| Mark Härtl |
January 2nd, 2003 12:24 PM |
Hi Chris,
I don't know if the light is available in the US or if you can order it directly at Hama, but here's a link to their German Website (the English one is not complete): http://www.hama.de Then click on Photo/Video/Digital | Video-Aufnahme | Leuchten. You can translate the site with Altavista if you want to. The first item in the list is the light I meant (Videoleuchtenset 30W / video light set 30W). I bought it for 65 € (nearly the same in US$). If you would click on it you would get an extended description but Altavista is unable to translate it - the big picture: http://www.hama.de/bilder/00006/abb/00006342abb.jpg. So I will try to tell you the important things:
It has two bulbs (10W and 20W), you can either switch on the 10W-bulb or both together (which will be 30W equivalent I think). In my opinion the light is very good for its price, clear and smooth, and has the same temperature as any other artificial light (3200 K). The illumination-angle is very wide (nearly 180° i think but it gets a bit darker at the edges). I use the 10W as an addition to the normal lamps everybody has in his rooms and for illuminating and pointing out things near the camera (i.e. persons, what works very well!). The 30W is good and bright enough for big rooms and outdoor-filming at night if you set the shutter to 1/25s or 1/30s - another way is to use 6db gain. Sometimes it's hard for the GL2/XM2 to focus when the 30W light is the only illumination, so I use manual focus in pitch dark. It's hard to damage the videolight, mine fell down several times and was still working perfectly. I wanted to open the front cover once because I wanted to see the bulbs but I was only holding at the back of the light and so the cover flew away - together with the 10W bulb (so always hold the whole light when you open it). I found the bulb 4 or 5 feet away and put it back in the light - everything was still functioning as if nothing has happened. The only thing I have to complain about is that the light sometimes switches off automatically, because it runs too hot after several minutes when you use both bulbs (30W) in a normal temperated room.
It comes with a 1800 mAh NiCd battery which can be loaded through the videolight itself. Because this will only last for approx. 40 minutes (10W) / 20 minutes (30W), I also ordered two Sony equivalent batteries (6V) with each 4000 mAh at Sabah Oceanic (they always sell two batteries together) for $64 - plus they are NiMH. They last double the time. Good that I still have an old Sanyo charger for them, because you can't use the light if you load a battery with it. It will also accept Panasonic, Sharp and other batteries with 6V.
So I think this is everything I can tell you about this videolight. The Hama-description at their webiste only tells about the pure numbers (W, V etc.).
If you have any questions, tell me. I can add some pictures I made of the light itself if you want. |
