$150 for a 575 HMI par?

Lenilenapi said:
You do need to have access to a genny or AC to use that outdoors right? No way to do it on battery power?
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I doubt it as they draw 575 watts per a light from my understanding.

Also micheal great shots yeah I think im going to try and pick me up one or two real soon. One thing I noticed between the one you showed and the one I linked to there seems to be a small box (not the ballast) right by the light that then runs into the ballast on your light. Do you know what that is because it looks like the one I linked to does not have that.
 
ReelFilmGeek said:
I doubt it as they draw 575 watts per a light from my understanding.

Also micheal great shots yeah I think im going to try and pick me up one or two real soon. One thing I noticed between the one you showed and the one I linked to there seems to be a small box (not the ballast) right by the light that then runs into the ballast on your light. Do you know what that is because it looks like the one I linked to does not have that.
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That's (I assume) the igniter. Some ballasted lights have them built into the fixture, but since these are converted fixtures there's no room in the light for it - that's why these have a much bigger yoke. As I understand it, the igniter needs to be part of the fixture or very close to it, the voltage it kicks out is way higher than the running voltage from the ballast - so the ballast-to-fixture cable can be a more reasonable size. But some lights have the igniter in the ballast - I don't know all the details.
 
Lenilenapi said:
You do need to have access to a genny or AC to use that outdoors right? No way to do it on battery power?
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No, it just pulls 575 watts which is something like 5-6 amps (I just use 100 watts = 1 amp for choosing circuits - it's not exact but it's wrong on the conservative side, if that makes sense).

The non-converted Source four pulls 575 watts of tungsten - the converted daylight model uses a ballast, but it still draws 575 watts. I think some HID and HMI lights pull a bit more at startup, for the pulse that ignites and starts the globe, but not sure. Two of these should be fine on a 15 amp household circuit. I see no dimming or flickering of other fixtures on the same circuit at startup, so it's not pulling a huge spike when it's turned on.

Yesterday I had a 575 daylight, a 575 tungsten, and a 400 daylight all on one circuit with no problems. (They were building a set in the studio and I only had access to one outlet).
 
I used their contact form to check availability and shipping, a sales guy got right back to me... I asked if they had used globes for testing and he said they'd throw one in, not guaranteed.

Also, when I placed the order, a woman emailed me and confirmed the order and said they had included a globe. (Their service was pretty awesome).

The globe wasn't packed separately, it was installed - and these take 5-10 minutes to change globes, so I'd assume the lights came in to their shop with globes?? Seems like if a show company dumps a hundred lights - and it takes that much effort to remove the globes - chances are the lights just had globes and they said "no globe" so as not to be guaranteeing a used (or even dead) globe.

My globe worked fine, but I did find a new Phillips "Broadway" globe on eBay for $38 or so, I swapped that one in to (a) get to know the change procedure, and (b) have a new globe in the thing.
 
I'd love to hear more about that Starlight/400w HID combo - sounds like a brilliant way to augment daylight... specific ballast you use?
 
Seth Rice said:
I'd love to hear more about that Starlight/400w HID combo - sounds like a brilliant way to augment daylight... specific ballast you use?
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I've used two different grow/aquarium style ballasts - one is switchable (like, 150, 200, 400) and no fan, one is "just 400" with a fan. They're those long-ish extruded aluminum models that use one of the two grow/aquarium style connectors that are made to be water resistant - I just wired edison plugs. The no-fan is a Lumatek, I think it's the same as this one. (Note that a 150 aquarium ballast won't strike a bipin HID bulb - if you want a hard light, 150 HID that's lik a 650 fresnel but daylight, try this thread I posted on my success with that!)

The globes are more of the problem, but if you shop around you can find a 6000k, 90+ (claimed) CRI for under $40. I've been using the Plusrite, model MH400/HOR/MOG (I assume it's horticulture-mogul). 1/2 CTO gives me very clean whites/blacks/grays eyedroppered from stills in Photoshop's RAW converter (great way to suss out lights, temp, and gelling needs). Also adding 1/8 minus green is also pretty for skin tones.

The biggest issue - I have three starlites, a starlite knockoff, and a DIY space light, all mogul. Only one of the starlites (and the knockoff) will accept the HID moguls - two starlites won't (nor will they accept a mogul-to-standard bulb screw-in socket). There's something oddball about the mogul socket (the starlite globes will fit anything) where the HIDs won't seat it. The socket I bought for my space light works fine though. I have no idea how to find a starlite that works (since buying them used is usually massively cheaper than new). Photoflex was selling the previous model through their parts dept. for like $40 though. Their hot softboxes are pretty nice and can be found on eBay for great prices.
 
What's the length of your leader running from the ballast to the fixture on that fresnel? Curious, as it doesn't appear that there's an igniter in the fixture itself...
 
