ROUND-UP•EURO CINE EXPO 2022
POWER: CINEGREEN:
The Swiss-German company CineGreen premiered NXTGEN 25 and 145 mobile power solutions, based on Li-Ion battery technology. Whilst diesel generators on-set are polluting the planet by burning fossil fuels for lighting, base camps and catering, the CineGreen power unit is charged with electrical energy from the grid. It runs silently without producing fumes or heat and can even be operated indoors. The system, having already been successfully used by the construction industry in Switzerland, provides a stable power source with 25kWh and 145kWh and can be fully-charged in four hours. “Due to its technical infrastructure, the unit can even cope with 150% overload because of the power distribution to the cells”, stressed Maher Maleh, founder of CineGreen Germany. Whilst diesel generators always produce a certain output, the battery solutions only provide the power which is actually needed. “This is an economic advantage because the system saves about 30% on energy” added Dr. Krzystof Drabik, Techno Economic Advisor.
EURO CINE EXPO 2022•ROUND-UP
LIGHTING: APUTURE:
In Aputure’s Light Storm range, the 1200D Pro was showcased in a four-light array. This array is currently unreleased, but with four 1200W daylight LED heads, each capable of producing 83,100 lux at 3m with the narrow hyper reflector, it is guaranteed to pack a punch. The relatively new 1200D Pro is optimised for professional productions where powerful, high end LED’s are a must-have. The Amaran line, which is more focused on prosumer content creators, the T2C and T4C LED tubes were popular at the show. These tubes support RGBWW colour tuning, as well as integration into Aputure’s Sidus Link wireless ecosystem. Finally, the new Aputure MT Pro was in prize place at the front of the Aputure stand. This light is an entirely new addition to Aputure’s LED tube family. It provides 7W RGBWW full-colour output, with 36 individually controllable pixels and a 105-minute battery life at maximum power. It also includes Lumenradio CRMX control for ultimate adaptability.
CHIMERA:
Standing tall at the Chimera stand was the DayLite Octa 7, a huge seven-foot octadome with a soft silver interior. This octadome has been handcrafted at Chimera’s HQ in Colorado and provides a brilliant soft light option for powerful HMI’s including the M18 and M40. The vents built into the octadome allow for efficient internal cooling for a 4KW fixture and it is compatible with Quarts / DayLite OP Rings. It comes with the options of full, half and quarter diffusion. The DayLite Octa 7 is shipping now. Alongside this new product was the time-tested Panel Frames and the Dinkum System’s brand.
DE SISTI:
The Rome based lighting company presented the “Muses Of Light”, a collection of visually striking bi-colour LED lamps. This family of LEDs was designed in collaboration with renowned cinematographer Vittorio Storaro AIC ASC, his daughter and architect Francesca Storaro, and De Sisti. This partnership is based on the ten geometrical shapes, following the concept of analogy between Primary Elements and Geometric Forms, from One to All. Notably, the final LED fixture in the series is the Aurea (The Circle), which is an incredibly powerful 2,400W LED lamp that features a narrow beam angle of 11 degrees. The combination of power and a narrow beam makes it the perfect fixture to use with mirrors and reflectors. Alongside this, a range of Vari-White/full colour fresnel and soft lights are introduced, widening De Sisti’s arsenal of fixtures.
DEDO WEIGERT:
A new line of LED hard lights were on show. These LEDs cleverly feature one model of ballast for each wattage of lamp, building upon the design of the classic Tungsten Dedolight heads. The 90W Bicolour DLED7N-BI was popular amongst visitors, featuring a linear and exponential dimming curve that goes as low as 0.1%. Containing the new Neo-colour LED technology was the SETDLED7N-C+ lamp head. This is a cutting-edge RGB, Amber, Cyan and Lime LED hard light. It features extreme colour accuracy and utilises Dedolight’s long-standing precision optics. Dedolight caters its products to a wide range of audiences, including professional film sets, commercial lighting and infrared lamp heads for the police force.
POWER GEMS:
Power Gems showcased a range of HMI ballasts. The portfolio included a lightweight, 12/18K, high-speed ballast that can operate any lamp in the range from 6kW through to 18kW, with 300Hz operation as standard. “Most clients still work with HMIs”, said Patrick McGuane, director of sales at the company, which serves clients all around the world, including the big studios in Hollywood. “We look at the prior wattage of all available LED products. It is a competitive marketplace, but Asian products tend to really stop at 500W. At 600W, we are alone because the design starts to get a bit more complicated.“ Among the latest innovations is a new controller which is designed for LED fixtures. The PWM40 is a combined 3kW power supply and 40-channel LED driver for sound stage use. “We offer full-service, and we can do repairs too if required”, emphasised McGuane. Power Gems holds large stocks of factory replacement parts and spare PCBs if needed.
ARRI:
Along with the Alexa 35 camera, another highlight at the ARRI booth was a new Fresnel lens for ARRI’s Orbiter LED projector. The Orbiter Fresnel lens is a useful addition to the Orbiter open-face lenses already available in 15°, 30° and 60°. The new stepped lens produces a precise circle of light with a soft shadow. The light output is comparable to that of ARRI’s L10 L-Series and True Blue ST2/3 fixtures with 2000W incandescent lamps. A few days after the show, ARRI also introduced new software for the Orbiter: LiOS 2. New modes and features now enable closer collaboration between the headlamp and camera.
ASTERA:
SWIT:
Worldwide manufacturer of broadcast and film-industry products, presented its ‘Solutions With Innovative Technology’ that cover monitor, wireless transmission, battery and lighting product lines. Among the new products was the B-mount, a new battery interface standard endorsed by ARRI. SWIT has developed a series of B-mount power systems. This includes the B-mount battery, B-mount fast charger, and the B-mount hot-swap plates for ARRI’s Alexa SXT/LF/65 and Alexa Mini/Mini LF cameras. Thanks to the B-mount hot-swap plate for the Alexa SXT/LF/65, the camera doesn’t need to be switched-off while the battery is being charged. The latest innovations include new DV batteries with USB-C and the normal 12V D-Tap, which can be used to power laptops, tablets and smart phones.
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Asteras showcased the new HydraPanel. This is a 17W beam-shaping, portable panel light that features RGB Mint+Amber colour tuning. It features six lighting modifiers and a large range of mounting options. The full-spectrum Titan LED Engine generates an impressive 1300 Lumen output whilst running on battery power for just under two hours. Furthermore, it is built in a solid waterproof housing. You can combine up to four of these panels, providing individual control of over six segments per panel. An exciting new LED solution, the HydraPanel has just started shipping having only been launched in May 2022. Alongside the HydraPanel were the ever-popular Astera Tubes, featuring the three sizes; Helios, Titan and Hyperion. The new tubes now contain Bluetooth Bridge, a technology that Astera has integrated into products such as the NYX Bulb, PixelBrick and AX9. This allows you to connect your phone or tablet directly to the tube, without the need for an Astera Box.
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