Budget 250 - 500 Watt lights

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Raptor
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Budget 250 - 500 Watt lights

Post by Raptor »

OK so here is the material list.
1- System Pro LS-2 9' Light stand - Local camera shop - $27.00
1 - Heavy Duty 81/2 inch reflector clamp light - Lowe's - $7.95
1 250 watt Photo Flood - $4.00
1- Amvona Soft Box - Ebay - $35.00
2 Large Binder clips - Office supply - $1.50
1 2 1/2 inch c-clamp - Lowes $2.25

OK so the important part here is the reflector lamp
Make sure it is the heavy duty clamp, which has the clamp attached with a bols, and that it is the 8.5 inch reflector. The Softbox will not fit the 10 inch reflector correctly.
First of all you will notice the sticker says not to use over a 150 watt bulb, if you look in the bottom of the socket you will see the socket is rated to 240 VAC at 250 watts. You can use the 250 watt photo floods, but you should not leave them on for extended periods or unattended.
To get 500 watts out of this, you can replace the socket with a ceramic socket from lowe's for about $4.00 look in the bottom again for a 660 Watt rating. You should also probably replace the power supply cord with a piece of 14-2 or 12-2 SJ cord and a heavier plug if you do the 500 watt rig. With this socket you could also use the 500 watt starlite style photo bulbs.

OK so Now it's time to prep the lights, romvove the bolt holding the clamp to the ball element of the ball and socket pivot of the lamp. This is why it is important to get the heavy duty clamp light, the cheaper clamp lights do not bolt the clamp to the lamp. Save the bolt and the clamp in case you need it later.
The light stand ( and you can use a tripod here too ) has a 1/4-20 threaded stud on top, the hole in the ball element of the light is just under 1/4 inch. Tap this hole to 1/4-20 thread with a hand tap and thread it onto the stud on top of the light stand or tripod.
The little botl with wing nut thatis designed to lock the reflector into it's angle will work fine if you do not use the soft box, or are using some type of diffusion not attached to the lamp. if you use the soft box then use one of the c-clamps over the little nubs on the socket element to lock the reflector solidy into it's angle to keep it from drooping under the weight of the soft box.
To attach the soft box - in the center hub of the soft-box there is a speed ring held in place by 4 screws. This is for attaching to pro lights with a sped ring adapter. Since our little clamp light does not have a speed ring mopunt, remove this center adapter and again, save it
The center hub will fit almost perfectly into the 8.5 inch reflector, and you will notice there are open spaces in the webbing of the center hub. Use 2 large binder clips to attch this center hub to the lip of the reflector. How to position them will be pretty clear.
OK there ya have it, with softbox, a 250 - 500 watt rig ready to go for about $80.00 without soft box less than $50.00. This allows you to get your key light high, fill low etc.
The photo floods are available in 3200k and 5000 k color temps. You could also use flourescent replacement bulbs. The heaviest flo I found in Lowe's were only 150 watts at 3000 k and the daylight balanced flos are only rated at 3500 k. 150 watts would be a little weak for a key, but could make a good fill light. I wouldn't mix daylight balance flos and daylight balanced tungsten since the color temps are so far apart, but you could mix the 3000k and 3200k lamps pretty easily.
As always, white balance before you shoot rather than trying to color correct in post if you use the 3200 color range, this will give a bit of a warm tone to everything otherwise.
Wtach the soft box auctions, these are not buy now - you have to pick and choose to get a good price, but I got the softbox and the octagon light bank Amvona has for auction both for less than $80.00 delivered over two days of auction watching.
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