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DIY Kino type fluorescent lights
  • svartsvart

    I'm working on a DIY version of the Kino Diva type lights. I used some a couple weeks ago and found them to be very useful for a number of situations but they are way too expensive for how they are made. So far, I've built a working prototype for 1/5th the price but still have a long way to go to make it robust.

    Corrugated plastic sheet 5$ Sockets and mounting parts 25$ Metal for mounting sockets and support 10$ Kino bulbs 80$ 2x dimming ballasts(two lights per) 100$

    I will need to build a cover for the ballasts and then a mount for the light stand, I'll cover that as I go along.

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  • 8 Replies sorted by
  • B3GuyB3Guy

    Great! Keep us in the loop. I personally love the look of fluorescent lights, so a cheap build-it-yourself option would be interesting.

  • vicharrisvicharris

    Just an FYI, there's kino's that sell on Amazon, maybe cowboy or one of the other knock off companies that sell this setup for $225 or so and that's including a pretty decent stand. I tried to make my own for a bit and tried those knockoffs and they work pretty good. Throw some minus green on em and your good to go. Not trying to burst your bubble but I labored of this exact same thing till I found the 3 I use now

  • vicharrisvicharris

    Looks like they are cheaper now http://www.amazon.com/CowboyStudio-Studio-Digital-Lighting-Fluorescent/dp/B002HGA91A/ref=pd_sim_sbs_p_2 I used them on a shoot for FOX Sports and my DP loved em. Couldn't believe how cheap they were.

  • chenopupchenopup

    Good luck! Finding black coroplast here locally was impossible. I attempted this a few years back but in turn went with one of the Kino knock-offs online as it was almost 6's price wise.

  • svartsvart

    Sure, the knock-offs would work fine, but I'm using good bulbs that don't need gelling and I'm using true dimming ballasts just like the Kino brand. Those two add significant cost to the DIY but I find are priceless in actual usage. I messed around with a cheap 4 bulb ballast that had the ability to turn off 2 of the bulbs, and it worked fine, but i kept finding myself spending ages trying to dial in the amount of light with ND gels, scrims or other things either from the flo or from the other lights to make them right. With the dimming ballasts, you just turn a knob until your light meter says it's good or it looks right in camera.

  • Brian202020Brian202020

    Kino Diva bulbs always need gelling regardless if it's Kino brand or not. They have a slightly Magenta light to them. My experience is you always need to add 1/4 green gels regardless of brand. Cool Lights has some good quality stuff. This is where I got a couple of my Kino like fixtures.

    http://www.coollights.biz/softlight-fixture-series-portable-models-c-25_32.html?osCsid=919ca183f0f94981b723f86a252078ea

  • Vitaliy_KiselevVitaliy_Kiselev

    As far as I remember such thing as Cool Lights do not exist in nature

    This is lights from Taiyang Movie and Television Equipment Co. Just rebranded and with hiked prices.

  • Brian202020Brian202020

    That might be true, but they are good, and I've had them for several years now.

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