Asbroadcast,
As always, it boils down to your budget and the scope of what you’re doing. For small shoots, as Rob mentioned a good 2-4 light kit from Lowell is a real winner. Arri makes some great light kits but they tend to be pricey (but worth it.) I used to be a big Kino Flo fan but since I’ve been building my own Compact Florescent light banks, paying $2k for a single light bank w/o bulbs has lost it’s appeal. As ‘Cat mentioned LED’s are a good choice these days. I’ve been experimenting with LED’s and they have lots of potential.
So what are you shooting? Small intimate scenes? Large scenes? In my overall light setup, I’ve got everything from a pro light kit, halogen work lights, hand held battery powered fluorescent lights, homemade light banks and LED camping lights. No one kit is going to be the ‘do all’ for you. If you can afford it, start out with a 3-4 light Lowell kit with Omni lights or a mix of Omni’s and Tota’s (don’t get an all Tota kit. One is more than enough.) Then start adding on extra lights as you need them. Lowel does have fluorescent kits but the bulbs are pricey.
