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Shafts of Sun - Xenon Spot or HMI Fresnel?


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Hey, I wanna create shafts of light pouring into a smallish room. I am debating either using a 12k fresnel fixture light a silver bullet, which works fine, or trying a Xenon spot, like a 4k Xenotech. I've never used a Xenon spot for this purpose. I like the idea of the extra defined shaft of light. Does anyone care to comment?

 

steve

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Unless you can get a lot of distance from the window with the 12k you won't get much of a shaft from a source the size of a Silver Bullet (the big lens makes it a softer source).

 

I'd go with the Xenon, I really like them for shafts of light, but they definitely don't have the spread of a bigger source, very spotty.

 

Kevin Zanit

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Hey, I wanna create shafts of light pouring into a smallish room. I am debating either using a 12k fresnel fixture light a silver bullet, which works fine, or trying a Xenon spot, like a 4k Xenotech. I've never used a Xenon spot for this purpose. I like the idea of the extra defined shaft of light. Does anyone care to comment?

 

steve

Your instincts, of course, are correct. The Xenon is the more appropriate tool for a hard shaft of light. The only question is does the budget dictate that you can only have one or the other. That is: do you have to choose between the 12K and the Xenon? If so then that raises some other questions like do you have any other needs for a large source during the production? The 12K is a much more versatile tool and you could get fairly hard light out of it when you pull it away from your subject and still use it for something else. Ideally, you would have both units on the truck. Another alternative is to get a 12K Par so that you could use a narrow lens for the shaft of light. Again this is not as effective as the Xenon but then you have the other lenses to create other looks. But if it's just the one set up then go for the Xenon especially because you've never used it before. They're fun and can look convincingly like direct sun light. A little smoke can really sell this as well. Not to mention they do draw a lot less power than the 12K.

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I addition to what was said above ...

 

 

I like the intensity and the built in cut a Xeno beam has, but what I don't like is if you see the beam pattern on a wall or floor. You can see the beam pattern is more like a donut with a hole in the middle and you can easily see the beam fluctuating. If you can use it without seeing this than it can work really well. Which lead me to the other issue, when they work, they work well, but xenons tend to be way more finicky than HMI's. But if you get one from reputable rental house they should be fine. Or maybe you can sweet talk them in giving you a spare lamp and ballast just in case ....

 

Best

 

Tim

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