I think it's like 3'. I just used the existing wiring since it was the good high voltage stuff with the fiberglass sleeve.

I have the parts to make a male/female extension for that, just haven't soldered it up yet. That ballast is designed for remoe wiring and rated for ceiling use as I recall, so I think it will be fine.

And that Osram bulb's a find!!!
 
So got mine in today (The one I linked to) and hopefully I'll get to do some tests with it if the weather clears up soon. Did turn it on and played around with it a bit. My ballast is actually connected to the yoke so its a little top heavy and the fan is a little loud. The fan kind of stinks for audio but still will make a great window light when needed and will still be fine for outside work. Only thing it might be a little irritation is trying to use it to bounce light for fill in a room due to the fan noise.
 
Cool, let us know how it does - try the 1/2 CTO and maybe a bit of minus green.

I've seen the ones with the ballast on the side of the yoke - I think a lot of manufacturers started knocking these off once the idea came up.
 
Yeah I could tell by the eye it was much bluer and did have a little green tint too it When I started it up. Have a few deadlines to meet this week but when ever I get time and if the weather isnt raining non stop I'm going to try some tests outside with it. Now to just find a case to lug the damn thing in.
 
ReelFilmGeek said:
So got mine in today (The one I linked to) and hopefully I'll get to do some tests with it if the weather clears up soon. Did turn it on and played around with it a bit. My ballast is actually connected to the yoke so its a little top heavy and the fan is a little loud. The fan kind of stinks for audio but still will make a great window light when needed and will still be fine for outside work. Only thing it might be a little irritation is trying to use it to bounce light for fill in a room due to the fan noise.
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Did you get the power par instead of the enliten whitelight?
 
Keep in mind they're very VERY green on startup. If you have the time, shoot a raw DSLR shot with a human face, color chart, still life, gray/black/white cards, whatever. Open it in PS and play with the temp and tint sliders in the raw converter, get it looking good, eyedropper the whites & grays and fine tune until you get as-close-to-even RGB values as possible (like 125R, 122G, 126B depending upon brightness). A glance at the sliders will give you a decent idea of what sort of gels will work. I've done it so many times, I can look at the "tint" slider and say "let's try 1/2 minus green"...

Leave the set up, attach the gels, shoot it again and see how close you get. Fastest way I know to dial in gels.

You can also learn a lot by playing with Photofilter adjustment layers. I've found, for example, the magenta filter equates really closely with minus green - 25% density in PS is close to 1/4 minus green. Can't recall which cooling and warming filters are closest to CTO and CTB, but that info's a google search away, since PS uses standard photo filter #'s.
 
Yeah I don't think I am shooting this sunday on a project I was trying to set up so I will most likely just use the day to test out the light in some set ups.
 
SO was able to do a quick test before some rain rolled in (I know it looks sunny out but its Florida so it doesn't care its still going to rain). Had to rush them but oh well hopefully the rain will pass so I can do some night tests. First Set of images are with my dad who "volunteered" to be the test subject and was sitting under a semi transparent umbrella (hence the harsh transition of light on his forehead). Then had the HMI about 6-8 feet away with the wide lens in the light shooting through a cheap 43in reflector/diffuser. I would say its about a 1-1/2 half stop light loss through the diffusion and that was about 2, maybe 2 and half feet away from my dad.
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Also this is what it looked light without the diffusion
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Next up was a direct light example, this time with the narrow beam lens in the light. Light was about 10-12 feet away this time. No gel in the light at the time.
harsh no light.jpgharsh light.jpg
 

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Thanks for sharing those. Did they include a globe with yours? I wonder if it's possible to replace the fan with a quieter fan or test how it runs with the fan unplugged/blocked.

Seems like the main difference between the TMB Power par and the Enliten whitelight exhibition par is the TMB is half the price but doesn't have a remote, dimmable ballast and doesn't come with barn doors?

How would you characterize the fan noise? That's my main concern. I kind of like the idea of the ballast being on the yoke for simplicity but it sounds like it may be a significant limitation for interiors... How far away do you think you'd have to run the unit from talent for the sound to not be a problem? Or is it so loud it really has to be in another room or out the window?

In an email they mentioned I might be able to get the TMB for $150 so I may just get one to test out.
 
I just asked for a used globe - honestly, the globes take a few minutes to change, I imagine it was already in there (it came installed).

I got the Enliten for $150, they had 20 at the time… maybe they paid more for their current batch? if you're in talks with sales, point 'em to this thread, at least they'll know we're giving 'em some props.

I don't think the Enliten fan would be an issue outdoors. Still need to make an extension for my ballast and see if I can go 12 or 18' away.

Nice grab though - that's a really useful bump in the fill dept. Haven't tried mine outside, but it was a trooper in a studio situation, thinking I'd like another one. They fit just fine in those Container Store/WalMart black wheeled plastic footlocker-trunks, the $40ish stackable ones.
 
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