GE AR . LED INNOVATIONS
Lighting the way
Our beloved industry is never short on invention, and lighting is certainly no exception. Here, leading manufacturers, experts and creatives take us for a tightrope walk along the cutting edge
WORDS. Lee Renwick IMAGES. Various
A s the first few frames of a picture flit by, it is perhaps light that makes the most instant, indelible mark. Throughout the years, this field has seen a staggering amount of technological advancement. This has enabled quicker productions, shooting in challenging physical spaces, and placed virtually limitless creative potential in the hands of filmmakers. From where we currently stand, it seems as though the future lies in LED. Few technologies have shaken up the status quo in quite the same way – that’s not to say there’s no room for more traditional fixtures. For now, at least, they remain firm favourites of many established DOPs and gaffers, fulfilling an altogether different set of needs. But, with their more versatile skill “Natively, an LED has around 160° output, so intensity is lost quickly. Our lenses produce a narrow 46° beam and direct virtually every photon that way”
set, will LEDs soon be the go-to for all but a few requirements? Those in the know suggest so. A SPOTLIGHT ON TECH There are many moving parts when examining the features of a fixture, all relating to its inner workings. Output, colour accuracy and effects are key considerations, to name just a few. As far as the former is concerned, not many products offer quite as much as the Litepanels Gemini 1x1 Hard. “When moving from the 1x1 Soft to the 1x1 Hard, the innovation was a fairly simple mechanical one,” explains Michael Herbert, product manager for Litepanels. “We separated Daylight, Tungsten, red, green and blue LEDs and lensed them separately. When grouped, it’s a more lossy design, because the lenses are not such a close fit. “Natively, an LED has around 160° output, so intensity is lost quickly. Each of our lenses produces a narrow 46° beam and directs virtually every photon that way. It’s led to a light that only draws 200W at most, but puts out over 3000 lux at 3m. That’s a lot of creative potential on-set.” There are a few more sizable panels satiating a need for additional power. The Creamsource Vortex8 boasts an output equivalent to a 1.2kW HMI fresnel, though unlike an HMI it offers full RGBW
colour and a host of special effects. Naturally, LED lamps will offer even more on this front. The Aputure 1200D is set for release later this year, and is slated to offer brightness of over 83,000 lux from 3m, with its 15° reflector. “People like to compare the power of LED with HMI, and we
NEXT IN LINE Succeeding the popular 1x1 Soft, the Litepanels Gemini 1x1 Hard (below) is innovatively designed for maximal output
40. DEFINITIONMAGAZINE.COM
Powered by FlippingBook