Lighting Test Gallery, Alzo, Photoflood, Mole, Arrilite

Shawn Philip Nelson

Shawn Philip Nelson

Veteran
I recently purchased one of the Alzo "HMI" HID lights and wanted to make a fairly objective test as for the light quantity. They advertise "800w" equivelent output for only 140w power consumption. Well a claim like that needs to be tested. So I did a simple test, I put up a few of my scotch collection then put a stand a few feet away and swapped out a bunch of lights on the stand (keeping same distance and height) and photographed them all.

Setup: I put the Alzo light (I bought the bulb and ballast kit) into an E27 base open face light I had on a stand about 4 feet away. Then I swapped out the Alzo for a GE 500w Photoflood 4800k "bluecoat" bulb in the same open face housing. Then I put in a 250w quart halogen 3200k bulb in the same housing. Then I put a Mole 407 Baby Solerspot on the stand and opened the fresnel front so that it became a 750w open face. Then lastly I put an Arrilite 1k open face on the stand.

Camera: I used a Canon 20d set to ISO 400, 1/60 shutter, daylight WB and I used a Nikkor 50mm f1.4 lens set to f5.6 for all lights.

So the only thing that changes from picture to picture is the light.

First the setup (taken on the last setup when the Arrilite 1k was on it, you can see my tripod in the corner)
http://www.nelsonentertainment.com/photos/LightTest/LT_setup.jpg

Then the tests
http://www.nelsonentertainment.com/photos/LightTest/LT_Alzo.jpg
http://www.nelsonentertainment.com/photos/LightTest/LT_500wPhoto.jpg
http://www.nelsonentertainment.com/photos/LightTest/LT_250wQuartz.jpg
http://www.nelsonentertainment.com/photos/LightTest/LT_Mole750w.jpg
http://www.nelsonentertainment.com/photos/LightTest/LT_Arrilite1k.jpg

Conclusion:
I have no idea why the 250w bulb appears to be the same as the Arrilite 1k. It looked that way in person. I wonder if I got an overdriven one or something. Discarding that, the Alzo does appear to be outputting around 800w worth of light.
 
Hey Shawn,
thanks for the test. Yes, its weird about the 250w (did it have the light more focused than the rest. ie. a reflector?). But the Alzo does look like its outputting a little more than the mole750 but less than the Arrilite1k. It would have been cool if you had done these test also white balanced to 3200k. The alzo looks really good, but part of it is because its wb to better suit it.
Thanks again.
 
Thanks shawn! what's up with that 250 Quartz? Can I buy it from you? lol

it seems to me that the alzo bulb gives quite the softer light for just the bulb... how big is the bulb itself?
look at the shadow cast on the Glenlivet box by the a'bunadh bottle... I was hoping for clearer edges...
For results like that I'll have to get a real HMI or a "blue line" or other tungsten and CTO it up... right?
 
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wait looking at the 750 mole and Alzo pics again I think the Alzo might be a tad under the 750's output... look at the shadow cast on the pancake by the WoodfordReserve bottle... especially behind the darker Wiskey bottle
the color throws me off, what do you guys think? 600? what is the ratio supposed to be for the output for these types of light compared to tungsten? or what is is for normal "expensive" HMIs isn't it supposed to be only around four times brighter? that would make it 560w... or is it closer to five times? that would be 700...
 
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shawneous said:
I recently purchased one of the Alzo "HMI" HID lights and wanted to make a fairly objective test as for the light quantity. They advertise "800w" equivelent output for only 140w power consumption. Well a claim like that needs to be tested. So I did a simple test, I put up a few of my scotch collection then put a stand a few feet away and swapped out a bunch of lights on the stand (keeping same distance and height) and photographed them all.

