JTL Everlight kit

Jim Lyle · November 29th, 2003, 01:30 PM

wayne, et al

got the everlight kit a few weeks ago and still very happy with it. however, on two of the stands, the uppermost section is not holding firm and is collasping from the weight of the light. have looked at the clamps and cannot find a socket with walls slender enough to tighten the hex nut that secures the clamp to the tubing.

have not gotten a response from jtl- anybody run into this before and have an idea how to adjust the clamps to make for a more secure hold?

jim
atlanta

Wayne Orr · November 29th, 2003, 02:30 PM

Jim

Thanks for your comments. I am constantly monitoring user reactions to the Everlight Kit, and there have been a few minor problems, all of which I believe have been handled to the user's satisfaction.

What I would suggest, is contact JTL directly, and ask for Jonathan. Very nice fellow. Their voice number is 714-670-6626. Fax is 714-670-8836 Be sure to go into detail about the problem. They may ask you to send in the problem stands for a replacement.

Please tell Jonathan that you purchased the kit on Wayne Orr's recommendation, and that he told you to expect cooperation with your problem. And please let me know how it all turns out, or if you have any troubles dealing with JTL.

Cheers
Wayne Orr, SOC

Lisa Lee · January 28th, 2004, 06:30 PM

Would this make a good portable light kit to take to people's home...or is the wattage going to be too much and will blow some fuses?? And, do you think this lighting set could succesfully do a location chroma key?

Imran Zaidi · January 28th, 2004, 07:54 PM

I recently picked a single JTL light up, and was very impressed by it. It really does seem like at that price you would get crap for a light stand, but it really is a solid, well cushioned stand.

Also, the wattage is only 500 watts on the default JTL light. If you blow a fuse somewhere with that, chances are that place had problems to begin with. Many home torchiere lamps have 500 watts output.

It really is a great deal - thanks for turning me onto it, Wayne. I'm sure I'll get another one (or two) soon.

Will Fastie · January 28th, 2004, 08:28 PM

Lisa, I took my kit of three to my brother's home to shoot an interview. I ended up using only two, both with 575W lamps and both plugged into the same circuit. No problems. I do think if I'd needed the third I would have run an extension cord to another circuit just to be safe.

I don't know enough to answer the question about the chroma key. My guess is that you have to get the background color just right, which could mean having exactly the right color temperature in the lights. Just remember that the bulbs supplied with the Everlights are 3000K. My 575W lamps are 3200K. I'm winging it here; I hope someone with experience hops in with the right answer.

Will

Wayne Orr · January 28th, 2004, 09:57 PM

I think Imran and Will have pretty well answered the interview lighting question for Lisa, so let me talk about the chroma key situation. Lisa, the most important item for pulling a good key is to have the background lighting as flat as possible. Now, I have never used the JTL lights for key purposes, but I have used other soft lights, and they can work very well in keys.

Depending on the area you need to cover with your green screen, you could use one or two of the JTL lights. If you are doing a reasonably tight head shot, try to get about eight feet of separation between the subject and the background. The best location for the background light would be hidden behind the subject, if possible. Point it straight at the background and you are good to go. Light your subject using one other JTL for the key light, at about a forty-five degree angle from your subject. Then use the third JTL for a kicker. Place it behind the subject, off to the side opposite the key light. This will give you a nice partial backlight, and a bit of warmth on the off key side. You can adjust this light to taste. You might want to add a bounce board on the opposite side of the subject.

If you need a wider shot of the subject than above, you can use 2 JTL lights on either side of the subject, pointed at the screen. Try to get the light effects to overlap slightly, and create a flat effect on the background as best you can. This will leave you only one JTL for a key light, so you may need to invest in another light for a backlight or kicker. I suggest the LTM Pepper 400 as a fine investment for the future. It will run around $300-400.00 depending on how many accessories you purchase with it. You will also need a stand for it, or a "boom" if you want to hang it directly behind the subject. That's the basic way to get the backlight effect, but I find it kind of boring.

That Pepper makes a nice addition to the JTL Everlight Kit. You can take one of the JTL lights out of the kit and replace it with the Pepper, and you have a really good kit all in one container. Use the third JTL stand with the Pepper.

