New Sony HDR-FX1000 & HVR-Z5 HD camcorders
It
looks like those not willing to give up on DV tape for their HD
recording needs now have a pair of new options to consider from Sony,
which has just introduced its HDR-FX1000 and HVR-Z5 camcorders at IBC.
The HDR-FX1000 (pictured) is the slightly more consumer-minded of the
two, with it boasting a not-outrageous price of £2,200, and some
impressive specs all around, including a 20x optical zoom, both 24p and
30p modes, and Sony's G-series lens, which promises to deliver some
top-notch images. The HVR-Z5E, on the other hand, offers some more
specialized features like XLR audio inputs, PAL and NTSC compatibility,
and support for the DVCAM format in addition to usual DV/HDV option.
Look for it to set you back £2,995 when it lands in December, with the
HDR-FX1000 set to slip out ahead of it early November.Even if our new FX1000 keeps the same look as the previous generation FX, Sony decided improve their camera with some nice improvements like a new G Lens that provides better quality images also tuned by the Exmor image processor and the '3 Clear Bit CMOS sensor', and a 20x optical zoom, and the possibility to have a 24p and 30p mode.
It looks like these two camcorders will replace the aging Z1 and FX1 HDV models.
New HDV Camcorder Offers Fixed 'G Lens' Native Progressive Recording and HYBRID Media Flexibility with a new optional Memory Recording Unit.
The HVR-Z5E offers excellent low-light performance
Sony today announced the latest generation of HDV production technology with a new compact camcorder, the HVR-Z5E and memory recording unit, the HVR-MRC1K. The camcorder features a new fixed “G Lens” system, native progressive recording capabilities, increased sensitivity for low-light conditions and an array of other features designed for general TV production, videographers, budget movie-makers and corporate video production professionals. The memory recording unit offers a CompactFlash™ recording option, not only for the new camcorder, but for all existing Sony professional HDV camcorders.
“Creating a product to rival the phenomenal success of the HVR-Z1E was always going to be tricky, but the fantastic feedback we got from our existing users has helped us do that with this new camcorder,” said Bill Drummond, European Product Marketing Manager. “Our engineers met target European customer groups, to understand where they could improve on the Z1E and today’s launch sees us deliver a product based on that feedback."
The new camcorder uses Sony’s new 1/3-inch 3 ClearVid CMOS Sensor system enhanced by the technology of Exmor. With its 45-degree rotated pixel layout, the 3 ClearVid CMOS Sensor system offers sufficient pixel surface area while it keeps high resolution. The technology of Exmor features a unique column-parallel analogue-to-digital conversion technique and dual noise canceling, resulting in high quality digital signals with extremely low noise, similar to the imaging technology used in the PMW-EX1 camcorder. The integration of the two new technologies allows the new camcorder to perform significantly better in low-light environments with sensitivity of 1.5 lux (at 1/25 shutter, auto iris and auto gain).
Sony's all-new 'G Lens' increases shooting flexibility
The camcorder’s shooting flexibility is further increased through the addition of a brand new fixed 'G Lens'. This sophisticated lens incorporates Sony's unique optical design and quality control and has been optimised to complement the camcorder’s advanced image sensor and image-processing technology. This lens offers a wide 29.5mm angle lens and brand new 20x optical zoom, as well as three ND filters (1/4, 1/16, 1/64) and independent focus, zoom and iris rings.
The HVR-Z5E also offers 1080/25p Native progressive recording along with the usual flexibility to switch between HDV/DVCAM and DV recording (1080/50i, 576/50i). 60Hz operation will also be available via an optional service upgrade. The camcorder can down-convert material from HD to SD, and output the video signals through its i.LINK interface and other SD output connectors. HDMI output is also available.
The HVR-MRC1K will be available to buy in October
In
addition at this year’s IBC, Sony will also launch the new HYBRID
memory recorder, the HVR-MRC1K. Previously, it was supplied as an
accessory with the HVR-Z7E and HVR-S270E, but strong customer feedback
sees it launch as a product in its own right.The HVR-MRC1K demonstrates Sony’s commitment to offering 'HYBRID’ recording options. The choice of media (Tape or CompactFlash), format recorded (HD&HD, HD&SD, SD&SD) and workflow (direct archive with tape or high speed NLE ingest with CompactFlash) can now be realised by all existing professional HDV users.
