Budget HMIs.... worth a darn?

	Budget HMIs.... worth a darn? by Todd Terry (Todd at Fantastic Plastic) on Jun 23, 2008 at 2:58:02 pm HI kids... This is cross-posted in Lighting Design.... I'm looking for a non-bank-breaking way to supplement our existing HMI lighting... and ran across these little HMI instruments... pretty dirt cheap.... http://www.alzovideo.com/alzo_800_hmi_cool_lite.htm Anyone have an opinion as to whether these would be useful for supplemental and incidental lighting (specials, dark corners, maybe hair lights) in scenes primarily lit with, say, a bounced 1200w Par or a couple of Joker-Bugs? I admit, they do look a bit toyish, are really just 150w HID lamps, have no focusing or controllability (other than barndoors).... and I know you "get what you pay for" but when one could buy several of them for the cost of one "real" little 150w HMI, I'm wondering if they aren't worth considering for minor applications.... Thoughts appreciated.... T2 __________________________________ Todd Terry Creative Director Fantastic Plastic Entertainment, Inc. fantasticplastic.com Respond to this post   •   Return to posts index

	Re: Budget HMIs.... worth a darn? by Todd Terry on Jun 25, 2008 at 2:35:06 pm Thanks Steve... Glad to hear someone has seen them with their own eyeballs. I'm a little surprised that someone is using them outdoors, I wouldn't normally think a little 150w would be all that useful but maybe they're punchy enough to actually do some good. For the money, though, I was thinking they might be worth trying just for incidental use for interiors. Thanks! T2 __________________________________ Todd Terry Creative Director Fantastic Plastic Entertainment, Inc. fantasticplastic.com Respond to this post   •   Return to posts index

	Re: Budget HMIs.... worth a darn? by Todd Terry on Jul 17, 2008 at 5:36:16 am Hi Dan.... Yes... I've known Richard for quite a while... I have (and really like) one of his 1200w HMIs. I'd say build-quality wise it is probably not quite an ArriSun, but at about a fourth the price is it definitely worth it and you more than get what you pay for. I considered one of his 150w HMIs, but I need something small to stick on a grip arm on a C-stand to use as a backlight/hairlight, etc., and even his smallest units are pretty big and heavy. He tells me he plans to work on a smaller 70w HMI in the fall (will be about the same size as a 300w tungsten fresnel) which sounds promising. I did buy one of the Alzo units... just the little bare-bulb and ballast thingy. I'm trying to rig it up in a par can with barndoors and a fresnel lens in front... although it won't be adjustable. I haven't quite finished it yet, but if it all works it will be very lightweight. I will say, I don't think it is quite the equivalent of 800w tungsten as touted... doesn't seem quite that bright to me. And ANOTHER reason I'm putting a fresnel lens in front (aside from focusing the beam a bit) is as a UV shield... I can definitely feel it affecting my eyes, and there is a warning on the bulb package that says "Contains strong ultra-violet radiation, can cause irritation to eyes." I found that interesting considering some of their other complete units seem to be completely open-faced. I will say that the color temp is right on the money, though. T2 __________________________________ Todd Terry Creative Director Fantastic Plastic Entertainment, Inc. fantasticplastic.com Respond to this post   •   Return to posts index