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Lowell DV Creator Kit 44 or 55
Hi all,
I am a documentary filmmaker. I do a lot of talking-head interviews, and I am interested in buying a Lowell DV Creator Kit. We used them at Fitchburg State College in Massachusetts, and they were great. I am torn between the DV Creator Kit 44 and the DV Creator Kit 55. The only difference is a smaller Rifa light. Is the extra 200 Dollars worth the bigger Rifa? I already own another 750 watt tota with an umbrella. Any suggestions? I am looking to spend no more than $1,200.00 (I am fresh out of college and still poor). Thanks
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3 Replies
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Personally, I’m not a fan of the Lowell kits- too fragile for long term use. With proper care they are good “starter” kits, assuming you’ll trade up as your career progresses.
Having said that – the larger the aperture the better when it comes to soft sources – you’ll be able to wrap the light around the subject OR be able to light a larger subject/product without an increase in wattage (heat as well) or having to move closer to the subject.
Cheers,
Frank Otto
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In defense of Lowel, sort of… I still use my very ancient Lowel D and Lowel Tota-lights, inside Chimeras. I especially like the Tota-lights as they are so easy to pack. Chimera’s speed-ring for the Tota-light has its own good tilt mechanism, which is the most vulnerable “working part.”
So if I had a Tota-light I’d buy a video Chimera and speed-ring for it. I’d spend any more money on a good fluorescent fixture for a host of reasons,and it probably would not be a Rifa or a Caselite.
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On the flip side, the Lowell stuff is lighter weight and smaller than just about anything else out there. You pay for that in a lack of robustness, but if it’s a small crew type of shoot, I’d consider that a good trade.
As for the Rifa, I’d go for the larger one. Between changing lamps and moving the source, you can get a larger one to behave like a smaller one, but the reverse is not true.
Ralph
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