DADCO/SUNRAY Manufacturing introduced the F18K MAGNUM, a newly-designed large format faceted HMI PAR fixture, to complement the associated line of Filmgear Faceted HMI PAR systems that were on display for hands-on demonstration at Cine Gear Expo 2016.
Does size matter? Is bigger better? Are LED light sources going to replace the long established HMI daylight booster light source? “Not yet” says Ron Dahlquist and Wally Mills, both with more than 40 years of HMI lighting technology manufacturing experience and the designers of the new Sunray F18K Magnum HMI PAR lighting system.
“While LED light sources have taken center stage in many applications, the HMI light source has an important place in entertainment lighting systems, producing more lumens per watt than LED, fluorescent and tungsten light sources,” says Dahlquist.
With less light output drop off the HMI provides powerful daylight illumination not found with other light sources. When lighting large areas, the farther away and larger the light source, the more evenly the light will spread over the set.
What’s old is now new again; the faceted reflector design for motion pictures and television production was used as early as the 1930’s and General Electric introduced a faceted mirror reflector system in the 1960’s. Fresnel HMI systems were prolific for decades following their 1970’s introduction, but after Wally Mills and Ron Dahlquist met while working at Paramount Studios, they together made many design changes to the HMI light system. The introduction of the single ended HMI lamp fixture encouraged the development of the HMI PAR reflector system. The placement of the single ended HMI lamp in a parabolic reflector produced more output than the Fresnel fixture, but needed lenses to control the light output. The faceted reflector, eliminates the need for lenses, but the single ended lamp was not designed to be operated in a horizontal position, causing lamp failure due to stress fracture of the lamp seal.
The large lamp format also creates a larger, heavier fixture and causes problems mounting the globe, requiring two people to install a lamp in the fixture.
The new F18K MAGNUM design is lighter with a “Shot Gun” rear lamp loading and support system (patent pending) and a quick and easy removable front shroud system for easy access for UV glass replacement and reflector cleaning. The faceted reflector allows for a full focus mechanism with no need for multiple reflectors and the fixture does not require fans for cooling.
DADCO was founded in 1995 by Ron Dahlquist. Dahlquist, the co-designer of the 24KW Challenger and G4 and now the F18K Magnum, has been a leading innovator of lighting and power distribution systems in motion picture and television lighting as a long time member of I.A.T.S.E. Local 728, former Chief of the Set Lighting Department at PARAMOUNT STUDIOS and a partner in KEYLITE PRODUCTION SERVICES. He has also been a leader in the initiation of the I.A.T.S.E. National Safety Training Program. He serves as a lecturer in that program to Locals nationwide and consults for motion picture and television industry safety programs across the nation. DADCO is a signatory with I.A.T.S.E. Local 728.
Wally Mills was president of LTM Lighting Systems from 1976 until he founded Cinemills. He introduced the LTM line of HMI Fresnel lighting systems, before founding Cinemills and designing the 12KW “Silver Bullet” HMI fixture and first 12KW double ended HMI lamp.