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Light Output 9 Light vs 2.5 HMI


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The 9 light will give you tremendous punch, but also multiple shadows. You won't be able to run it from most portable generators, and you'll lose lots of output if you try to correct it to daylight. Par 64 lamps are expensive and have a relatively short life span. You'll also need 100 amp cable for it.

 

The 2.5 HMI is a more versatile lamp all round.

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Depends on how the 9-light is globed, you can use pretty narrow spot bulbs in there to get a lot of punch. In theory though, I think the 2.5K HMI will give you a bit more output but it also depends on if you are having to gel the 9-light with Full CTB, because then you'd be losing a lot of output and the HMI would definitely give you more.

 

On stage, I'd rather use a 9-light if through diffusion frames -- HMI's are more temperamental for one thing.

 

I worked with a Gaffer who always put Dinos into condors rather than HMI's, and his reasoning was that a tungsten lamp always works, plus he didn't need to run a head feeder cable up the condor arm. Too often, when an HMI develops problems on a condor, it becomes a big deal to trace what has gone wrong and replace it (bad head, bad head feeder cable, bad ballast, etc.)

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Thank you all for the quick responses. I really appreciate such a supportive filmmaking community. I ended up getting a replacement ballast for the 4k so it's up and working. It was a great discussion though in figuring out this problem.

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