This unit captures the HDV1080i, DVCAM, or DV stream output from the camcorder and allows users to record HDV/DVCAM/DV files to a standard CompactFlash solid-state memory card, while users are simultaneously recording to tape. The recording times on an 8 and 16 GB CompactFlash card in HDV, DVCAM and DV format are approximately 36 and 72 minutes, respectively.
The HVR-MRC1K docked at the rear of the HVR-Z5E
The new HVR-Z5E has been designed specially for the HVR-MRC1K memory recording unit offering direct attachment to the rear of the camcorder, eliminating the need for cables. The unit automatically synchronises with the recording action of the camcorder and a special shoe connector inputs and outputs an HDV/DVCAM/DV stream and supplies power to the unit. For all other existing professional HDV and DVCAM users, the HVR-MRC1K comes supplied with a mounting bracket to mount the unit on the cold shoe of the camcorder. Connecting through the i.LINK connector couldn’t be easier with power being supplied via the readily available infoLITHIUM L series battery slot.
“The ongoing development of the HYBRID concept really excites me," added Drummond. "The ability to use any Sony professional HDV or DVCAM camcorder automatically gives customers the choice to move to tapeless on their terms. Backwards compatibility has always been a design goal for Sony, plus protecting customer’s investment in products. This product is a great demonstration that we are listening.”
The new HVR-MRC1K is planned to be available in October whilst the HVR-Z5E is planned for December. Further information on the HDV range and new accessories can be found at www.sonybiz.net/hdv
End of Press Release
More on the HDR-FX1000, HVR-Z5 & HVR-MRC1K
With the HDR-FX1000 camcorder, more adept consumer videographers gain access to cinematic features, including 24P scanning and advanced color settings for around £2,200. With the HVR-Z5E camcorder, professionals will appreciate its native 24P recording and other professional features—all for less than £2,995 as well as tapeless recording capability through an optional CompactFlash adapter.
“The HDR-FX1000 is appealing to the amateur videographer shooting weddings or the aspiring cinematographer,” said Kelly Davis, director of camcorder marketing at Sony Electronics. “The combination of film-like movie quality and advanced color settings makes it possible for prosumers to achieve the deep cinematic look they crave at a reasonable price.”
The HVR-Z5U camcorder offers a “step-up” solution for professionals who desire a more advanced set of features.
Both models use three of Sony’s ClearVid 1/3-inch CMOS sensor chips, which are designed to provide high sensitivity, deep resolution, high-speed reading, low noise and a wider dynamic range. The CMOS sensors capture full HD 1920x1080 resolution, resulting in better picture quality when recorded onto miniDV tape in the HDV format (1440 pixelsx1080 lines). Each of the three sensors is dedicated to one color—red, blue and green—for natural, more accurate color reproduction.
With a 45-degree rotated pixel layout, the ClearVid CMOS sensor system offers outstanding pixel surface area while maintaining high resolution. The Exmor technology features a unique column-parallel analog-to-digital conversion technique and dual noise canceling, resulting in digital signals with extremely low noise. The technologies combine to allow the new camcorders to perform significantly better in low-light environments with sensitivity of 1.5 lux.
Both cameras use Sony’s XtraFine LCD (3.2-inch, 921,000 dots) and XtraFine electronic viewfinder (0.45-inch, 1,227,000 dots) for high-resolution and high-contrast images with remarkable color reproduction.
The HDR-FX1000 is Sony’s first Handycam camcorder to feature progressive scan at 1080/24p and 30p, giving video productions a film-like look. Using a two to three pull down, the 24P scanned image is converted to 60i for easy editing with user’s existing software applications. CinemaTone Gamma and CinemaTone Color settings complement the 24P capabilities to create a rich dreamlike picture processing while three built-in neural density filters provide exceptional light control even in extremely bright environments.
Equipped with a refined level of optical performance, the HDR-FX1000 and the HVR-Z5E models are the first camcorders to have a Sony G lens with a 29.5mm wide-end viewing angle, extra-low dispersion glass and 20x optical zoom. The fixed lens is optimized to perfectly complement the cameras’ advanced image sensor and image-processing technology.
