Video Lighting Kit Review: Arri Softbank 1 Tungsten Light Kit

Joe McCleskey
October 2004

The most important ingredient in any recipe for good, professional-quality video is light. Video is a medium of light. Other factors – sound, composition and special effects – are also important, but if the lighting isn’t right, then the video doesn’t look right. To put it bluntly, an amateurish approach to lighting can reduce any professional video project to the equivalent of an expensive home movie. The Arri Softbank kit will certainly make for some very expensive home movies, but for the professional, it will pay off in the end.

For many professional videographers, the solution is to buy, rent or borrow a light kit. A “kit” is typically a set of lights, stands and accessories that pack neatly into a rugged case. The flexibility of the kit and the amount of control in different lighting situations is important. Currently, the Cadillac of video lights is the Arri Softbank kit, which comes in four different configurations and combines rugged design, versatility and raw power in a solid rollaway case. The kit includes one 300W Fresnel, two 650W Fresnels, one 1,000W Arrilite, a Chimera Video Pro Soft Bank, 4 sturdy adjustable stands and a full set of barndoors, scrims and accessories. While it’s true that for the price of this kit you can get a brand new 3-chip DV camera, the versatility and solid design of the Arri Softbank kit make it a favorite among a number of video rental outfits.

The lighting instruments included in the Arri Softbank 1 Kit all exhibit the quality and excellent design you’d expect from lights manufactured by this highly reputable company. The three Fresnel lights, for example, all have solidly mounted mesh screens that function as gel mounts (gels not included) as well as points for solidly attaching the included barn doors. To change the lamps (bulbs) or to remove them for transporting in the included soft foam carrying case, you flip open the entire top of the light. This means you don’t even need to remove all of the accessories you’ve carefully attached. Each of the Fresnels has a twisting flood/spot control on the back of the light which adjusts the light’s intensity and focus. From the thick cast metal casing to the aluminum barrels to the thick rubberized cables and the clear soft plastic cover on the on/off switch, these impressive instruments are all about quality and professionalism.

The 1,000W Arrilite is a bit different in design from the other lights. Its flood/spot control is on the bottom of the light and replacement of its bulb is via the front of the light and is a bit of a pain. Yet, in terms of quality and rugged design, it’s easy to see why the Arrilite has become a popular solution for video studios worldwide. The included Chimera Video Pro Soft Bank attaches to the front of the Arrilite via the (also included) Chimera Speed Ring, which makes assembling and tearing down the Soft Bank a snap. Needless to say, 1,000W is a lot of light. This is much more than what you’ll need for portraits and talking heads.

• Digg This!
• del.icio.us
• Technorati
• StumbleUpon
• Reddit