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  • Hey all, just changed over the backend after 15 years I figured time to give it a bit of an update, its probably gonna be a bit weird for most of you and i am sure there is a few bugs to work out but it should kinda work the same as before... hopefully :)

Group Buy: Budget CRI 95 LED Strip Lights

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Just experimenting. No "in scene" stills yet. Balloon was not inflated all the way since my team was weary about the heat output. They have some cool ideas for the next round of experiments.
 
Looking to buy TWO unopened TUNGSTEN strips. Please let me know if you have any you wish to sell.

Thanks.

Stephen
 
Hey Brandon -

Could you please let me know the name company who is creating the controllers?

I would like to get in touch with them and see if they can sell me a basic controller, without all of the bells and whistles. Something that will work at 24fps.

Thanks!

Carey
 
They don't have any lower end controllers that will be flicker free, and even if they did, the MOQ is 1,000 units. Lite Gear does have a budget dimmer now that will work for short runs of lights (half a roll, max), but they are only for single color strips and cost ~$150, as I recall. If you get a DIY type power supply with a voltage adjustment screw, that will work for dimming, as a temp solution. When I had to light the whole first floor of a hospital with these LEDs for my film, I used this type of power supply to adjust the brightness as needed. They usually only allow adjustment between 9-12 volts, but that may be enough for your needs. I think I sent you a link to these already, privately. With variable strips you can power one color LED chip (2700k, or daylight) or both (~4400k).
 
Brandon J.F. said:
They don't have any lower end controllers that will be flicker free, and even if they did, the MOQ is 1,000 units. Lite Gear does have a budget dimmer now that will work for short runs of lights (half a roll, max), but they are only for single color strips and cost ~$150, as I recall. If you get a DIY type power supply with a voltage adjustment screw, that will work for dimming, as a temp solution. When I had to light the whole first floor of a hospital with these LEDs for my film, I used this type of power supply to adjust the brightness as needed. They usually only allow adjustment between 9-12 volts, but that may be enough for your needs. I think I sent you a link to these already, privately. With variable strips you can power one color LED chip (2700k, or daylight) or both (~4400k).
Click to expand...

I just want a plug and play option. I don't have time to deal with all of these technical aspects. I deal with a heck of a lot more than the technical aspects of light spools.

I have 2 Variable LED spools. I want to create a china lantern right. Can someone please lay out exactly what I need to make this work. I know I need the water bottle, lantern lock rig and paper ball... I assume I need a battery belt with Dtap and some sort of boom pole to attach the rig to the pole.

A couple of questions:

1. How do you attach the lantern lock rig to a 1/4 20" boom pole end. The lantern lock rig appears a to be a baby spud end.
2. Assuming I have no control over dimming due to the controllers never being released, how to I power the light on and off? Unplug the Dtap.

I just want to make something useful out of this mess. If anyone could help me out, I would very much appreciate it.

I don't have time to learn the intricacies of every single new product that gets released (or not released in this case), I have a movie to produce.

Thanks!
 
Some battery belts come with a switch on the output, but you can just pull the d-tap or splice an inline switch - just make sure every part is rated to take the maximum current you are intending draw from the battery!
 
So this is what is costs to put a VERY basic mobile Chinese Lantern rig together. This is without having the ability to dim the light or to change the color temperature (I don't have to go into why we don't have this ability)

Basic China Ball Rig -

1. Spool of lights ($79 +++)
2. 24” White Paper China Ball - http://www.filmtools.com/24whitchinla.html ($9.75)
3. Lantern Lock 24” Fixture Kit - http://www.filmtools.com/lanternlock-24-mogul-socket.html ($95)
4. Umbrella Adapter - https://www.amazon.com/Manfrotto-02...Kupo+Tilting+Umbrella+Adapter+with+5/8"+Studs ($31.88)
5. Cheap 10.5” Boom Pole - https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/981225-REG/polsen_sbp_10_boompole_10_aluminum_5_section.html ($129.95)
6. Battery Belt - https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/438801-REG/Switronix_GP_S_12_GP_S12_V_Mount_Adapter.html ($107.90)
7. Cheapest V-Mount Battery(s) On the Planet — https://www.globalmediapro.com/dp/A00TS6/Globalmediapro-Li160S-Lithium-ion-Battery-160WH/ ($255)
8. Water bottle
9. Gaff Tape


TOTAL $629.48 - NOT INCLUDING THE COST OF LIGHTS AND CONTROLLERS.

So the cost to make a China Ball boom rig is well over $800

Why not just get:

1. Ice Light 2 W/extra battery - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01D40KBW4/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 ($524.90)
2. Cheap 10.5” Boom Pole - https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/981225-REG/polsen_sbp_10_boompole_10_aluminum_5_section.html ($129.95)

Total - $654.85

The China Ball Rig is over $800, requires a battery belt and cabled boom to Dtap with a fragile paper lantern, no way to dim the light (since there's no controller) and no way to power the light off without a work-around.

