Tossing up between another Diva 400 or Caselite4

[Rick Wise]

For a backlight and/or fill, you obviously need less punch than your key. Why not go for a Diva 200 or equivalent? FloLight makes a similar unit for much less money. (https://www.prompterpeople.com/flolight.php). Another option is to go with a small tungsten unit and 1/2 blue it for a warm backlight and/or fill. Any of these solutions saves you money and weight compared to another 4-bank unit.

I am curious about which Chinese Diva knock-off you found can use Kino bulbs.

Rick Wise
director of photography
Oakland, CA
http://www.RickWiseDP.com
email: Rick@RickWiseDP.com

[Dennis Size]

Get a Kino Parabeam 200…..or a Diva 200.
DS

[Rick Wise]

Looks like the Parabeam puts out more light than a 4×4 or a Diva-400. Kino Flo claims it has the output of a 1.5K tungsten light — and of course, makes for harder shadows. It also weighs over 17 lbs, and costs over a grand.

The Diva 200 is only 8.5 lbs, and for the purposes you cite, seems to me would make a better fit. There are cheaper alternatives, though I don’t yet know how good they are.

Let us know what you pick, and how happy you are when you use it in the field!

Rick Wise
director of photography
Oakland, CA
http://www.RickWiseDP.com
email: Rick@RickWiseDP.com

[Peter Corbett]

Thanks guys for the tips. I’ll have another look at the Diva 200. With the Chinese light, I got it for US$380 here in Australia, but it looks like the price has gone up recently. It’s probably called a different name in the US, but the build quality is okay and the mirrored barndoors are very useful. The standard Diva 55ww tubes just slot straight in. The construction is very solid but not nearly as polished as a Kino.

You can see it here;
https://www.studiolight.com.au/daylight1200.htm

Cheers,
Peter

Peter Corbett
Powerhouse Productions
http://www.php.com.au

[Peter Corbett]

Hi Rick,

I use the Dedolight open face 150 with a blue gel as a backlight but it doesn’t punch much daylight out, hence the quest. You’re right about being not sure about the quality of cheaper fluoros against the main ones like Kino and Pampa.

They do the job, but if you invest in a light that may last you ten or more years, you may as well spend the extra when you amortize it over the period of ownership. I’m sounding like your accountant….

Peter Corbett
Powerhouse Productions
http://www.php.com.au

[Peter Corbett]

One other thing I’m looking at is a Westcott Spiderlite fluoro TD5.

https://www.fjwestcott.com/details.cfm?id=1&tbl=td5

I’m wondering if it would punch out enough light in my 5′ Octodome as a key, or least a medium to large Chimera. I can’t seem to find any feedback on this light on any forums. It would be a compact cheap option for traveling with daylight lamps.

Peter Corbett
Powerhouse Productions
http://www.php.com.au

[Rick Wise]

In the States this is probably the FloLight (https://www.prompterpeople.com/flolight.php).

Rick Wise
director of photography
Oakland, CA
http://www.RickWiseDP.com
email: Rick@RickWiseDP.com

[Vince Becquiot]

One thing I hate about many of these knock offs, and the case lights is that they put mirror barn doors to supposedly boost output. (??)

All this does is cast odd reflections all over the set (and talent).

One thing I like about the divas is that they cast an even light, even without the diffuser. All the others I’ve tried seem to have horizontal areas of shadows, especially great for chroma key…

Cheers,

Vince