Generic Kino-flos
 

You know how there are actually lots of Chimera/softbox alternatives? (I actually saw some really cheap no-brand ones on ebay that were like 1/3 of the price of JTLs.) I am wondering what the cheap, price-brand or no-brand Kino-flo type lights there are.

I don't really like building things, unless it's really easy.

I'd like to use flouros all the time, but my incandescent stuff goes out twice as often because it's much lighter and easier to transport and set-up than my flouro kit (videssence).

I learned about products from amvona.com, (that's their ebay ID as well as their web site), on this forum. They have softs that look very good for the price and come highly recommended by forum members.

However, I recently purchased a Lowel Rifa 55 and I LOVE it! Worth the money, it incorporates a light source, reflector and diffuser in one instrument (that is, it's a complete softbox). It sets up in less than a minute.

If I were in a studio all the time or had dedicated lighting/grip labor in the field I'd use the classic chimera-style softbox or flouro, but for field interviews when it's just a 1-2 person crew the Rifa is just fantastic - fast and easy to manage, not a lot of separate pieces, and good light. Part of the reason for this is that it gives more light at less wattage than a typical chimera setup, the 55 is a 500w and that's plenty.

Do check out http://www.flolight.com/ for some flouro alternatives.

Rifa here too! Love it! Lodsa light! Smashing . . Grazie

My Rifa 55 started tearing around the umbrella rings .... and although it's a good light -it's expensive for what it is.

For interviews now I take [never thought i'd say this] a tota light, and a transluscent umbrella. so cheap, light. quick. Nice eye light. And I have another three dedolights for hairlight/fill.

The dedolight also has a not tooooo expensive photoflex mini softbox for ENG work - and it's a pretty quick mini/micro softlight. If I had to take 2 lights a dedo and a tota - 1 transluscent umbrella, 2 manfrotto nano stands and a superclamp.

fits in a production bag with the cound gear and flies anywhere....

Thanks for the excellent pointers. Part of the reason that the flourescents seem so manageable is the lower power requirements. The Flolight-1400 you pointed me to claimed "1400 watts of incandescent light yet draws just 330 watts!"

I wonder how that formula works. A 1400W softbox seems like a pretty big light source. Still, that's what I need, and more. Plus that doesn't blow out the fuse.

I suppose grids and barn doors are out on this sort of a generic brand.

What are you lighting?

I'm thinking about building my own 48" DIY Kinos. Does anyone have bulb recommendations?

Other than purchasing real Kino tubes, you do have some options for a DIY flo light.
There is a company here in LA called Visions in Color that sells color correct 3200k and 5600k tubes for half the price of kino. Also look at GE's Cinema Series tubes and Durotest. Of course, you can also buy normal cool white tubes and gel them to match tungsten or daylight...

Thanks for the tips.