Broncolor Flash Pack Bonanza

[Mal Paso]

Interesting. I leave a 2400 WS 3x4 foot softbox, on a boom, parked against the ceiling and swing it down for use. It would be nice to attach it to the ceiling but can't figure a way to angle it as easy as the boom. I miss my superboom but that's more room than I can spare right now.

I just picked up a 21x74 inch Photoflex Half Dome minus the speed ring for $95 delivered, I couldn't say no. I found I already had the speed ring from another lot. I used to have the large Chimera and always wanted a strip light that size.

[Daniel Unkefer]

Broncolor Balloon Primo Head Primo A 1600J Octobox 150 Manfrotto Scissors by Nokton48, on Flickr

A 1600J Broncolor Primo Head is connected to a Manfrotto Scissors, connected to Ceiling with a FOBA Combitube Mount. Beautiful fill light from the Balloon, as soft as you can get, set at 90 degrees to the set. Octobox 150 Main Light (set one stop brighter) at 45 Degrees. Could do a group of ten, if I was doing that. I bought five of the Manfrotto Scissors, $50 each at World of Used Photography. Turns out they are close to $500 each at B&H. Cheap Cheap. My Universal Heads are in individual boxes (up top Metro Shelving on wheels) heads and cables. My big Olde Broncolor Universal Fresnel Spots are in the big boxes near the bottom. Room for loose stuff on top of the boxes. If I invest in a rail system I can slide these lights easily around. This is fine for now.

https://broncolor.swiss/products/balloon

[Mal Paso]

OK, I'm jealous.

[Daniel Unkefer]

It gets even better. Stay tuned for more Broncolor stuff.

[Mal Paso]

I just rebuilt my 2nd Tri-Lite 2000. I cleaned the bulbs and condensers with alcohol wipes and the iris with Chemtool on a towel. The iris was still sticking so I blew a little graphite into it, smooth as silk now. The felt runners under the lens were disintegrating and hanging up the focus so those were removed and replaced with a piece of black HDPE from the side of an oil jug. Slick as snot and looks good too. Finally a drop of oil on the tension spring to stop the squeak when focusing.

I am getting dependent on my first Tri-Lite and immediately ordered a backup modeling lamp, $16. When I looked for a flashtube, $310. I thought if I looked for a bit I could probably buy 2 complete Tri-Lites for that. I bought the "new" one for $148 delivered with a 2nd lens, spare bulb and stand. It's 100% now and ready if I need 2 or a backup.

[Daniel Unkefer]

Putting a fine Pulso Grid on my Universal Fresnel Spotlight really tightens the circle nicely and cuts out light spill. I want to attach barndoors as well, I'll use Manfrotto 375 Multiclips, and Black Matte Board for the Barndoors. Flooter Barndoors ($428.95) won't attach to my Olde Universals so I'll have to get creative. I have four P70 Fine Grids, so I can cut down a few to fit the Universal Fresnels. Repurposing what I have! Also I rewired my Black Incandescent FOBA Fresnel Spotlight and it now works good with 120V USA Bulbs. It came with a 220V 1000W lamp, that's just too HOT and too bright actually. I'll find the right bulb for it, 250W will be good for digital. Making something useful out of something I couldn't use when I bought it cheaply. I also bought one more Soonpho Optical Spot without the condenser lens and gobo blades, so now I have two with condenser and GB, and two without. The basic unit is $109 which is about as cheap as you can get, especially compared to the Wescotts. I adapt these from Godox mount to Broncolor Impact/Visatec. POOR MAN'S PECOLIGHT for micro lighting teeny tiny details up close. I have a complete set of different sized PINHOLES laser drilled (Ebay) which make these real useful for me for literally pinpoint lighting. Not like anything else I have, really. Got the idea from Karl Taylor in his excellent Pecolight comparison YouTube. ^^^

[Mal Paso]

Fascinating! Norman had some light pipes that attached to the Tri Lite spots, I will keep my eye out. I've used those before lighting complex machinery but they were tungsten not strobe.

Sunday, I made 5/8" stainless steel bushings for the last 3 heads. Norman sockets are 3/4, come with bushings which are all lost before the flash head ever gets to me. All my spuds are 5/8.

[Daniel Unkefer]

Kodak XX 120 D23 1to1 Plaubel Makina Back by Nokton48, on Flickr

First rolls freshly developed Eastman Double-X XX 120 in Plaubel Makina 6.5x9cm Film Back. Plaubel Peco Junior View Camera 150mm F9 Apo Ronar with Broncolor C200 Octobox 150 Lighting. D23 1:1 JOBO Multitank 5 (six roll capacity) Unicolor Uniroller. 12 minutes at 68F. Beefy looking negatives as I am used to with 35mm XX. These will all be easy to print with the usually XX qualities but in the superior larger format. Bravo to the Creator of this! More coming I like this film. Olde 6.5x9cm Plaubel Makina 120 Back is playing nice too Two at F22 and two at F16, to give myself a choice.

A Cinematographer Friend of mine commented "What is that that looks like it came off of Skylab ??". LOL Actually it's a FOBA 1000W Lamp Base, hacked to Broncolor Pulso Universal mount, with Broncolor Universal Snoot with homemade Grid. Mounted on a FOBA Combitube Light Stand with tri-leg base. Swiveling FOBA Arms let you put stuff exactly where you want it to be.

BTW be careful with Broncolor Snoots, which can cause nasty burns. Kevin Taylor got a very bad burn, when he placed his arm on one. Give it a wide berth!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NQcY9g125Bg

[dxp]

...BTW be careful with Broncolor Snoots, which can cause nasty burns. Kevin Taylor got a very bad up and down burn, when he placed his arm on one. Give it a wide berth!

Oh I learnt this the other day when having a little play with one of the C200 monos with the snoot attached. Had it set to full power with the mod lamp on—just for a few minutes—popped a shot, switched the mod light off, and then 30 seconds later went to remove the snoot...

Let's just say it was another 5 minutes or so before I tried again!

[Daniel Unkefer]

18x24 8x10 Norma 300 Symmar Norma Auto Iris by Nokton48, on Flickr

Here I'm using the Broncolor Balloon, Primo 1600J Ninety Degrees to the set, and an Octobox 150 with Primo 1600J Head at forty-five degrees camera left, set one stop brighter than the Balloon fill light. A silver reflector camera right, just out of the cameras view. Primo 2 Power pack mounted to Broncolor Senior Stand with wheels, I bought a pack holder from China that neatly attaches the pack at the base of the stand. It exactly fits the 1600J and 3200J Power Packs so, Nice. Hasselblad 500C/M with CFV16 Digital Back, 80mm black C T* Planar lens. F16 indicated, I bracketed and uses the frame that looked best on my computer. This is kind of like my olde large format portrait setup, upscaled with more power, Thanks to Broncolor. This is 8x10/18x24 Sinar Norma #2, with 300mm chrome Sinar Norma Aperture Control Board. Super Speedy to operate and a location camera I have used a lot in the past. Looking forward to getting back out there with it