Basic Lighting Kit for interviews

[matroskin]

<p>hello.</p>

<p>i volunteer/work for AmeriCorps/4H in Tucson, AZ and part of what i do is teaching club leaders how to make short movies about activities of their clubs. we have a financial opportunity to purchase a basic lighting kit for recording interviews. what would be your recommendation for such a kit. we're talking about $300-400 dollars for this kit.</p>

<p>thank you. </p>

[mcmanamey]

<p>

<a href="http://www.backdropoutlet.com/PRO-PHOTO-AND-VIDEO-LIGHT-KIT/productinfo/SC101/" target="_blank">http://www.backdropoutlet.com/PRO-PHOTO-AND-VIDEO-LIGHT-KIT/productinfo/SC101/</a>

<br />

For your budget, you could buy a couple, and some extra softboxes, booms and/or other accessories... maybe even a backdrop rig!

<br />

 

 

</p>

[craig_shearman1]

<p>No offense, Maria, but that's hardly a usable lighting kit. Look at the details -- 30 watt fluorescent bulbs. That's barely enough to read by let alone shoot video by. Kostya, I work in Washington, DC, in news and PR and work with professional network video crews all the time. TV crews mostly use Lowel brand lights. Their favorite is the Rifa, which is a softbox with the light built in that unfolds like an umbrella and is very quick to set up. Bulbs range from 300 watts up to either 750 or 1000 watts. Unfortuantely a Rifa would kill your whole budget. But the next most popular light is a Lowel Tota Light. These sell for about $125 each and you can either bounce them into an umbrella or use a bracket that lets you put a piece of "tough spun" diffusion material in front of them. Crews also very often use a Lowel Pro Light. This is a little 250 watt focusing spot that can be used as a hair light or background light. It's also around $125 plus or minus. Lowel or Manfrotto stands can be bought for about $50. For a very basic kit I would get a Lowell Tota, an umbrella, a Lowel Pro Light and a pair of stands. If the budget allows it, I would get a second Tota. Look at <a href="http://www.lowel.com">www.lowel.com</a> for a rundown on their gear and tips on lighting, and go to <a href="http://www.bhphotovideo.com">www.bhphotovideo.com</a> for the best prices. I would buy individual pieces rather than a kit because the kit deals usually throw in an expensive case and various gadgets that are all nice to have but not necessary and mostly drive up the price. If you can't afford Lowel, Smith-Victor also makes some very affordable units that aren't as rugged but will get the job done. <a href="http://www.smithvictor.com">www.smithvictor.com</a> B&H is still the best place to buy in either case. Stay away from fluorescents -- there are high end fluorescents from Lowel and others but the low cost units just don't put out enough light and there are weird things about the color from fluorescent even when they claim to be daylight balanced.</p>

[craig_shearman1]

<p>Here's two Lowel Totas with umbrellas and stands for about $315, not including bulbs at about $18 each. You can also get it with a soft case for a little more. Various other combinations on the B&H web site.<br>

<a href="http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/248530-REG/Lowel_TLKQ_Tota_Light_Two_Light_Kit.html">http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/248530-REG/Lowel_TLKQ_Tota_Light_Two_Light_Kit.html</a></p>

[Karim Ghantous]

<p>Chris: "No offense, Maria, but that's hardly a usable lighting kit. Look at the details -- 30 watt fluorescent bulbs. That's barely enough to read by let alone shoot video by."</p>

<p>Hang on a second. The claim on the product is that 30W fluorescents are equivalent to 300W incandescents. If that's true then it's pretty good, I'd say.</p>