PAR 64 vs Source 4 Par

Seth Rice

Seth Rice

Active member
Question for any of ya'll that have used both - which would you recomend for general purpose work (e.g. mid-low budget narrative, both short and features,) and commercial lighting (think, corporate video, except, lighting large areas.) I know Par 64s have punch - they were used extensively on the last feature I worked, created sun splashes on walls, and night exteriors... my question is - are Source 4 pars in any way inferior in their punch (strength of beam)? The idea of having a 575 or 750 with as much punch as a 1k would be huge for me - some locations I get to work with have limited power, and the difference between 1k and 575 could be huge, in how I light... I know they're a bit pricier, but I could swing that, if they work out in the long run.

Curious to hear ya'lls thoughts on these - my uses will be bounced (a lot), creating sun splashes/light slashes, and background lighting night exteriors.

Thanks!
 
I'd say the output is pretty proportional to the wattage. Essentially, the source 4 Par is a 575w/750w Halogen bulb with a par lens in front, so for reference, think of an output similar to an open face light. Biggest advantage is the source 4 pars are much smaller, and you can swap the lenses easily.
 
With the Source Four you won't have to carry each beam spread in each lamp for each instrument. As Andrew said you just need to change lenses. You'll also save a little money on each lamp replacement. Of course you'll be spending more up front on the Source Four over the Par Can.

The Source Four Parnel is interesting in that it has a rotating par lens to change beam angle instead of separate lenses. The beam isn't as clean and has a little less degree range though
 
forbyfiev said:
You'll also save a little money on each lamp replacement.
Click to expand...

That winds up pretty much being a wash though. PAR64 lamps last much longer and the hours that the fixture is on is usually split between multiple lamps.

I also find that source four PAR lenses are exceedingly frustrating to remove, is there some sort of trick I'm missing?
 
You are not comparing like with like.
Par64s are punchy as a design feature, one brand actually tried to call them punchlites for a while! The Source 4 is a compact variable beam flood, with a lower wattage lamp. Even on the narrowest beam it's nowhere near the brightness of a PAR64. However, the beam is circular, and quite even - while a PAR64 is oval, has a hot spot and the only adjustment is to rotate the lamp - and unless it's fitted with a PARsafe, you'll burn your hands! My experience is the lamps in the Source 4 last longer, because they're better designed. PAR64s always seem to jam when then get older, and you loosen the lock, and try to tilt it, and it doesn't move. You heave, and then it suddenly releases and the lamp goes pop. Sometimes they explode and opening the back releases a load of glass - and worse still, sometimes when the go bang, despite the internal mesh, they shower red hot glass out of the front. They often jam up inside and you can't spin the lamp, and sometimes the lamp sits in the can at just the wrong position that as the lamp heats up, it can't expand and the reflector parts from the front lens. The cans are cheap, the lamps damn expensive.

The lens swapping is a real pain on the Source 4s, and they seem to get lost. The Parnel is a great fixture, and has a nice soft edge, but a real Fresnel is better.

With a PAR64, even 4 metres away, you can feel the heat on your skin, you can't with a Source 4. If you want nice bright flood type light, the Source 4 is compact and very useful. If you want a punch, then a PAR. Two very different bits of kit.
 
Put the Source 4 Par Lenses in backwards so its concave rather than convex. You'll never get them out if you put them in the "normal" way. Then you can hold the lock open with one finger and tap the edge of the lamp on something. It should come right out. If you're still having trouble...it gets a little stupid...we used to have a short arm with gaffers tape and a little duvatyne on the end. We'd take the globe out, stick the short arm in there, and give it a little tap from behind while we held the lens lock open.

No matter what it's stupid, but at least its possible this way.
 
Thanks for all the feedback, ya'll - seems I was looking at this wrong. Curious to hear what ya'll use S4 pars for, primarily then, if they lack the punch of a Par 64. Bounced, I'm guessing, or any other situations where one would call for an openface?

Thinking I'll get a few Par 64s then, for my light slashs/beams/punch... they're so cheap upfront... and then grab a Source 4 par for those times when I need the even beam (that hotspot on Par 64s has caused problems for me more then once) or for those times when I literally can't power the 1k Par 64... sadly, they happen.

Sounds like some good tips for dealing with those Source 4 Pars! Thanks!
 
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