Welcome to our community

Be a part of something great, join today!

Log in
  • 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 - Hexolux LED Spotlights

Antony Newman said:
Pete,

Thankyou for taking the time to field our questions.

When you there eventually exists an upgrade to the LED on the D7 (eg with higher TLCI values) - are you anticipating these can be purchased from yourselves & swapped as a replacement 'bulb' - or would require a complete '$2k' replacement?

Thanks,

AJ
Click to expand...

AJ,

Swap to the latest LED of the same power, or swap to a different color temp; for $200 - for as long as you own the light.
 
WesG said:
awesome Pete

Main question, I imagine for many, is probably around delivery timeline??

thx
wes
Click to expand...

Wes,

We said around 4 weeks.

If you have a specific urgent event, reach out and we will try to accommodate. But the spirit of the added value of this group buy is like the reverse of a rush fee.
 
I'm just back from shooting corporate interviews on the road with a Hexolux lighting package - (3) D7s, (1) D5, 1 Rella, 1 Soft-box, and a second soft white transparent umbrella. These lights are a game changer. Benefits include zero heat, focus-able range, strong output and they're so well built you could kick them around like a soccer ball. I never used diffusion. I set my EPIC X up with a Canon prime, decided on my depth of field and barely tweaked the ISO or shutter speed during 5 different interviews in 3 locations. I mostly just dialed the lights up or down by percentage or f-stop settings on the back of the illuminators. I worked in dark spaces and with flooding windows. We were never out of color control. You will hear people rave about the quality of the light and the strength of output but I want to add this. In the real world of checking gear on planes and hefting gear up many flights of stairs, these lights were a dream. Each of the two encased kits were under 35 pounds on rollers. We completely replaced our very heavy Kino Kits and panel packages. With 2 D7s you can light a 9' seamless from one side of a tight room using the movable lenses. Their Rella on a D7 is the best upgrade from a Diva with diffusion I've ever seen for soft light. Twist up the power for a daylight key. Like an small HMI on a dial! When you place the soft white umbrella on the subject side of the reflecting Rella, it's even better. Using the battery option on a D5 with the soft box allowed me to walk, direct and light from a hand hold as another cameraman recorded quick b-roll shots. I never touched a cable as we moved around crowded offices, so we collected well lit shots as fast as we could think them up. I'm ordering 2 more D7s for future larger backgrounds and more battery connections for enabling completely cordless interviews. On the road I experienced no overweight charges, better lighting, faster setups, high quality results with the flexibility I'd expect in a balance of Kinos and Fresnels. I also enjoyed no angst from thoughts of broken bulbs in checked baggage. I wish I had these when I was doing docs. No doubt we will see movies made with 90% Hexolox. I wish the inventor and his team the success they deserve.
 
Thanks for the report, can you talk please about the Rella?

I bought the group buy, didn't go for the Rella as an extra but I do intend to use the Hexo w/an umbrella.

I was planning on the Profoto XL Deep, their new 60" parabolic umbrella b/c the Profoto has a diffusion layer you can clip on that seems to have a nice big opening big enough to fit a hexo fresnel or two.

I liked the look of the Rella but wished it has a diffusion layer on top, though Pete does talk about using it with two umbrellas, with a shoot through basically, but I felt that might be a bit unwieldy when I can just use the Profoto.

What did you think of the Rella?
 
D. Townley Paton said:
I'm just back from shooting corporate interviews on the road with a Hexolux lighting package - (3) D7s, (1) D5, 1 Rella, 1 Soft-box, and a second soft white transparent umbrella. These lights are a game changer. Benefits include zero heat, focus-able range, strong output and they're so well built you could kick them around like a soccer ball. I never used diffusion. I set my EPIC X up with a Canon prime, decided on my depth of field and barely tweaked the ISO or shutter speed during 5 different interviews in 3 locations. I mostly just dialed the lights up or down by percentage or f-stop settings on the back of the illuminators. I worked in dark spaces and with flooding windows. We were never out of color control. You will hear people rave about the quality of the light and the strength of output but I want to add this. In the real world of checking gear on planes and hefting gear up many flights of stairs, these lights were a dream. Each of the two encased kits were under 35 pounds on rollers. We completely replaced our very heavy Kino Kits and panel packages. With 2 D7s you can light a 9' seamless from one side of a tight room using the movable lenses. Their Rella on a D7 is the best upgrade from a Diva with diffusion I've ever seen for soft light. Twist up the power for a daylight key. Like an small HMI on a dial! When you place the soft white umbrella on the subject side of the reflecting Rella, it's even better. Using the battery option on a D5 with the soft box allowed me to walk, direct and light from a hand hold as another cameraman recorded quick b-roll shots. I never touched a cable as we moved around crowded offices, so we collected well lit shots as fast as we could think them up. I'm ordering 2 more D7s for future larger backgrounds and more battery connections for enabling completely cordless interviews. On the road I experienced no overweight charges, better lighting, faster setups, high quality results with the flexibility I'd expect in a balance of Kinos and Fresnels. I also enjoyed no angst from thoughts of broken bulbs in checked baggage. I wish I had these when I was doing docs. No doubt we will see movies made with 90% Hexolox. I wish the inventor and his team the success they deserve.
Click to expand...

agreed
 
Andrew S Nicholas said:
Thanks for the report, can you talk please about the Rella?

