|  | Posted by Toby on 10/21/06 13:49 
"DK1000" <bwana1SPAMMENOTREMOVE@lycos.com> wrote in message news:EdadnQVOEIiRlKTYnZ2dnUVZ_uudnZ2d@adelphia.com...
 > Hi,
 >
 > I'm starting a freelance venture where I will be involved in shooting
 > short videos in people's homes, maybe 5 minutes each, using existing room
 > light and any daylight coming in. Some houses may not have any electricity
 > or available room lighting, they will be houses for sale or houses being
 > rehabbed. Right now all I could afford was a consumer digital camcorder,
 > got a Panasonic PV-GS59 for $315, so you can see the limited budget I'm
 > working with.
 >
 > I can't afford pro lighting at this point, what can I get that's portable,
 > that will illuminate a whole wall of a room, or the whole field of view at
 > no zoom, to maybe 20 to 30 feet away if I need it for larger rooms? I
 > suppose this will be some kind of floodlight? Something hopefully that
 > will work on rechargeable batteries, or one of those portable DC
 > "backpacks" that can be to jump start cars, but also provides 12 V DC. I
 > thought of those lamps that campers wear on their heads, but I have the
 > hunch they won't quite cover the area bright enough. I assume
 > miner's/firemen's lamps are spot, not flood. My camcorder comes with a
 > built-in light, but only good about 5 feet, and no accessory shoe.
 >
 > I will not be normally shooting people with this set-up, just rooms. I
 > plan on putting the video on a website. I'm looking into the .flv format.
 > I realize I won't have the web bandwidth to put up the uncompressed .avi
 > file the camcorder makes, but at least I want it lit up enough not to show
 > too much excess grain that consumer level camcorders show at normal room
 > lighting levels.
 >
 > What are my alternatives/options. Thanks much.
 
 What you really want are HMI lights, but those are obviously not going to be
 within your budget. Personally I think you will be much better off with a
 little gas generator and 120V AC lights. The batteries you are talking about
 are going to be heavier than the generator and will have to be recharged
 regularly. A small 1KW generator and a long extension cord would be much
 more manageable and reliable. Just put the thing in the yard and run a cable
 through the front door or a window somewhere. Then get a few normal floods,
 bounce one or two off the ceiling (if it is light colored), and if the room
 is really large point one or two at a far wall. Cheap and easy, if not very
 elegant...
 
 Toby
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