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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