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fluorescent lighting: long-skinny vs. rectangle
Still evaluating Kino Flo/Foto Flo units. Part of the decision is the “aspect ratio” of the fixture: one is more rectangular, the other long and skinny.
Just wondered what people with experience with both configurations think. Is there an advantage to one or the other? The Foto Flo long-skinny gives more wrap-around, in one direction, though it’s less convenient and more cumbersome per lumen of output than the Kino Flo. And being able to angle the long-skinny in any direction with its ball-socket connector seems as if it would give better ability to control the quality of light on an interview subject. Opinions please.
— BC
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4 Replies
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Hi Bob,
I’m sure other will add a point or two that I missed.They’re both Kino’s: one is the Foto-flo line and the other are call Diva’s (except the Parabeams) The Foto-Flo’s are a standard fluorescent size. The Foto’s can’t be dimmed like the Diva’s. But one big advantage is; if you are in a setting where you can’t get rid of the fluorescent-you can ‘poison’ the Foto’s by add regular fluorescent bulbs to your Foto and white balance out all the bad color and still control your light.
I believe Diva’s (due to their design) have a higher light output. They BOTH use the same ball socket?? (don’t know why you wrote they don’t?) The first set of Kino’s I bought were the 4 bank Foto’s. They’re a great light, but not that practial to take to location, unless you have a big rig. I’ve rigged my Foto’s for a backfill/kicker. in our studio. They look great and add a lot of fill that you can’t get with fernels. But if I had to due it over again I would, I’d probably get the Diva’s instead. I take my Divas all over, and have 32k & 55k bulbs, for indoor/outdoor shooting.
Not to throw a fly into the ointment, but you should probably take a look at the Mole Biax units. Close to the same photometrics, and a ‘little better’ design. But you can’t go wrong with either. The real decission is whether you should get the 4 unit or the 8?
Good Luck,
Todd at UCSB
Television Production -
thanks. Great points.
What I am curious about though is the opportunity for shaping the light that a long-skinny fixture gives you.
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Ah,
As you are probably aware, the Kino’s have a great ‘wrap’ around people/objects.
You really don’t mold the light as much as you would a fresnel. Because of the way the Kinos light an object/person, to really control it, you’d need to have some flags.
That’s not to say that you can’t control the light, but the Kino’s aren’t design to get very precise.Obviously, the Foto’s-because of their size-can give a little more lighting options. Narrow and long, or short and wide.
The Diva’s come across more as a square (4 unit) so it doesn -
Being that I
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