Mitch Gross
Forum Replies Created
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Actually, I think they’re pretty cheap for what they offer. And I think there is some sort of rebate promotion going on right now. They’ll probably be introducing a new model at NAB.
Mitch
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I should also point out that a friend of mine has an EZ/FX jib and has a devil of a time transporting it. It apparently only had some soft bags available and he couldn’t find a hardcase to fit it. Frank, what do you use?
For my Porta-Jib, I could have purchased a hard case from the manufacturer, but instead found that I could fit the whole unit in the largest Storm Case (designed to hold a couple of rifles) and have room on the end for 60 ibs. of counterweights. The whole thing weighs about 175 ibs., but when flying I leave the weights behind and pick up something locally. And the case does have wheels on one end so it rolls easily, plus it will store standing up with no added support (I call it the monolith).
Mitch
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I have a Porta-Jib that I prefer to the EZ/FX jib. Personal taste thing, but I find it to be smoother and more versatile.
Mitch
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[Michael Munkittrick] “And by the way, if you’re interested in giving these a test drive in return for an honest evaluation, yours is an opinion that I feel confident with as considering honest. Your reputation is well respected on the lighting and DP sets and knowing that you’re a straight shooter, I would be most interested in your personal thoughts. I’m in the process of assembling a demo video for them that will include a pretty good assortment of specs in real world use. I’ve also got a new, actually I should say incredible new dolly that will be like nothing that came before it…and that project is getting a lot of my attention right now because of the nature of competition and getting to market first. Being that the dolly will cause heads to turn in larger numbers, and the lights, while very interesting on their own, will garner more media coverage thereby making the fact that the lights are created under the same banner more of an interesting issue.”
Thanks for the kind words and I would be certainly interested in testing your products and offering honest opinions and constructive comments. Feel free to contact me offlist at mitchgross {{{{at}}}} aol.
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Wow, Michael! I had no idea that these lights are the same as yours. I never did get that promotional material from you that you were going to send out last Fall. I know one small lighting manufacturer who told me that he has the parts to his lights manufactured by different factories in China and then assembled here in the US because he knows that they’d be completely ripped off otherwise.
I personally can’t use a light with a CRI in the 80s, but that’s my usage. With different bulbs perhaps it would be a different story. My need for a kino would be for daylight balanced to deal with windows anyway, and since daylight balanced bulbs are always much higher in CRI (around 93) then it’s not such an issue. But there still has to be some kind of case to protect the thing. Even a metal sheet to go into the scrim slot to protect the bulbs would be helpful.
Best of luck on your ventures,
Mitch
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It’s metal so will certainly be much heavier than a KinoFlo. I don’t know how well optimized the reflector panels are–doesn’t look like the most efficient unit in the world. It is certainly less expensive, but with that bulky design I wished they had an option on a case of some sort (even a soft bag). And their “tungsten equivalent” numbers are misleading in the least. I would never get the tungsten-balanced bulbs they offer since they are such a low CRI. The daylight ones are acceptable, but just barely. They are supplying cheap bulbs that are brighter but have a significant green spike. I’d rather get the KinoFlo or another brand bulb (Osram makes a good one) with better CRI and a little lower output.
Hey, you get what you pay for and these are certainly cheap. Hope they can stand up to location work without falling apart or breaking your back. They’d be fine in a studio though.
Mitch
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Just shoot it on white–much easier to light without worrying about the actors going green. Plus you have the freedom to use green costuming or props. White “infinity space” rooms have been done numerous times before, and generally with white rooms unless there was a specific need for greenscreen. Check out George Lucas’ “THX-1138” with an extended sequence in such a room, all done in a true white space.
Just make sure to have the crew wear the little paper booties over their shoes so as not to drag dirt onto the clean white floor.
Mitch
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There’s some terrific soft cases that can hold lots of lighting & grip gear, perhaps enough for your kit. Some are as tall as a person and roll on casters. Check them out at a place like B&H.
If you want to have a considerably large light kit you probably can’t house it all in one case. I started with one and now I’m up to seven travel cases, plus half a dozen milk crates for local shoots. One of the biggest challenges is how to transport gear if you’re flying. Many airlines restrict weight of each case to 50 ibs. and you have to pay huge overweight charges otherwise. They also charge if you have more than a few items of luggage. And worst of all is how the baggage handlers treat the stuff. A soft case will likely not protect much of anything.
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A simple hole plate should do the trick. Any machinist could make you one. Try Willy’s Widgets in Arizona if you can’t find it anywhere else. The hole for the 3/8″ screw from the tripod should be threaded but the 1/4″ hole in the plate should not be.
Mitch
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Any wide angle converter that sits in front of the lens will shift the focus, but the higher quality (read: more expensive) zoom-through units will shift the focus by a consistent percentage so that focus will hold throughout a zoom even if you are in manual focus. Do you have the cheaper Century (around $250) or the more expensive Century zoom-through (around $650)? No matter what, your autofocus should be able to adjust or there is something seriously wrong here.
Mitch