Good Portable, All Purpose Light

[tekguy22]

Hi all,

Another question for you. I'm looking for suggestions for a portable light of some kind. In College we had these portable hallogen lights for photo and video we used to call red-heads, they had a red body and 4 side barn doors that you could clip lighting gels to if you wanted to. were able to fold down into a relatively portable case and had adjustable stands. I don't necessarily need these exact lights, but something comparable. I'm really clueless on this, is hallogen the best thing to look for or is there some other technological wonder that has passed me by?

I basically need it for some extra light for indoor shooting/portraits

suggestions/comments

[Marko]

Hi tekguy22,

Here is a link for a podcast we did on studio lighting for beginners it may well help you to decide.
http://www.photography.ca/blog/?p=63

I think the lights you may have been referring to are made by ianaro. I too used these when i went to photo school years ago.
http://www.vistek.ca/store/ProVideoLighting/116545/ianiro-red-head-1000-wo-bulb-u-ground-plug-male.aspx

These are good lights for sure but they get real hot, real fast.

Hope that helps,

Marko

[tegan]

Hi all,

Another question for you. I'm looking for suggestions for a portable light of some kind. In College we had these portable hallogen lights for photo and video we used to call red-heads, they had a red body and 4 side barn doors that you could clip lighting gels to if you wanted to. were able to fold down into a relatively portable case and had adjustable stands. I don't necessarily need these exact lights, but something comparable. I'm really clueless on this, is hallogen the best thing to look for or is there some other technological wonder that has passed me by?

I basically need it for some extra light for indoor shooting/portraits

suggestions/comments

The lights you had were called Ianaro's (spelling may be off), but I found them great for video work.

Tegan

[tekguy22]

yup that's them exactly...and yes...I remember burning myself many times on these darn things because they got so hot so fast..thanks gents...any other suggestions of something that is versatile and maybe even a little less pricey?

[Marko]

yup that's them exactly...and yes...I remember burning myself many times on these darn things because they got so hot so fast..thanks gents...any other suggestions of something that is versatile and maybe even a little less pricey?




Are you only interested in continuous light sources or flash?

I generally work with flash heads because I mostly do portrait work. I and many other people can recommend alien bees. Very versatile, built in slave, and cheap (relatively).
http://www.alienbees.com/flash.html

There are tons of similar models from similar companies (Ie sunpak)

Hope that helps!

Marko