The Ice Light 2/Boom Rig is only $654.85, Requires nothing but the boom and the light w/internal battery. You screw it on, turn it on, and go. The light has a dimmer and with a back up battery... you'll be good all night. It would also be lighter and easy to break down in between takes or to change the battery or light level.

Can someone give me one good reason why the china ball rig is better than my idea for the less expensive Ice Light 2 rig?

Thanks!
 
If you are looking for cheap, it looks to me like you could get a painter's pole and a clamp to lock onto a spud on the top of the coke bottle instead of buying a boom pole.

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Wooster-8-ft-16-ft-Sherlock-Extension-Pole-00R0570000/100187303

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Wooster-Lock-Jaw-Tool-Holder-0F63330000/204354059


Carey Lee Coffey said:
So this is what is costs to put a VERY basic mobile Chinese Lantern rig together. This is without having the ability to dim the light or to change the color temperature (I don't have to go into why we don't have this ability)

Basic China Ball Rig -

1. Spool of lights ($79 +++)
2. 24” White Paper China Ball - http://www.filmtools.com/24whitchinla.html ($9.75)
3. Lantern Lock 24” Fixture Kit - http://www.filmtools.com/lanternlock-24-mogul-socket.html ($95)
4. Umbrella Adapter - https://www.amazon.com/Manfrotto-02...Kupo+Tilting+Umbrella+Adapter+with+5/8"+Studs ($31.88)
5. Cheap 10.5” Boom Pole - https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/981225-REG/polsen_sbp_10_boompole_10_aluminum_5_section.html ($129.95)
6. Battery Belt - https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/438801-REG/Switronix_GP_S_12_GP_S12_V_Mount_Adapter.html ($107.90)
7. Cheapest V-Mount Battery(s) On the Planet — https://www.globalmediapro.com/dp/A00TS6/Globalmediapro-Li160S-Lithium-ion-Battery-160WH/ ($255)
8. Water bottle
9. Gaff Tape


TOTAL $629.48 - NOT INCLUDING THE COST OF LIGHTS AND CONTROLLERS.

So the cost to make a China Ball boom rig is well over $800

Why not just get:

1. Ice Light 2 W/extra battery - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01D40KBW4/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 ($524.90)
2. Cheap 10.5” Boom Pole - https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/981225-REG/polsen_sbp_10_boompole_10_aluminum_5_section.html ($129.95)

Total - $654.85

The China Ball Rig is over $800, requires a battery belt and cabled boom to Dtap with a fragile paper lantern, no way to dim the light (since there's no controller) and no way to power the light off without a work-around.

The Ice Light 2/Boom Rig is only $654.85, Requires nothing but the boom and the light w/internal battery. You screw it on, turn it on, and go. The light has a dimmer and with a back up battery... you'll be good all night. It would also be lighter and easy to break down in between takes or to change the battery or light level.

Can someone give me one good reason why the china ball rig is better than my idea for the less expensive Ice Light 2 rig?

Thanks!
Click to expand...
 
Carey Lee Coffey said:
How much can you make a WORKING mobile china ball rig for?
Click to expand...

I put my production ready rig together with spare parts I already had around plus a piece of PVC (instead of a bottle) that cost about $2. There are several examples of cheap China ball rigs in this thread.

Carey Lee Coffey said:
Can someone give me one good reason why the china ball rig is better than my idea for the less expensive Ice Light 2 rig?
Click to expand...

The light output of an Ice Light ($599 retail) is 1740 lumens and a roll of our Group Buy LEDs ($79) has an output of ~9600 lumens. An Ice Light battery lasts about an hour. 1 V-mount lasts me all day with our lights. A more apt comparison would be a double width 1.5ft aluminum tube with 3ft of our LEDs. The lights would cost about $15, the output would be about the same as an Ice Light, and the tube would be a few bucks. Let's call it $20 in all without a power supply. To power it all, you could get a 12v NiMH rechargeable battery pack for less than $20 or you could use an 8x AA battery holder for about $5. So, if you wanted a DIY Ice Light, you could do it for about $25 - $50 with ~$500 to spare sans dimmer. You wouldn't want to use that in place of a China Ball though. They are very different tools.
 
Hey Brandon,
Just wanted to say how much I admire your attitude and tenacity, keep fighting my friend.
Aloha
A
 
First of all, I have to use my Ice Light because I never got my controllers. I'm not using a broom stick or a painter's pole, thanks. A china Ball rig, with your light spools, sends 9600 lumens in 360°. So, really, less than half of that is reaching the talent. An Ice light sends the light in a 70° spread. Apples and Oranges.

Keep fighting your disease and get well. I don't need to be told how a product I paid for 2 years ago is superior to mine when I never even received that product. I was asking the advice from the community. So far I'm getting vague responses about painter's poles and stuff lying around the garage. Sorry, this is not how I do business.

The truth is, it will cost over $800 to put together the boom pole rig you see being used on "American Hustle" on page one of this thread.
 
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