I am setting up a very basic 3 point lighting set up for my basement no frills super budget studio.
I thought I would post 3 different threads one for each light so starting with the most important which I understand is to be the key light.
Now I have been reading a lot on here especially from Rembrandt Rob (great name by the way!) As I am a complete novice and need to learn as much as I can here .
My basement has no daylight sources so I am not going to use daylight balanced CFL bulbs (Thanks Tim for pointing that out!) plus they are expensive!
Now Rembrandt Rob mentioned Ianiro DMX ICE units with 3200-kinflo true match tubes .Now I wish I could get those as my soft key but funds are low! Also am I right in thinking that these are great lights for pro’s who move round their equipment a lot as they are safer in terms of heat output plus they are easier to take down after shoot (not hot) and use less power or are more efficient. So overall fantastic pieces of kit for the pros.
However they are producing approx 110watt (500 watt) and are using 3200 tungsten balanced kinoflo tubes bought separately .So looking at about £450.And are replicating a tungsten look with less heat and power issues?? Not sure if I am on the right track here?
The Photoflex Starlight Medium 500-watt tungsten halogen soft box is £239 still pushing it for me. But could just about afford in time if you strongly recommend it over my present key light set up below.
Now in the past I acquired (10 inch diameter clamp lights with white insides to direct the light .I got 8 new for £60 off ebay originally meant for reptile heat lamps! I got them new so mint condition and all exactly the same on. They can each take 250-watt bulbs screw or bayonet standard bulbs.
Now at present for my key I have 5 of them all set up approx 45degrees from my face shining down slightly on me (sitting down) they are 5 foot 8 inches away from my face.
Now another option I think is a standard tungsten halogen work light (cheap enough) will give me 500 watts in a small focused area, which I could diffuse to produce a soft wall of light with a clear/frosted shower curtain hung from ceiling in front of lamp (not to close to melt).
While on about halogen work lights is that basically what the Photoflex Starlight is except on a nice stand with soft box to direct and diffuse light better??? Are they both producing the same kind of light (i.e.) tungsten 3200k
Or is there a lot more to it than that?? Is the Photoflex Starlight bulb different and better? Or does the work light halogen bulb not give true 3200k???????
Unlike a pro who needs a very professional finish and has to be mobile with their kit I am lucky in that once I set up my lights I never need take them down and heat and power are not an issue (i.e.) 3 hours a week shooting max).
Anyway one bonus I can see of my set up is as because all made up of individual lights with 10 inch diameter white scoops the lights provide a bigger area of directed light than the work light idea. Like a bigger soft box but not diffused light)
I suppose they are like 5 small white umbrellas with light shining in and reflected out compared to shining through to soften.
Plus if one breaks my whole set up isn’t down just need to replace the faulty light.
Also bulbs are very accessible and easy to change.
However I do very much appreciate it is a budget set up and not the best.
Before I go any further I must point out that my present project has me in face paint (cat makeup) with a mustard yellow/orange face so no natural skin is exposed.
My understanding from Rembrandt Rob and Tim is that daylight 5500k is not the best for skin tones (ie) too cold/blue? Whereas Tungsten 3200k (halogen?) is great and complements the skin by making it look healthy and warm.
Now as I am in make up that is yellow/orange tiger/lion look could the tungsten 3200k be too warm??
How many watts should I try for key light position?
I was thinking about 400 - 500 watts?
What should I use to soften the light?
I could use a shower curtain or buy a second hand white photo umbrella and shine the light through it?
Or hang tissue paper from ceiling to give Chinese lantern effect??????.
Now if you guys think my key light idea is o.k and will work what kind of bulbs should I try or choose?
If I use normal pearl incandescent bulbs they might be too warm of a colour well below 3200k? I suppose the pearl finish will act like a built in softener/diffuser I think???
Or I could buy halogen GLS bulbs just like incandescent but as halogen am I right in thinking they would burn at same colour as halogen work light (i.e.) tungsten 3200k .
I have tried normal unbalanced (CFL) bulbs before coming here for advice. Made sure they were all from the same brand so the Colour temp is matched but have no idea what the colour is. They can be noisy though and hum quite loud compared to the silent incandescent and halogen bulbs?
The heat /power difference is not an issue.
Was thinking about daylight balanced (CFL) till I learned better from Tim & Rembrandt Rob.
If you guys think what I am doing is no good and you recommend I sell my clamp lights on ebay and invest in a Photoflex Starlight soft box as my key I will seriously take it on board as a future purchase goal.
The Ianiro DMX ICE with kinoflo true match 3200 Tungsten tubes will take me some time to save up for!!!!!!! But great future goal.
Any feedback and help about my homemade key light is massively appreciated and I will post soon my next thread on Fill light.
Thanks everyone.
Bob
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