Photo & Video Lighting Gurus?
 

I'm looking for a good PORTABLE lighting kit (used for both video and photo). I've got a great set of KinoFlo Flourescents that I l really love but their huge and heavy so I have to send them FEDEX or UPS everytime we fly somewhere.

I'm hoping to find something that doesn't put off a huge amount of heat since they'll be used mostly for "hotel room shoots".

Price really isn't an issue. I just want to find the very best quality, highest possible output kit and still remain PORTABLE. I need something that can be checked at the airport in a "suitcase sized kit".

Any help would be greatly appreciated. Remember the most important factor here is PORTABILITY!

Bump.....

Take a look at the Lowal Tota Lights very light weight but lots of power. you can pack them in a suit case if you want or even a carry-on bag

I travel with those sometimes. Very sturdy and you can get 500, 750 or 1000 watt bulbs for them.

I have 2 of these lowel lights and i love them for backfill or to flood a scene. I also recommend the Dyna-Lite kits, i have a 4 head system and i love it. They are pricey i think mine sells for 4 grand but its perfect for both video and stills (has strobe and modeling light selections in the power pack)

Thanks for the feedback! Anyone else have any other recommendations?

The lowel rifa would be the best ,they are soft boxes and lights together. They set up in 5minutes. The tota lights are very hot and harsh your wife is hot so you dont need news room light:) What did I win lol
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/cont...=285906&is=REG
You ever have any questions feel free to write me dude videographer at gmail.com

Yes - the Rifa lights are kick-ass and produce gorgeous light.
That's a nice kit from B&H and it's a great price too. Thanks for the link Tony404!

You are welcome :) Do you have a email I can reach you at I have a 20d lens question . I figure ask the master :)

Thanks! We actually shot with some people that use the Rifa Lite 88 a couple weeks ago. Definitely a great product but at a collapsed length of 34" it's still to long to toss in a suitcase. You have to go down to the Rifa Lite 55 at 24" collapsed to get something suitcase sized. The problem is, the 55 is only 500watts and I'm not sure even three 500 watt lights would be enough output. I could be wrong, I'm the first to admit that I don't know shit about lighting but that just doesn't seen to be sufficient output?

3 500 watt lights is not enough? Are you shooting in a ballpark lol Do you shoot auto or full manual? Thats more than enough light especially if you are shooting in hotels and rooms of a house.More doesnt equal better.

When we shot with the people using the Rifa 88 we had 2 of them set up in an average sized dining room and it seemed like just the right amount of light. The 88's are 1000 watts each so I'm thinking 500 watt 55's would have been half the light of the 88's. Plus it may be tough to squeeze 3 lightstands with large softboxes into a smaller room like a hotel. No?

You use two or one rifa's and then bounce two hot lights since hotel rooms tend to be white.That would be a small set up . Also are you comfortable working with your camcorder on full manual?

I have a fever and feel like im going to die . Tomorrow I will send you a email of different set ups you can use links and costs. I like giving back people have done this for me :)

I shoot everything on full auto :winkwink:

some guys use the modeing lights on their strobes

i'd love to know too...

The fact that you are concerned about lighting at all puts you ahead of most shooters.

I can only say that Big Lou is saving up for a Lowel Case Light 4.
http://www.ams-video.com/pages_uk/sales_2.asp?id=209
This should light the hell out of the mo fo. Right now I use a set of Smith-Wilson photoflood lights, they come with their own travel case and they are effacacious.

Jake, you might want to check out:

Steve Kaeser

They have some nice travel kits with softboxes that work great for video or stills. They have plenty of choices and good customer service if you want to call and ask questions about what you are looking for....

Tony -
reach me via this:

Don't wanna post my email addy on this board - too many spamming fucks here :thumbsup

This setup would be good for 99 percent of your work. You might find a problem if your shooting a scene in a house for instance....and you want to include open windows in the shot and you want to be able to see detail outside the open window. If you shoot in the middle of the day - the lighting outside of the house is much more powerful than the lighting in side so your gonna have some exposure problems unless you build up the lighting inside the house to get you at least a couple of stops from what the outside is reading. If you plan to shoot in closed spaces - you should be fine.

I use the same lights for photos and videos. Right now I'm using the Paul Buff White Lightning X1600's with 250 watt modeling lights. I use the flash for my pics and the modeling lights for my video - turns out beautifully :winkwink:

:thumbsup We use these, Gives great lighting!

i have 3 Hensel 1000Ws strobes with 600W modelling lights, and a few more small bulb type strobes - 3 tripods for the Hensel Heads, 3 interfit umbrella / softboxes (great for packing), and 2 white umbrellas... all those fits perf. in Hensel's BIG travel bag...one case of photo gear, one of video..and i am ready to go...

Thanks for all the info - looks like I've got some research to do today. If anyone else has additional recommendations please keep'em coming.

Jake you got a email from me I sent it to the webmaster one and I also have to say I said I had a fever and no one said feel better my feeling are hurt lol

Yep... just what I was gonna suggest.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/cont...=200801&is=REG

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/cont...=200802&is=REG