The HDR-FX1000 model enables prosumers to define their own manual settings for iris, gain, white balance, shutter speed and focus for increased creativity and control. Use of any of the three manual rings for adjustments to zoom, focus and iris provides even more flexibility.
The HVR-Z5E camcorder offers the addition of several features specifically designed for professional video production, such as progressive scan shooting at 1080/24P and 30P, DVCAM recording, timecode support and two XLR balanced audio inputs.
Professionals can record the native 24P/30P signal on to the videotape used in the camcorder or to CompactFlash cards – simultaneously or separately – with the optional HVR-MRC1K recording unit. This unit attaches directly to the back of the camcorder, eliminates the need for cables and automatically synchronizes with the recording action of the camcorder.
The recording unit can be directly attached to the new HVR-Z5E camera, as well as to Sony’s HVR-Z7E and HVR-S270E models. It will also work with other HDV camcorders using a supplied iLINK (IEEE-1394) cable and shoe adapter.
The camcorder, and the HVR-MRC1K adapter will be compatible with Sony’s Professional 306x CompactFlash card. The recording times on an 8 and 16 GB CompactFlash card in HDV, DVCAM and DV format are approximately 36 and 72 minutes, respectively.
Sony
will also launch the new HYBRID memory recorder, the HVR-MRC1K for a
suggested retail price of £600. Previously, it was supplied as an
accessory with the HVR-Z7E and HVR-S270E, but strong customer feedback
sees it launch as a product in its own right.This unit captures the HDV1080i, DVCAM, or DV stream output from the camcorder and allows users to record HDV/DVCAM/DV files to a standard CompactFlash solid-state memory card, while users are simultaneously recording to tape. The recording times on an 8 and 16 GB CompactFlash card in HDV, DVCAM and DV format are approximately 36 and 72 minutes, respectively.
The HVR-MRC1K docked at the rear of the HVR-Z5E. The new HVR-Z5E has been designed specially for the HVR-MRC1K memory recording unit offering direct attachment to the rear of the camcorder, eliminating the need for cables. The unit automatically synchronises with the recording action of the camcorder and a special shoe connector inputs and outputs an HDV/DVCAM/DV stream and supplies power to the unit. For all other existing professional HDV and DVCAM users, the HVR-MRC1K comes supplied with a mounting bracket to mount the unit on the cold shoe of the camcorder.
The new HVR-MRC1K is planned to be available in October.
Availability
The HDR-FX1000 camcorder will be available in early November at authorized dealers nationwide, Sony Style® retail stores and online through www.sonystyle.com.
The HVR-Z5E professional camera is expected to be available in December for a suggested list price of £2,995. The HVR-MRC1K recording unit should be out in October for a suggested list price of £600.
In addition to switchable NSTC and PAL modes, the HVR Z5E can also be used with Sony’s CF card recorder unit, similar to how the Z7E works. It’s worth noting that the Z7E’s CF recorder can be used with just about ANY firewire-equipped camcorder, though I imagine the Z5E will be sporting a mount point for it’s solid-state unit to simplify things. The Z5 can also be configured to output multiple formats, like HDV to tape while also outputting DV to CF media.
HDR-FX1000 (preliminary) features:
3-CMOS image sensors (Exmor processing)
24p/30p/60i
Sony G-series lens
20X optical zoom
NTSC DV/HDV (1440×1080)
HVR-Z5E (preliminary) features:
3-CMOS image sensors (Exmor processing)
24p/25p/30p/50i/60i
Sony G-series lens
20X optical zoom
NTSC/PAL DV/HDV/DVCAM (1440×1080)
XLR Audio
BALANCED & UNBALANCED
Rifle
mics (also referred to as shotgun mics) are the most commonly used
on-board camcorder microphones and come in various guises. Professional
shotgun mics are usually condenser style mics, which require power to
operate them, as opposed to dynamic mics, which do not. Dynamic mics use
a diaphragm against a moving coil with a permanently charged magnet,
much like a loudspeaker in reverse, whereas condenser mics use a thin
metallic coated membrane placed close to a stationary backplate. A total
electrical charge is then placed between the membrane and backplate,
either from a battery or 9v to 48v (phantom) power supplied from the
equipment to which the mic is attached, using the same audio cable,
hence the term 'phantom'. There are also some electret mics available,
which are similar to condenser mics, although they use permanently
charged electrostatic or polarized material, which does not in itself
require power, however, electret mics usually contain an integrated
pre-amplifier which does require power. While there are some very good
electret mics on the market, condenser mics are more commonly used in
rifle mic design, as they have a better low-noise characteristic
combined with a wider frequency response and a greater dynamic range
making them more suitable for rifle mic applications.