BTW, keying is a real art, and you are always well advised to shoot some test footage before doing anything important.

Have fun
Wayne

Aaron Rosen · January 29th, 2004, 10:23 AM

I have had the kit for 2 or 3 months.

I love the kit. It works great. I only wish I could keep the bulps in the heads or had a good holder for them. I keep them in the origional boxes they came in.

The bag it all fits into is well made and Im impressed I was able to fit 4 bounces into it (2 large, 2 small collapseable photoflex) and a powerstrip. It's a bit heavy but oh well.

As for the pole slippage. I had the same problem and noticed that the socket that came with my Bogen tripod fits PERFECT! I tightened it all up and it works better than what it did new.

Sorry about the bad spelling - been up all night at the hospita.

- AR

Wayne Orr · January 30th, 2004, 09:28 AM

Thanks Aaron, for your comments. I am always looking for user feedback on the JTL Everlight Kit, and so far the input has been overwhelmingly positive.

Keep those comments coming.

Wayne Orr, SOC

John Locke · January 30th, 2004, 11:18 AM

Any chance of seeing some behind-the-scene setups? That always sells me more than catalogue pix or diagrams. I like to see them in action.

Jim Quinlan · January 30th, 2004, 12:31 PM

I have the jtl softbox light kit and think they're an excellent buy.

I use these extensively with chroma keying and they work great with the package I use (Ultra from Serious Magic). With chroma keying you need to be careful you don't have too much light or you will encounter spill which ruins the shot. Using Ultra I find I only need minimal lighting of the background and use the jtl softboxes to bounce light off the walls and ceiling to light the talent evenly. Other software packages require very even lighting on the chroma backdrop.

Lisa Lee · January 30th, 2004, 03:31 PM

Great, I'll be sure to pick up a set of these thanks for all the responses.

Wayne Orr · January 31st, 2004, 12:31 PM

John Locke, I don't have any "behind the scenes" photos, but I did pull some stills from a simple project I used the lights on, and included notes about what I did, that may help you out. And I will be happy to answer any questions you may have.
http://www.digitalprods.com/LSmontage

Wayne

Ken Tanaka · January 31st, 2004, 01:56 PM

Wayne,
That "spoof" project looks like it was hilarious! Just looking at those still (that looked excellent, btw) make me laugh, given the general description of the project.

Eric Moyer · April 26th, 2004, 08:57 PM

I'm posting this in response to a previous poster's phone call to me regarding the JTL TL 1500 3 light softbox kit for video lighting. We are JTL dealers and right down the street from JTL USA headquarters and sell lot's of these kits for digital video lighting.

The JTL Everlight bodies best use the stock 500 watt bulbs. Although you might be able to use higher wattage bulbs, the heat from higher wattage bulbs (above 500) is too much for the soft box and could shrink it and cause light overheating.

The everlight's sister light, the fan-cooled superlight can use higher watt bulbs. With JTL's lineup you need a fan cooled light to go above 500 watts. Although fairly quiet, fan cooled lights do make some noise which may or may not be heard by your video.

So, if 500 watts per light will suffice, the JTL TL 1500 is a good choice for the money $459.95 for a soft boxes video lighting set up. Hope this helps.

Eric Moyer · April 26th, 2004, 09:04 PM

I just noticed that Wayne recommended a boom light and I just realized that we package a JTL TL 1500 set up that includes a boom light soft box with 2 additional softboxes. Here's the link to the picture of that set up, if that's ok.

http://www.photography-lighting.com/JTL-Everlights-Lighting.html

November 29th, 2003, 01:30 PM	#46
Jim Lyle New Boot Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: atlanta Posts: 1	jlt stands need adjusting wayne, et al got the everlight kit a few weeks ago and still very happy with it. however, on two of the stands, the uppermost section is not holding firm and is collasping from the weight of the light. have looked at the clamps and cannot find a socket with walls slender enough to tighten the hex nut that secures the clamp to the tubing. have not gotten a response from jtl- anybody run into this before and have an idea how to adjust the clamps to make for a more secure hold? jim atlanta __________________ jim

