Digital Video - March 2008 - (Page 20)

IN REVIEW LOWEL EGO DIGITAL IMAGING LIGHT EGO TRIP LOWEL’S UTILITY LAMP IS THE CORE OF A SIMPLE TABLETOP SETUP. BY CHUCK GLOMAN L owel’s Ego is, basically, two medium-based, screw-in fluorescent bulbs behind a piece of white plastic. The result is a unique soft source. Ideal for tabletop shoots where soft lighting is needed, this option lists for $125 and will make itself right at home in your kit. It takes a little time to assemble the Ego, because you need to fit the rear bounce card into the plastic slots. My “kit” included two 27-watt 5500°K fluorescent bulbs, which consume very little power (a 70-watt bulb is the largest that the Ego accepts). A rocker switch on the power cord activates the light. Both lamps equal the output of a 200-watt incandescent lamp, but without the heat. Lowel claims these lamps last up to 10,000 hours but are not dimmable. The lamps themselves do get hot if on for an extended period of time, but little or no heat is felt through the plastic bounce card. The “tilt dial” on the back of the unit allows it to sit on a table to add lighting, while the screw adapter on the bottom lets you mount the Ego onto a tripod. A folded white bounce card is also supplied to provide the needed fill if the Ego is used as a key source. Though ideal for still photography, the The Ego from Lowel is an excellent light source for shooting small items or interviews. S ji jib Ego is just as comfortable in the world of video. I used it as a portrait light when shooting an interview. The unit can be placed within inches of the talent’s face without casting too much illumination (or burning the skin). The Ego is a great low-key or fill light; in fact, Lowel recommends using the Ego as a key source for a webcam. I found it to be an excellent fill source in shooting situations, and it’s now a permanent part of my tabletop shooting arsenal. My students use it on shoots because it’s lightweight but packs a powerful — yet soft — lighting punch. DV www.jmichaelmedia.com type SCORE LOWEL EGO PROS: Small, soft and powerful. CONS: Limited wattage. BOTTOM LINE: The Lowel Ego offers a soft, lowcost light that works equally well for still photography and videography. MSRP: $125 (Complete unit with lamps and bounce reflector) CONTACT: www.lowel.com C11208 “I can get the same great moves where I would normally need something much more substantial. This jib is easy to setup and simple to relocate.” simple visit us easy John Cassinari Executive Producer www.dv.com http://www.jmichaelmedia.com http://www.jmichaelmedia.com http://www.lowel.com http://www.dv.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Digital Video - March 2008

Digital Video - March 2008 Contents DV Update Q&A Fest Circuit Instant Expert LP-Micro Light Fusion F2 Drive PPFP-3N Bag Ego Digital Imaging Light KE-79CC Boom & Fuzzy Close-Up: Honoring George Spiro Dibie, ASC Food Fight Key Thoughts on Chroma key DV101 Dynamic Duos First Look: A Big Serve Cameras & Courtrooms Ad Index Production Diary

Digital Video - March 2008

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