Microphones
that come supplied with new camcorders are rarely taken seriously, more
often than not they will be discarded and replaced with a decent mic.
There is a vast array of mics on the market ranging in price, quality
and specifications. As with your choice of camcorder it should depend on
your criteria. The term 'you get what you pay for' is not always true
and a good example is the entry-level professional mics from an
Australian company called Rode. They produce two rifle mics, the NTG-1
(phantom power only) and the NTG-2 (both phantom power and AA battery
power) they retail at around £141 and £160 respectively. Both mics have a
super-cardioid polar pattern, which is biased toward the front and
sides making them very directional and ideal for on-camera use. 
Sennheiser
K6 system has a unique modular design in that the K6 or K6P (phantom
power only) power supply module is sold as a separate unit for
approximately £230. Once you have the K6 power unit, you then have a
choice of five different mic capsules and three lavalier (tie-clip) mics
to choose from. The ME66 mic capsule is approximately £210 and has a
super-cardioid polar pattern and the ME67, at approximately £250, has a
(hyper-cardioid) polar pattern for a more extreme directional pick-up
pattern. Other capsules available are the ME62 (omni-directional), ME64
(cardioid) and the ME65 (super-cardioid) reporter's mic. Sony produces
two popular mics in this category, which are the ECM674 at approximately
£300 and the ECM678 at approximately £600. Both are super cardioid and
are electret condenser mics. The main difference between the two is that
the ECM678 has a better frequency response and dynamic range.
Finally
we come to the high-end professional microphones from makers such as,
Sennheiser, Sony, Neumann and Schoeps. Prices start from £850 upwards
with some Neumann and Schoeps models costing £2000 plus. So what do you
get for that sort of money, well? Absolute quality and precision. One
such example can be found in the Sennheiser MKH416 - a long-standing
model in the market, which Sennheiser once replaced with the MKH60, but
it has since been brought back into their catalogue due to public
demand; now the classic MKH416 and the newer MKH60 are available from
Sennheiser's current product catalogue. The MKH416 has been a favorite
of sound engineers for over 30 years and has earned the right to be
acclaimed as the 'industry standard'. Costing around £850, it is an
interference tube mic with a super cardioid polar pattern and uses
transformerless circuitry, which in short, means it is very sensitive
and has extremely accurate reproduction. All this is built into a
rugged, brass housing making it suitable for adverse climatic
conditions. The mic that was to replace it was the Sennheiser MKH60 and,
although it has a better low noise characteristic, sound recordists
still wanted the MKH416, hence Sennheiser bringing it back into
production.
PZM (PRESSURE ZONE) OR BOUNDARY MICS
The
further a mic is away from the subject the more ambience (room sound)
is included, the closer a mic is to the subject the less ambient sound
i.e. the subject will be more isolated and dominant, resulting in
clearer audio. This is usually referred to as 'the proximity effect'.
Good technique often utilizes a mixture of both, close miking for detail
and distant miking to add atmosphere. When combined with a radio kit,
the lavalier mic becomes an indispensable and useful tool in your audio
kit.
Lavalier
mics are more commonly used in conjunction with radio transmitters and
receivers, and having no trailing cables in-shot or to trip over is a
huge benefit. Wireless mic systems are widely available and are becoming
more and more sophisticated. Be careful if you plan to purchase from
abroad as the legal bandwidth will be different from one country to the
next. There is a choice of UHF or VHF, and of the two, the UHF band has
become the most popular as it offers more interference-free frequencies.
