tungsten or hmi?

[Joel Arvidsson]

Is tungsten the wrong we to go working with red? Im looking for a new easy to travel (with car) field kit. I looked at Arri Softbank D4 and D3 but maby its better to get hmi instead?/Joel

 

[paulherrin]

hmi's always tend to be better suited for work with digital sensors, if you find them affordable. it's not by any means impossible to get by with tungsten lighting - i don't have any hmi's. maybe consider using colored photofloods or some of the daylighted compact fluorescents. apparently with the new sensors and color science, tungsten isn't quite so difficult to work with. hmi's will probably always be better just because tungsten is extremely blue-deficient whereas daylight gets super-friendly with the sensor.

 

[Joseph Hutson]

I wondered how much would be compromised if I were to go Tungsten rather than HMI, and this candlelight shot made me see that Tungsten would be just fine for me...

 

[Joel Arvidsson]

I have fluorescents but they a bit big in many scenarios. Maby the best sulotion would be get some smaller once that comes with hardcases. And then only get a small hmi for backlight. Very interesting test with only one candle!

 

[Dave Blackham]

Why not go with Daylight Flourecents, may be the Osram 954 tubes. They are over 92 CRI and work very well. We use the Photobeard fixtures but the Cool lights have great fixtures that work well too. Then theres Kino, Arri and others but they do cost more.

We also use Iwasaki (Eye lighting) CDM bulbs and external ballasts on some of our fixtures. These are available in 2800, 3200 and 5500K at over 90CRI and are very efficent. The Edison fitting bulbs can be used in Chinese lanterns and are useful as part of a compact kit as the lamp fixture and small ballast packs down very small. We use a Venture ballast for the 150W bulbs which works fine. Cool lights also make a ballast that should work well with these bulbs.

 

[Philippe Van Horebeek]

I agree with Dave. The Osram Daylight tubes do work very well. Photonbeard is good, especially the Highlight 440 (big surface, very soft).
I have the best experience with Kino Flo on a digital sensor.

 

[Joel Arvidsson]

Its probely the best choice to stick with florescent. I already use osram tubes and Im happy with them. Just need a couple 2 or 4bank so I can use smaller tripods for easy traveling. I would love to find nice florescent lights and tripods that fit inside of a hardcase with wheels.

 

[Dave Blackham]

Its probely the best choice to stick with florescent. I already use osram tubes and Im happy with them. Just need a couple 2 or 4bank so I can use smaller tripods for easy traveling. I would love to find nice florescent lights and tripods that fit inside of a hardcase with wheels.

Good point about stands. You may be better off with more smaller fixtures than fewer and bigger. If you use any 6 tube studio type fixtures then you really need the larger 1 1/4 stands to be safe. We have Photon Beard Highlights and they are very 'solid' unlike some of the lighter weight composite fixtures. They do need a case for travel though. We also have some of the older Skylight fixtures that are lights in a case type design. They have slightly lower out put as the newer reflector design is apparently better. The cases are very strong and can be stood on and heft about with out too much problem but they are heavy.