January 30th, 2004, 11:18 AM	#54
John Locke Retired DV Info Net Almunus Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: Austin, TX USA Posts: 2,882	Any chance of seeing some behind-the-scene setups? That always sells me more than catalogue pix or diagrams. I like to see them in action. __________________ John Locke SursumFilms.com

January 30th, 2004, 12:31 PM	#55
Jim Quinlan Regular Crew Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Clearwater, Florida Posts: 177	I have the jtl softbox light kit and think they're an excellent buy. I use these extensively with chroma keying and they work great with the package I use (Ultra from Serious Magic). With chroma keying you need to be careful you don't have too much light or you will encounter spill which ruins the shot. Using Ultra I find I only need minimal lighting of the background and use the jtl softboxes to bounce light off the walls and ceiling to light the talent evenly. Other software packages require very even lighting on the chroma backdrop. __________________ Jim

January 31st, 2004, 01:56 PM	#58
Ken Tanaka Retired DV Info Net Almunus Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Chicago, IL Posts: 6,943	Wayne, That "spoof" project looks like it was hilarious! Just looking at those still (that looked excellent, btw) make me laugh, given the general description of the project. __________________ 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

April 26th, 2004, 08:57 PM	#59
Eric Moyer New Boot Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Newport Beach, CA Posts: 7	JTL Everlight Kit I'm posting this in response to a previous poster's phone call to me regarding the JTL TL 1500 3 light softbox kit for video lighting. We are JTL dealers and right down the street from JTL USA headquarters and sell lot's of these kits for digital video lighting. The JTL Everlight bodies best use the stock 500 watt bulbs. Although you might be able to use higher wattage bulbs, the heat from higher wattage bulbs (above 500) is too much for the soft box and could shrink it and cause light overheating. The everlight's sister light, the fan-cooled superlight can use higher watt bulbs. With JTL's lineup you need a fan cooled light to go above 500 watts. Although fairly quiet, fan cooled lights do make some noise which may or may not be heard by your video. So, if 500 watts per light will suffice, the JTL TL 1500 is a good choice for the money $459.95 for a soft boxes video lighting set up. Hope this helps. __________________ Eric Moyer EricMoyer@Photography-Lighting.com

November 29th, 2003, 02:30 PM	#47
Wayne Orr Major Player Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Northridge Ca Posts: 734	Jim Thanks for your comments. I am constantly monitoring user reactions to the Everlight Kit, and there have been a few minor problems, all of which I believe have been handled to the user's satisfaction. What I would suggest, is contact JTL directly, and ask for Jonathan. Very nice fellow. Their voice number is 714-670-6626. Fax is 714-670-8836 Be sure to go into detail about the problem. They may ask you to send in the problem stands for a replacement. Please tell Jonathan that you purchased the kit on Wayne Orr's recommendation, and that he told you to expect cooperation with your problem. And please let me know how it all turns out, or if you have any troubles dealing with JTL. Cheers Wayne Orr, SOC

January 28th, 2004, 06:30 PM	#48
Lisa Lee Regular Crew Join Date: Sep 2003 Posts: 86	Would this make a good portable light kit to take to people's home...or is the wattage going to be too much and will blow some fuses?? And, do you think this lighting set could succesfully do a location chroma key?

January 28th, 2004, 07:54 PM	#49
Imran Zaidi Trustee Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Orlando, FL Posts: 1,315	I recently picked a single JTL light up, and was very impressed by it. It really does seem like at that price you would get crap for a light stand, but it really is a solid, well cushioned stand. Also, the wattage is only 500 watts on the default JTL light. If you blow a fuse somewhere with that, chances are that place had problems to begin with. Many home torchiere lamps have 500 watts output. It really is a great deal - thanks for turning me onto it, Wayne. I'm sure I'll get another one (or two) soon.