You will come across three distinct types of radio system. Single
channel receivers have one antenna and one receiver circuit. Diversity
receivers have two antennae and a circuit which selects the strongest
signal. True Diversity or Dual Diversity receivers have two totally
independent receiver modules and a circuit which selects the best
channel for both signal strength and signal-to-noise ratio. Other
functions available on some models include, Multiple banks, which allow
the user to choose a different frequency if more than one set is being
used, or you are sharing space with another videographer using wireless
mics. Pilot tone squelch, which will eliminate pops and clicks when the
equipment is switched on and off, it will also automatically mute the
equipment when the signal is either too weak or erratic. Auto-scan, is a
feature that will search for the best available frequency, while
Presets will memorise your favourite or most often, used settings.
You
will find all these features on both Sony's UWP system and Sennheiser's
ew100 G2 system, which are in the £450 to £560 price bracket. Apart
from body packs (which are supplied with a belt-clip or accessory-shoe
clip), there are also plug-in transmitters designed for reporter's
hand-held mics, these plug-in transmitters are compact units with a
built-in female XLR socket. Any self-powered mic can be plugged directly
onto the transmitter and used with a receiver. You can for instance,
plug one onto your rifle mic or reporter style mic, so they can be used
wireless. Top of the range radio mic kits tend to be dual or true
diversity and are of a module type design. They can be inserted directly
into the body of high-end camcorders and body pack cases are purchased
as optional accessories. For these systems you should expect to pay
£1000 plus, depending on what configuration is needed.
WINDSHIELDS & SOFTIES
A
furry zip-up windjammer cover can also be added to the zeppelin to
further stop air and eliminate rustling of the inner foam lining. The
Rycote full windshield system is by far the biggest seller and will set
you back around £400. The drawback is that zeppelins tend to be large
and not usable on-camera, they are more suited to sound recordists
operating the mic on the end of a boom pole. For use with an on-board
camera mic there are more compact systems that work on the same
principle. The Rycote softie is a push-on windshield and can be used
with a separate suspension mount and pistol grip. Rycote softies sell
for around £170 for a kit, which includes the windjammer, suspension
mount and pistol grip, the pistol grip allows it to be handheld or
fitted to a boom pole, or the suspention mount alone has a hot-shoe
adaptor that allows for direct mounting to the camcorder's accessory
hot-shoe. A less expensive option is the Lightwave Equaliser
windshields, which retail for £60. These zeppelins and windjammers have a
very simple but effective design. When the windshield costs nearly as
much as the microphone it may seem expensive, but I strongly advise
anyone to budget for a decent windshield when purchasing a mic if you
want good results.
There
is not an awful lot to say about microphone Boom Poles. They are
usually telescopic and come in various lengths; the most common being
around 10 feet when fully extended. There are a few factors that
determine the price of any given boom pole. First there are the raw
materials they are made from. A cheaper boom pole will generally be made
from aluminium whilst the more expensive ones are made from carbon.
Carbon is lighter so it is easier on the arms of the person who has to
hold it above their head for long takes. There are two ways for the
microphone cable to travel down the boom pole. The cheaper boom poles
will simply have Velcro straps that allow you to strap the microphone
cable to the outside of the pole every two feet or so. More expensive
boom poles might have the cable running down the inside of the pole so
no Velcro strips are required, this is tidier and keeps the cable out of
the way.
HEADPHONES
Cheap
headphones are better than no headphones, but good monitoring
headphones will give you a better representation of the audio being
captured. Headphones will have either an open back, which can have a
more natural sound or a closed back, which are better for stopping sound
leakage as well as providing isolation of the outside world. For use
with a camcorder the closed back type is a better option and there are
many on the market. Sennheiser, Beyerdynamic and Sony all produce
headphones in the £20 to £50 price range. Sennheisers HD212 and
Beyerdynamic DT231 give very good value for money. With a Beyerdynamic
DT250 (closed back) at £90, you can expect more accurate reproduction,
comfort and durability. They are available in regular 80 Ohms or 200
Ohms for equipment with a weaker output. The velvet ear-pads are user
replaceable and so is the coiled cable which terminates in both
mini-jack and ¼ inch stereo jack. An alternative would be the Sennheiser
HD25, which at £120 has proved a best seller. As with the Beyerdynamic
DT250 these are closed back, over-ear headphones and are particularly
good in the field. Monitoring of the audio via headphones in
postproduction would be better with open or half-open reference
headphones although the HD25 or DT250 will do at a pinch.