Setup: I put the Alzo light (I bought the bulb and ballast kit) into an E27 base open face light I had on a stand about 4 feet away. Then I swapped out the Alzo for a GE 500w Photoflood 4800k "bluecoat" bulb in the same open face housing. Then I put in a 250w quart halogen 3200k bulb in the same housing. Then I put a Mole 407 Baby Solerspot on the stand and opened the fresnel front so that it became a 750w open face. Then lastly I put an Arrilite 1k open face on the stand.

Camera: I used a Canon 20d set to ISO 400, 1/60 shutter, daylight WB and I used a Nikkor 50mm f1.4 lens set to f5.6 for all lights.

So the only thing that changes from picture to picture is the light.

First the setup (taken on the last setup when the Arrilite 1k was on it, you can see my tripod in the corner)
http://www.nelsonentertainment.com/photos/LightTest/LT_setup.jpg

Then the tests
http://www.nelsonentertainment.com/photos/LightTest/LT_Alzo.jpg
http://www.nelsonentertainment.com/photos/LightTest/LT_500wPhoto.jpg
http://www.nelsonentertainment.com/photos/LightTest/LT_250wQuartz.jpg
http://www.nelsonentertainment.com/photos/LightTest/LT_Mole750w.jpg
http://www.nelsonentertainment.com/photos/LightTest/LT_Arrilite1k.jpg

Conclusion:
I have no idea why the 250w bulb appears to be the same as the Arrilite 1k. It looked that way in person. I wonder if I got an overdriven one or something. Discarding that, the Alzo does appear to be outputting around 800w worth of light.
Click to expand...

The reason is that metal halide lamps are efficient like fluorescent so 4 times would be about right. It really should be the equivalent of a 1K light. Just like a 30w fluorescent is the equivalent of a 120w incandescent.

They do seem to run hotter than fluorescent though.

Actual figures of efficiency:

Metal Halide 80-140lm/w
Fluorescent 40lm/w to 60lm/w
 
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OK the lighting test was great, but I would much rather participate in a scotch test. If you decide to have one and need an assistant, feel free to call on my services.
 
khmuse said:
OK the lighting test was great, but I would much rather participate in a scotch test. If you decide to have one and need an assistant, feel free to call on my services.
Click to expand...

Lol, I have 18 bottles of single malt scotch plus some bourbon and Irish whiskey in the collection, if you are ever in Oregon stop by :-).

If you need a recommendation, get the Glenlivet Nadurra 16 year cask strength.
 
I love cask strength scotch! I gave my last 37 year old bottle of single malt to Blaine for his birthday. Luckily for me he was generous enough to share it with everyone at a pre pro meeting he hosted a few weeks later.

I have dabbled around with bourbon's a few times, some are pretty nice, but haven't found any that stand up to the great single malts.

If I am in the area I might just take you up on your offer!
 
Unfortunatley the only bottle in my house right now is Black Label, but I have been know to grab a McCallum when the mood hits. Portland is a hidden jewel of a city, you ever go to a place called Dantes? I had a wild night in there once during a really bizarre cabaret show. Thanks for the test. I love learning about lighting.
 
Mark & Robbo's Smokey Peaty

Mark & Robbo's Smokey Peaty

Lordy, if they have this stuff in your area, seek it out. Try it neat or just with a cube or two. Smooth & smokey. If you've recently given up the camels, this could really help you through.

(No, strike that... put a nice scotch in my hand and I'm crazed for a camel or a cigar!)

I tend to have Johnny Walker Black around for my every-day stuff (OK, "some nights stuff" but you get my drift)... the Smokey Peaty's actually a couple bucks LESS.

Hey, if you're a scotch fan, try this classic drink: the blood and sand:

1 part each:
Scotch;
Sweet Vermouth;
Cherry Heering (cherry brandy);
Orange Juice.
(It's againt the recipe rules, but I think a dash of club soda really opens this one up, too).
Mix with ice in a cocktail shaker... pour into a nice martini glass. It's yummy, and girls seem to dig it, too.

Shawn, sorry to hijack your thread, but I couldn't resist! (Nice job on "Silence falls", too, I just posted some thoughts on that thread).

--MC
 
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