I bought the group buy, didn't go for the Rella as an extra but I do intend to use the Hexo w/an umbrella.

I was planning on the Profoto XL Deep, their new 60" parabolic umbrella b/c the Profoto has a diffusion layer you can clip on that seems to have a nice big opening big enough to fit a hexo fresnel or two.

I liked the look of the Rella but wished it has a diffusion layer on top, though Pete does talk about using it with two umbrellas, with a shoot through basically, but I felt that might be a bit unwieldy when I can just use the Profoto.

What did you think of the Rella?
Click to expand...


Check out the Paul Buff umbrellas for a low cost alternative to the ProFoto/Bron class equipment. Great value!! Hexolux and Buff go together like peanut butter and chocolate ;-)
http://www.paulcbuff.com/plm.php

Also check the Westcott line:
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=TUCwkRph7Rk
 
Last edited:
I see the Profoto XL and similar umbrellas with a silver reflective layer in a large size as working very well. As long as the rod fits in the same hole placed within the Hexolux housing. There are two holes in the housing with knobs so it's easy to then place a second white diffusion umbrella to the inside. The umbrellas balance each other out in weight. It works very well and one can stand to the side, slip a hand in on the knob and apply the super soft light as needed. The Rella works well for regular lighting and so would a deeper umbrella. The Rella is that it's a little bit flatter and can give me a slightiy bigger source to throw accross subjects, with our without the diffusion umbrella. The lights are so strong that you can step them away or closer and probably make up for the difference between the depth of different umbrellas. You can also spread out the beam or make a smaller beam into the umbrella by moving the Illuminator within the lens housing. It's easy. I've also shot recently by taking off the lens housing and getting a really full punch with just the Illuminator. You most likely dial it down or way up to cover a group shot or area. I found the Rella (probably also true with other silver umbrellas) to not be as harsh as I expected. The light remains so white as you dial down the strength that I have yet to use diffusion on people with any Hexolux. i used to cover up florescent bulbs in well known kits every time. I would not bother with an umbrella lined in white material. I highly recommend getting the second umbrella as a white transparent option. Then go place that baby-soft glow. It can also be achieved with their softbox but that's a much smaller source. I used that mainly to fill a single face to the other side of the umbrellas or shooting people at work by placing the light with the soft box about 2 to 8 feet back, dialing the knob on the Illuminator. I'm no feature film maker but in 25 years of shooting marketing videos I've never been this happy with lighting. When I went to pick up the lighting in Northern CA, I asked Pete Smith if I could do a test shoot to learn about working with the lights. I then interviewed him about his lighting. I will post the interview shortly.
 
Anyone have experience/comment, with these lights in "full" sunlight settings?

I am glad that I still have the Paul Bluff umbrellas, from the photography days...


Thank you very much

fury
 
Not sure if the guys at Hexolux would be willing to comment but I was wondering how the group buy turned out. I am hoping it worked out well and looking forward to picking up my lights when the become available.

:smiley:
 
Last I heard a couple days ago is that the last couple parts are coming in this week and they will get cracking on the GB orders. I have several doc style projects that need these lights pronto. I'm getting a 3 light kit: 2x D and 1x T

I've requested that Pete update us on an ETA
 
Last edited:
Terry VerHaar said:
Not sure if the guys at Hexolux would be willing to comment but I was wondering how the group buy turned out. I am hoping it worked out well and looking forward to picking up my lights when the become available.

:smiley:
Click to expand...

Hi Terry,

It went great! Thanks again to all who ordered.
We are expanding rapidly and introducing a remarkable new soft-light at NAB.
We will try to offer it as a group buy after NAB.
 
Pete Smith said:
Hi Terry,

It went great! Thanks again to all who ordered.
We are expanding rapidly and introducing a remarkable new soft-light at NAB.
We will try to offer it as a group buy after NAB.
Click to expand...

Hey Pete,
I'm getting PM's about the ETA on the lights. When do you expect to start shipping the Group Buy orders?
Thanks!
 
ETA:
We are right on track for shipping right around NAB.
We expect to begin shipping the same week as NAB and finish shipping the week after NAB.
If you need them sooner please email me.

If anyone will be at NAB and wants to borrow a portable battery rig for shooting around the show, please let us know so we can have one ready for you.

Thanks,
Pete
415 371 1100
pete@hexolux.com
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top