DIGITAL FIELD RECORDERS
and
afterwards you simply download the audio files onto your laptop or
computer via the built-in USB interface. Further up the range are the
field recorders such as the Fostex FR2 and the Tascam HD-P2 at £785 and
£850 respectively. Both machines are 2 track and capable of giving
professional 24 bit sound quality. They also incorporate timecode
allowing them to be synchronised to video recorders and other external
devices. The Edirol R-4 at £1000 is a 4 track, 40GB hard-drive recorder
and records 17 hours of high quality 24-bit audio. Also featured is a
limiter, which prevents sound peaks from overloading and becoming
distorted, plus 5 different effects. At the top of the range you will
have a choice of machines like Sound Devices 744T at £3000 or even up to
the HHB Portadrive at £7000. These fully equipped recorders are
designed for the professional sound recordist to deal with any given
audio situation.
It
is becoming more and more common these days for mics to be connected
directly to a camcorder, relying on the cameras pre-amps and then mixing
in post-production. It has to be said that the cameras on-board
pre-amps are not exactly audiophile quality and cameras rarely if ever
have any mixing facility, enter the soundman with a field mixer. With
the use of a field mixer the soundman is able to not only mix several
sources at the same time, but also shape the sound so that what goes
into the audio recorder or camcorder is as near to the final product as
is possible. The American company Sound Devices make a small mixer
called the Mixpre, at £650 this is one of the best small 2-channel
studio quality field mixers available. It has a built-in limiter which
will stop sound peaks clipping and overloading the system. It can be
powered either by mains or battery. 
As
you step-up in price, you will then be looking at three, four, five and
six channel mixers from makers such as, Sound Devices and SQN, these
can cost anywhere between £2500 and £4500 and will deliver the very best
professional sound quality.
The
quality of light produced by either a natural or artificial light
source is often categorized as Hard or Soft light. An unobscured sun or
an undiffused Redhead for example are both hard light sources. These
types of hard lighting sources reveals shape and texture and creates the
overall modeling for your subject. Hard light gives the picture
definition and vigor, and is essential to create a three-dimensional
illusion. Hard Light refers to a point source of light, such as the sun
or a single open-faced Redhead, which produces hard shadows. The best
point sources are also very controllable, with the use of barn doors and
projection attachments for example. Hard light can be used in many ways
as it has a long throw, however, it does create dense and high contrast
shadows that need to be watched as they can produce very unflattering
results. Hard light is imminently necessary and desirable for some
shooting situations, especially when you want to simulate intense
sunlight or the crisp light of the moon. However, hard light has to be
used carefully. Strong modeling and dramatic shadows will give your
images a dynamic appeal but, if it is used badly or inappropriately,
hard light can produce crude modeling and coarse tonal contrasts. For
most of todays shooting situations, many Lighting Cameramen like to use
at least some level of diffusion to give you that feeling of natural
lighting. Even a light frost sheet of diffusion material attached to the
barn doors of a fresnel will help create a more natural lighting
effect.
Most
modern lighting is a subtle blend of hard and soft light. Although most
key light sources are hard, you will usually want to control their
shadows and tonal contrast by introducing a certain amount of soft 'fill
light'. Soft Light refers to a light source that has a large surface
area in relation to the subject, so that the light 'wraps' around the
subject. In the past, lighting cameramen would achieved this effect by
bouncing light off ceilings and walls, but this is now largely
considered to be a very crude way of achieving soft light, as it is very
uncontrollable and can end up producing very flat images. Soft light
sources tend to destroy texture and are not so controllable as hard
light so soft light sources are normally used to fill in the shadows and
control the contrast created by the main key light, which would
normally be hard. More common ways to create controllable soft light is
to use softboxes; these are black fabric boxes with white diffusion
material across the front, which converts the hard light source into a
soft light source. 
Softboxes
can be used with fresnels and open-faced lights such as Redheads and
Arrilites. However, they do turn an inefficient light source into an
even more inefficient one. The advantage of softboxes is that they
produce a lovely soft light source and they pack away efficiently.
