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New HID lighting for video... could it be the best cost effective lighting solution
  • danyyyeldanyyyel

    I saw this post on dvxuser about using HID bulb and ballast to do video lighting.

    www.dvxuser.com/V6/showthread.php?311263-400w-Metal-Halide-6500k-anyone-tried-it

    He talks about this $ 35 bulb http://www.hidhut.com/400w-metal-halide-lamp-6500-kelvin-p-418.html and $ 100 ballast. The bulb is 400 watt 6500 k and 90 cri (to be verified). If this is the case for $ 150 dollars you would get a reflector bulb/ballast socket system that would yield about the power of a 1500/2000 watt tungsten light in little overcast cloudy kelvin (6500k) that can be gelled easily with little power loss to 5600. Hard light that can be shaped much more than any soft light.

  • 7 Replies sorted by
  • BrandtBrandt

    This construction guide was posted several years ago by Sean McVeigh. http://www.smallpony.ca/hmi1/

  • RRRRRRRR

    I don´t see much of a problem with the lack of casing / lens / parabolic construction with these fixtures; rather, they could be absolutely great mounted in chimeras, chinese lanterns or similar soft lighting possibilities. (mind, diffusing is often used to counter issues with HMI fixtures)

  • danyyyeldanyyyel

    @josh_chiara that is important to know. But if we take a ballast and bulb from same manufacturer we will be on safe side. I have also seen some bulbs that you can put in all orientation and others that must be set vertical etc with only some degrees. If is just finding some combination, it would yield big result for not too much money.

  • josh_chiarajosh_chiara

    The problem with DIYing HID lights is that the ballasts are mostly bulb specific. And if you get some of the cheaper more generic universal ballasts, they may not work right. For example, they may not have the proper color temperature and CRI that the bulb is rated for with a different ballast. Or they may strike, but not stay on, they pulse slowly.

    I was very interested in this particular field of inquiry, because I love HMI lighting, and it is extremely expensive. But it seems that there is not enough definitive info available, so its a lot of trial and error.

    Also, the bulbs have a lot of individual quirks. Some of them have to stay at specific angles. Also, the ratings are sometimes very confusing. For example a 575 watt bulb, that is a standard HMI fixture bulb, requires a super specific ballast, as the watt and amps required for the bulb are very confusingly rated.

    I think a lot of manufacturers specifically keep these things under wraps, so they don't lose a bunch of money.

  • danyyyeldanyyyel

    @Vitaliy Hi, I did a search which did not yield any threat that is why I created this one. For sure it would be better to get some fresnel case, many could diy some of the Chinese Arri tungten clones. I even find it strange than nearly no one used HID/CMD (the only solution I saw was from coollights) in tungsten fixtures when you have 150 watt 90+ CTI bulb at 3000k that would equal a 600/750 tungsten.

  • Vitaliy_KiselevVitaliy_Kiselev

    @danyyyel

    I think we had some old discussion about HID bulbs if I remember correctly.

    It still requires fresnel case and lens for optimal preformance.

  • danyyyeldanyyyel

    I wrote this as a follow up on the dvxuser thread with links to 90+ cri HID/CMD brands and bulb

    It is a little strange why people did not investigate a bit more the HID CMD tech for video. I think it is because in the mindset of everyone the bulb should be either 3000k or 5600k. Some have been advocating 4500 as being ideal because you could gel without do much loss to get to daylight or tungsten. doing some research about high cri HID I fell on this http://1000bulbs.com/search/?page=1&filter[category]=5034&filter[cri%28float%29]=90..0 . There is a whole bunch of bulbs and the ballast are not that costly. Most of them are either 3000k or 4200k.

    Some bulb that come out a bit is like this one which looks very close to the one you listed but at 250 watt

    http://1000bulbs.com/product/57206/MHS-025026683.html

    Another one which 1000 watt is a bit pricey but even 5500k with 92 cri

    http://1000bulbs.com/product/70124/MT1000D-HTL.html

    Very high cri of 95, for 150 watt and 4000k

    http://1000bulbs.com/product/60007/MHS-CMP150T6942.html

    There are some interesting brand but I can't see the prices etc as I don't live in the US.

    6000k - 90 cri - 400, 600, 1000 watt

    http://www.sunmastergrowlamps.com/SunmasterFullNova6000K.htm

    5000k - 90 cri

    http://www.venturelighting.com/naturalwhite/NaturalWhite_TechCenter.html

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