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DIY Satellite dish light


Jan Sandvik

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I thought this DIY Perks build was very interesting. It's a parabolic satellite dish covered with a mirror surface. It's used with a COB led to create some parallel rays of light. To my eye it looks very much like sunlight. There are also some interesting theory in the video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6bqBsHSwPgw

To skip to the part where you can see how the light looks, skip to 8:50 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6bqBsHSwPgw&t=8m50s

I thought this was very interesting, used satellite dishes are practically free and the thing could be lit with just any COB led. Does a commercial solution already exist? Thoughts?

Edited by Jan Sandvik
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That is interesting. I figured silver-taping a dish like that would cause wrinkles and breaks in the reflection. Its so huge!

The only things I'm aware of are the Dedolight 1200w PB70 (renamed CRLS 70).

Dedolight 1.2kw PB70.
https://www.dedolightcalifornia.com/collections/pb70-parallel-beam-light

 

Softsun 3.5kw Parabolic.
http://www.attitudelighting.com/equipment/softsun-3-5k-parabolic/#:~:text=The SoftSun 3.5K Parabolic,smooths out those unwanted wrinkles.

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The commercial solutions seem to be either expensive/heavy and smaller in size. 

 

I have experience in using parabolic silver umbrellas in photography, they produce a beautiful light. But they aren't as effective since their shape isn't close to perfect, and the catchlights and reflections look ugly.

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15 hours ago, Stephen Sanchez said:

That is interesting. I figured silver-taping a dish like that would cause wrinkles and breaks in the reflection. Its so huge!

I think it's the small imperfection in the shape of the dish that will make seams and other small imperfections disappear.

I also find solar cookers interesting as a starting point, something like this: (looks relatively easy to put on a light stand) https://www.sunshineonmyshoulder.com/sun-chef-review/

Here is a big one, about 6 x 6 feet (wonder if the seams will show up in the light?)  https://www.amazon.com/Rectangle-Concentrating-Temperature-Environmental-Protection/dp/B081P35BJR/ref=sr_1_1

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  • 2 weeks later...
On 11/1/2020 at 9:43 AM, Jan Sandvik said:

I thought this DIY Perks build was very interesting. It's a parabolic satellite dish covered with a mirror surface. It's used with a COB led to create some parallel rays of light. To my eye it looks very much like sunlight. There are also some interesting theory in the video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6bqBsHSwPgw

To skip to the part where you can see how the light looks, skip to 8:50 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6bqBsHSwPgw&t=8m50s

I thought this was very interesting, used satellite dishes are practically free and the thing could be lit with just any COB led. Does a commercial solution already exist? Thoughts?

I think this is really incredible! I have been watching the CRLS system for quite some time, and in some of the changing partnerships it seems the parabolic HMI got lost, though to me it seems like a really essential ingredient to the process. I am going to play around with making one of these with a small sized dish.

DIY perks is an amazing channel. I really wanted to copy some of his LED builds in the past. The larger LEDs he works with is really an insight into what Aputure will be releasing in the near future. His last build with a 1.5k LED COB looks like it will eventually filter down to a HMI killer of a fixture eventually.

His "sky reflectance" panel seems very cool as well. Would having a "blue sky scattering panel" also help our process of trying to replicate the quality of daylight? Making a similar device in a 4x4 frame to be used with our standard grip gear?

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