However, setting them up and packing them away can be time consuming,
especially when they have been on a hot Redhead for a few hours as the
ring and other metal parts will be very hot and you will have to wait
for them to cool down first; this partly offsets the portability
advantage when compared to something like the fluorescent Kino Flo
Diva-Lite, which produces a lovely soft light and only takes seconds to
set up and tear down. The latter also has the advantage of being slim
when set up, so it does not take up valuable shooting space. However,
fluorescent units like the Kino Flo Diva-Lite have a very short throw
compared to hard light sources, which means you have to move the lights
in much closer to your subject. All soft lights can benefit from the use
of grids (also known as egg crates). These grids enable the soft light
to be controlled so that the spread of light is confined to the subject
and does not spill all over the set.
A
lamp that uses a tungsten filament. Also known as Hot lights. These are
filament lights with the same characteristics as a domestic table lamp
in a house, but usually a lot bigger. The biggest one currently in
general use in the film market is 20,000 watts. This light is huge, but
most portable solutions for mobile crews are no bigger than 2000 watts
and with today's modern DV cameras a 1000-watt unit would be as powerful
as you would want to go.
HMIs
are arc lights contained in a sealed capsule.The HMI (and the MSR
version) has a number of advantages over Tungsten lights. The main one
being its incredible efficiency; it can produce five times the light
output of tungsten light per watt i.e. more of its power consumption is
going into the actual light output, as opposed to heat generation, which
means less heat and less power consumption. Because it is a
daylight-balanced light, it can be used to great effect outside as a
fill in light to the sun. Again there is a huge range of HMI units
available from 200w right up to 18K. The average size for the mobile
crew is around 400w. HMIs require a special power supply known as a
ballast. The role of the ballast is to limit eh amperage that runs
through the arc. The ballast also outputs the correct voltage for a
particular HMI globe and also includes special circuitry to 'strike' (or
start) the arc.
A
very popular - and relatively new - addition to this list of lighting
equipment are fluorescent instruments. Fluorescent lights are a phosphor
based lamp technology, which relies on a number of elements to make
them work well in a video/film environment. For many years they had a
bad reputation for producing green spikes and irregular colour problems
as well as flicker problems. These problems have now been overcome
mainly by the great work of a Hollywood based company called Kino Flo.
In the late 80s, Kino Flo introduced colour balanced tubes in both
tungsten 3200K and daylight 5600K. The research and development of Kino
Flo have evened out the nasty green spikes and eliminated any flicker at
the same time. These units have all the advantages of regular
industrial fluorescent lights; only without the sickly green spike or
flicker. The Kino Flo Diva-Lite has a built in high-frequency ballast
and dimmer. The Diva-Lite is a small lightweight portable unit that is
very easy to transport, set up and pack away.
There
is no doubt that LED lights are the future. The advantages of LED
lights are many, including: cold running, lightweight, compact, low
power consumption, to name a few. 95% of the power sent to an LED light
is transferred into actual light, whereas with a tungsten/halogen light,
approximately 75% of the power is transferred into heat; great if you
are heating your house, not so great if you are trying to light a set.
Although LED lights are relatively new in the world of video and TV
productions, they are fast making in-roads onto sets around the world.
They are also very popular in corporate and location video productions
due to their compact size and lightweight. Unlike tungsten filament
lights, LED lights are cool/cold running; even when left on all day.
There are many advantages to cool-running lights. Apart from the obvious
health and safety advantages, they won't cook your talent on set.
Because the technology is relatively new, prices are still a bit on the
high side, also, the light 'throw' from LEDs is not as good as say a
regular Blonde or Redhead light; but this is changing as technology
improves.
A
small portable mains powered tungsten lighting unit, usually 800 watts
in power output. The Redhead is an open-faced light designed in the
1970's. It is called the Redhead because it was always (and largely
still is) red in colour. Rumor has it that the inventor needed to use a
plastic composite to build the heads out of, and red was the only colour
he could get his hands on. Today, Ianiro and Photon Beard continue that
colour tradition, Arri, however, now use the colour blue. By today's
standards the Redhead is considered unmanageable i.e. it is a difficult
light source to control and is even considered to be a little
over-powered for modern DV camcorders that simply don't need that much
lighting power due to their excellent low-light capabilities. The
Redhead (by today's standards) is inefficient, runs very hot and the
bulbs tend to have a short life and are also expensive to replace.
However, the Redhead sometimes has its moments; for example when a
volume of light is needed and finesse is not an issue; such as lighting a
green-screen. Manufacturers include: Arri, Ianiro, Photon Beard,
Strand. Prices range from £125 to £200 per unit.