January 28th, 2004, 08:28 PM	#50
Will Fastie Major Player Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Jarrettsville, MD Posts: 353	Lisa, I took my kit of three to my brother's home to shoot an interview. I ended up using only two, both with 575W lamps and both plugged into the same circuit. No problems. I do think if I'd needed the third I would have run an extension cord to another circuit just to be safe. I don't know enough to answer the question about the chroma key. My guess is that you have to get the background color just right, which could mean having exactly the right color temperature in the lights. Just remember that the bulbs supplied with the Everlights are 3000K. My 575W lamps are 3200K. I'm winging it here; I hope someone with experience hops in with the right answer. Will

January 28th, 2004, 09:57 PM	#51
Wayne Orr Major Player Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Northridge Ca Posts: 734	I think Imran and Will have pretty well answered the interview lighting question for Lisa, so let me talk about the chroma key situation. Lisa, the most important item for pulling a good key is to have the background lighting as flat as possible. Now, I have never used the JTL lights for key purposes, but I have used other soft lights, and they can work very well in keys. Depending on the area you need to cover with your green screen, you could use one or two of the JTL lights. If you are doing a reasonably tight head shot, try to get about eight feet of separation between the subject and the background. The best location for the background light would be hidden behind the subject, if possible. Point it straight at the background and you are good to go. Light your subject using one other JTL for the key light, at about a forty-five degree angle from your subject. Then use the third JTL for a kicker. Place it behind the subject, off to the side opposite the key light. This will give you a nice partial backlight, and a bit of warmth on the off key side. You can adjust this light to taste. You might want to add a bounce board on the opposite side of the subject. If you need a wider shot of the subject than above, you can use 2 JTL lights on either side of the subject, pointed at the screen. Try to get the light effects to overlap slightly, and create a flat effect on the background as best you can. This will leave you only one JTL for a key light, so you may need to invest in another light for a backlight or kicker. I suggest the LTM Pepper 400 as a fine investment for the future. It will run around $300-400.00 depending on how many accessories you purchase with it. You will also need a stand for it, or a "boom" if you want to hang it directly behind the subject. That's the basic way to get the backlight effect, but I find it kind of boring. That Pepper makes a nice addition to the JTL Everlight Kit. You can take one of the JTL lights out of the kit and replace it with the Pepper, and you have a really good kit all in one container. Use the third JTL stand with the Pepper. BTW, keying is a real art, and you are always well advised to shoot some test footage before doing anything important. Have fun Wayne

January 29th, 2004, 10:23 AM	#52
Aaron Rosen Major Player Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: HB, CA - USA Posts: 298	I have had the kit for 2 or 3 months. I love the kit. It works great. I only wish I could keep the bulps in the heads or had a good holder for them. I keep them in the origional boxes they came in. The bag it all fits into is well made and Im impressed I was able to fit 4 bounces into it (2 large, 2 small collapseable photoflex) and a powerstrip. It's a bit heavy but oh well. As for the pole slippage. I had the same problem and noticed that the socket that came with my Bogen tripod fits PERFECT! I tightened it all up and it works better than what it did new. Sorry about the bad spelling - been up all night at the hospita. - AR

January 30th, 2004, 09:28 AM	#53
Wayne Orr Major Player Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Northridge Ca Posts: 734	Thanks Aaron, for your comments. I am always looking for user feedback on the JTL Everlight Kit, and so far the input has been overwhelmingly positive. Keep those comments coming. Wayne Orr, SOC

January 30th, 2004, 03:31 PM	#56
Lisa Lee Regular Crew Join Date: Sep 2003 Posts: 86	Great, I'll be sure to pick up a set of these thanks for all the responses.

January 31st, 2004, 12:31 PM	#57
Wayne Orr Major Player Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Northridge Ca Posts: 734	John Locke, I don't have any "behind the scenes" photos, but I did pull some stills from a simple project I used the lights on, and included notes about what I did, that may help you out. And I will be happy to answer any questions you may have. http://www.digitalprods.com/LSmontage Wayne

April 26th, 2004, 09:04 PM	#60
Eric Moyer New Boot Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Newport Beach, CA Posts: 7	JTL Boom Kit I just noticed that Wayne recommended a boom light and I just realized that we package a JTL TL 1500 set up that includes a boom light soft box with 2 additional softboxes. Here's the link to the picture of that set up, if that's ok. http://www.photography-lighting.com/JTL-Everlights-Lighting.html __________________ Eric Moyer EricMoyer@Photography-Lighting.com