Lightstar HMI Balloon Light Head 1.8kW

The M90 closes the gap between M40 and ARRIMAX 18/12, which sits almost exactly in the middle between the two. The unit is focusable from 15° up to 49° just by turning the focus knob, producing a remarkably even light field and a crisp, clear shadow.

The elimination of spread lenses speeds up the workflow on set.

The 9,000 W lamp is very similar in size to the 6,000 W lamp, which makes the MAX Technology reflector function perfectly at both wattages. The superior housing and cooling concept have made a very compact design close to the dimensions of the ARRISUN 60.

Together with the latest electronic high speed ballast, EB 6/9 HS with AutoScan, this combination represents the state of the art daylight system for high quality images at high frame rates. All EB 6/9 kW ballasts are equipped with CCL module (Compensation of Cable Losses) enabling full power is maintained all the way to the lamp even when very long cables are used. This means uniformly high light output independent from cable length. Since the accompanying EB 6/9 kW ballast uses the housing of the current EB 6000 Baby, the 6 kW Head-to-Ballast cables are compatible and the whole system is highly efficient and delivers a light output close to a traditional 12 kW PAR (with lens) within the dimensions of a 6 kW PAR system – it punches above its weight!

Weighing only 125 lbs and having a small shallow profile of merely 23”, the Alpha 18K can use a Ceramic glass lens or Standard 24” Fresnel to create the smallest, lightest and most versatile 18K ever designed.

At the core of this innovation is a custom made reflector molded out of quartz composite material. This allows the lamp to be placed much closer to the reflector, therefore reducing the physical size of the Alpha 18K by a third compared traditional 18K’s on the market. The light output from this new reflector increases output by nearly 15%, adding a softer and smoother lighting pattern compared to the oversized conventional aluminum reflector.

The extrusion/vent system is precisely angled to get maximum cooling efficiency , the small diameter reflector allows for better heat circulation, along with a new back bulkhead, which assures that the Alpha 18K operating temperatures remain within specifications in any critical position, including straight down.

A double suspension system (one to the lamp heat sinks and one to the chassis support) makes the Alpha 18K lamp less fragile to rough handling, occurring during location transportation.

Whether it’s creating a soft Fresnel look or a hard shadow using the open eye set-up, the Alpha 18K gives any cinematographer or lighting director the tool he needs to get the job done.