Blondes
are the more powerful 2000 watt tungsten big brother of the Redhead and
like the Redhead, the Blonde is an old open-faced lighting unit
technology. The Blonde is named so because the colour of its case was
always yellow (or blonde). They were called Blondes as kind of a follow
up name to the Redhead; I guess somebody thought it would be a smart
thing to do. These days not all Blondes are yellow in colour, Arri's
Blonde (called the Arrilite 2000) is in fact blue. Like Redheads,
Blondes will become very hot in operation, which can create a hot and
uncomfortable working environment for your cast and crew. Like the
Redhead, they are also very uncontrollable with just 4 barn doors to
help shape the light. However, Blondes do have there uses when extreme
amounts of light is called for. Although Blondes are an older lighting
instrument design, they are still in wide use in many studios around the
world today. Manufacturers include: Arri, Ianiro, Photon Beard, Strand.
Prices range from £225 to £400 per unit.
Invented
in 1822 by French physicist Augustin Jean Fresnel. The Fresnel light is
a lensed lighting instrument and has been around for many years in many
guises. It is an optical system designed to focus light efficiently.
The Fresnel optical system is used on many different wattage heads and
is an improvement in terms of control in comparison to Redheads and
other open faced lights, but the Fresnel still does not get any where
near the focusable control of a Dedolight, which uses two internal
focusable lenses, as opposed to just one glass lens on the front. When
used in tungsten heads the same issues apply as to heat verses wattage,
which is not good, as power consumption can be an issue. However, the
Fresnel lens lighting unit is in common use on all film sets where the
bigger versions are a staple to the lighting professional. For the small
crew Fresnels such as the Arri Junior range are a great option, they
range from 150 watts to 650 watts. Other more efficient solutions are
available, such as the Dedolight and the Kino Flo Diva-Light.
Manufacturers include: Arri, Ianiro, Photon Beard, Strand. Prices range
from £175 to £1000 per unit.
Invented
by the German DoP Dedo Weigert in the 1990's. Without doubt the most
versatile and controllable hard light on the market today. It normally
runs off mains but can also run off any 12v battery such as a car
cigarette lighter socket. Don't let its small size fool you; this light
will be the first one out of your car every time. With a spot to flood
ratio of 1:20 (the next best technology is 1:6) a 150 watt Dedolight
produces the same light output of a 500 watt fresnel on flood. On spot
it has an incredible throw of over a 100 feet. The Dedolight also has a
projector attachment system that uses gobos to throw many different
focusable effects such as background patterns, venetian blinds, sunlight
through trees etc. All of this comes at a price, but the Dedolight is
very economical to run once bought and also has excellent bulb life and
when they do eventually go, they only cost £3.50 each to replace. In
January 2006 Dedo Weigert designed a brand new Dedo 'Soft Light'. There
are a few options available with the new soft light, but the most
popular model is the DLH1X150 Tungsten Soft Light, which is designed to
fit inside the small softbox designed specially for it; you can also
remove the front baffle diffuser from the softbox to get a harder light
source with more spread as well as being able to buy an 'Egg Crate' to
attach to the front of the softbox to make the soft light more
directional. The new soft lights are available in 150, 300 and 1000 watt
power outputs and start from £375 including softbox and inline dimmer
switch. If you are buying for the long-term (unlike cameras, lights have
a long working life) you could do a lot worse than invest in a kit of
Dedolights. Lights with an in-line dimmer start at £350 per unit.
Kino
Flo mastered perfect colour balanced 3200K and 5600K fluorescent
flicker-free tubes in the late 1980's. A compact fluorescent lighting
unit that consists of four 55-watt colour corrected bulbs in kit form
for easy transportation. The advantage of this system is the speed of
use coupled with a practical lightweight fixture design, and most
importantly, the colour correct quality of light that it emits. The
Diva-Lite can be bulbed with either tungsten or daylight broadcast
quality bulbs, making it very efficient in all environments without the
loss of light due to filters. It is also possibly the fastest way to
achieve high quality soft light on location. Created by Kino Flo, who
have an Oscar for their fluorescent lighting system. This light won
'Portable Light of the Year' at NAB in 2004. Diva-Lite kits start from
£1178
