We are entering an era of film making where people want more and more for less. Technology has been changing so rapidly it can be hard to keep up with the latest and greatest. With the advent of better quality LED’s for film production, minimal power requirements can be met with the greatest of ease.
I had the pleasure of using one of these units for a feature I gaffed in Hawaii this past January. Being a Honda generator and car owner I’ve been partial to the Honda Eu2000i put put. I have to say I was unbelievably surprised by how much I enjoyed this little Ryobi on the Big Island. There are ergonomic features about this which are basic, but make the usability of this genie on set a dream.
Dual carry handles are phenomenal. If you ever had to carry a Honda 2000 more than 100′ alone it sucks. It’s just awkward. 50lbs isn’t much but when it’s banging against your leg the whole time it gets quite irritating. With this Ryobi, two people can grab each handle and it’sperfectly easy. Plus, there is a pull out handle and built in wheels. If you’re on concrete or a hard surface, pull it like a suitcase. REALLY GOOD THINKING. Honda hasn’t made these changes because they haven’t had to YET. They were the only real game in town with a good product in this market segment. Not anymore kids. The Ryobi has eco throttle just like the Honda so it will rev down conserving fuel and decreasing decibels per load demands. Take this out for $50/day or $150/week and see how easy it makes set life. I can provide you with enough daylight LED’s for a small night exterior all powered from just this genny all the while keep the sound mixer happy.
Third: I love that lite panel got hip to attaching the transformer to the yoke. This may seem trivial but when your on set and have to manage 25-50 cables, having one cord coming off this light with a self contained transformer fixed is really nice! The transformer can be swapped out for a V-mount or Gold mount battery for “off the grid use.”
