairly often with the Briteks. That being said, I'm not the most gentle when it comes to handling lighting gear, and people that don't shoot in an environment where lots of hands have to quickly set or store those lamps might do just fine with the Briteks. Last edited by David Lach; June 8th, 2005 at 02:01 PM.

May 17th, 2005, 02:59 PM	#17
David Lach Major Player Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Montreal, QC, Canada Posts: 570	No I meant touching the stand or external part of the spot. Not the bulb itself. I too will alcohol clean every new bulb, I don't trust people that handle them either. No really, with the Briteks, I could blow on them and they'd go pop! (well they wouldn't actually explode mind you). The faulty bulbs all came from the same store so it might be a case of cheap brand or poor batch.

May 17th, 2005, 03:30 PM	#19
Jack Barker Major Player Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Ann Arbor, MI Posts: 342	Brian, while you're out shopping for alcohol, don't forget to pick up a pair or two of cheap cotton gardening gloves for handling lamps. I got mine at ACE hardware for $1/pair and they are thin enough to retain sensitivity in your finger tips (do I have a grip on this bulb, or not?) and thick enough to handle bulbs still pretty warm.

June 8th, 2005, 08:45 AM	#20
Maximo Salaberry Regular Crew Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 66	Jean-Philippe (or others): What has been your experience with the set that you bought from rostronics? I'm interested in ordering my first lighting set from them and I'd appreciate your insight. thank you Maximo

June 8th, 2005, 11:44 AM	#22
David Lach Major Player Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Montreal, QC, Canada Posts: 570	Well, although I can somewhat echo Jean-Phillipe's praises, considering the price, I would still issue a warning regarding the bulbs for the Briteks, especially for the G-3000. They are expensive, do not last very long and whether it is a result of a flimsy built on the light's or bulb's part I couldn't say, but they are very easy to burn. If you need some rugged equipment that will be abused during shooting, and therefore needs to take more robust bulbs (like the Britek 2-point contact lamps or a Lowel DP for example), I would suggest not to go the focusable Britek's route. The cost saving will quickly melt when you have to change those 300w/600w bulbs at $20 a piece over and over again.

June 9th, 2005, 11:55 AM	#25
Ash Greyson Trustee Join Date: May 2003 Location: Tulsa, OK Posts: 1,689	I have 2 of the 1000w and 1 of the 650w... great performers for the price, not a replacement for Lowel but certainly a viable alternative. ash =o)

June 10th, 2005, 02:26 PM	#26
Shawn Murphy Regular Crew Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Seattle WA USA Posts: 125	[QUOTE=David Lach]..I'd say if you want better focusing ability and rugged construction, get a good Fresnel...QUOTE] I posted this same question elsewhere to no avail, but I was wondering if anyone knows if it's possible (or economical) to use a replacement fresnel lens on any of the Britek lights? Thx.

June 10th, 2005, 11:51 PM	#27
David Lach Major Player Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Montreal, QC, Canada Posts: 570	Honestly Shawn, I don't know why you'd want to do that. The Briteks don't have 1/10th of the focusing range from a fresnel light. I guess in theory you could jerry-rig something, to change the quality of the light a little, but you'd be better served getting a used Fresnel on eBay for cheap. You can easily find some good ones in the $200-300 ball park.

June 11th, 2005, 02:24 AM	#28
Shawn Murphy Regular Crew Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Seattle WA USA Posts: 125	David, I didn't realize that the focusing range was a factor, I actually thought that behind the lens they were essentially the same, so, what you're saying is that pretty much all of the open faced lamps, even if they do have a "focus" design, are significantly less suitable to taking advantage of a Fresnel lens primarily due to the focus design/range?

June 11th, 2005, 10:09 AM	#29
David Lach Major Player Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Montreal, QC, Canada Posts: 570	Fresnels are designed to be able to give a great range from flood to spot. I wouldn't say that the focusing element on an open faced light is a gimmick because it's not, it's useful to tweak the light, but it is not designed to give you complete control over the focused area like a Fresnel. In an open faced light, the bulb can only move back and forth about roughly an inch or so, while in a Fresnel, it can move several due to the increased room and the way it is designed (the reflector can move with the bulb on a rod or plate system of some sort). That translates into a much broader range between extreme values. Of course there's also the lens that comes into play, but regardless, the rule of thumb is pretty much any Fresnel will beat any opened face light as far as focusing ability goes, and this is dues to the design both "of" and "past" the lens.

June 11th, 2005, 12:08 PM	#30
Shawn Murphy Regular Crew Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Seattle WA USA Posts: 125	Thanks for the clarification, in the spirit of DIY and cost savings I was just wondering if there was any value in trying to rig a Fresnel lens to one of the Briteks. If you think about it, that would be a great deal, the Britek 650 costs $98, with barn doors! ..and a replacement Arri 650 Fresnel lens is $32.95 from B&H, so, $130.95 vs. $307.95 for an Arri Fresnel 650 Plus would have been a nice DIY cost saving venture if it could have produced a similar light control.