NAB Roundup 2013: LED Fresnels, Camera Accessories

I first wrote about the development of LED Fresnel lights two years ago, tracking earlier reactions by the industry to high energy consumption and high heat output: “Greening the Film Business: LED Fresnels.” This year I followed up with some of the same manufacturers.

Fresnel lenses, originally invented for lighthouses, have long been used on movie lights for careful light control and sharp shadows. Their typical concentric ring style enables them to have great diameter without clumsy thickness.

Check out the LED Fresnel lights and camera accessories in the slide show, then look below the slide show for details, product names, and prices.

SEE ALSO NAB Roundup 2013: Cameras

LED FRESNELS

• Arri showed the newest generation of their L series, the L7-C color controllable LED Fresnel light (about $2800), and the L7-T tungsten LED Fresnel light ($2200). Some slimmed-down models, in their Active line, use fans instead of heat sinks for cooling and are thus smaller and more portable. The heavier models are intended more for studio applications, where fan noise would be a problem.
  • L7-C color controllable LED Fresnel light
  • L7-T tungsten LED Fresnel light
  • http://www.arri.com/l-series/index.html

• DeSisti showed the newest versions of their Leonardo series of LED Fresnel lights, in 90w ($2200) and 120w ($2400) configurations, with light outputs equivalent to about 650w and 1000w tungsten light, respectively. They also offered a retrofit kit to convert old tungsten lights to LED, for about $1800. It replaces the original tungsten fixture’s lamp, reflector, and bottom tray compartment.
  • Leonardo 90w LED Fresnel light
  • Leonardo 120w LED Fresnel light
  • LED Fresnel light retrofit kit
  • http://www.desisti.it/country/en/lighting-products.asp?IDCategoria=23&IDProdotto=93

• Litepanels exhibited their newest Inca line of tungsten (incandescent) LED Fresnel lights, the Inca 4, 6, and 12 models, and their Sola line of daylight LED Fresnel lights, the Sola 4, 6, and 12. The numbers designate the Fresnel lens diameter. The 4’s sell for about $1300, the 6’s for $2500, and the 12’s for $4300.
  • Inca 4 tungsten-balanced 4 LED Fresnel light
  • Inca 6 tungsten-balanced 6 LED Fresnel light
  • Inca 12 tungsten-balanced 12 LED Fresnel light
  • Sola 4 daylight-balanced 4 LED Fresnel light
  • Sola 6 daylight-balanced 6 LED Fresnel light
  • Sola 12 tungsten-balanced 12 LED Fresnel light
  • http://www.litepanels.com/fresnels.php

• Mole Richardson showed LED Fresnel lights this time, unlike two years ago when they told me LED Fresnels were still in R&D — 100w LED Tweenie (equivalent to their 650w Tweenie) for $1435, 150w LED Baby (1000w equivalent) for $1700, and 200w Junior (2000w equivalent) for $2155. All available either as tungsten or daylight balanced. They also showed a Baby retrofit kit to convert old 1K tungsten Fresnel lights to LEDs. It replaces the lamp, reflector and entire bottom of the light.
  • Mole Tweenie 100w LED Fresnel light
  • Mole Baby 150w LED Fresnel light
  • Mole Junior 200w LED Fresnel light
  • Mole old-style Baby retrofit kit
  • http://www.mole.com/lighting/led/mole_led.html

CAMERA ACCESSORIES

• Freefly Systems exhibited several exciting tools for camera movement. The first, which attracted the most attention, was the Movi 10 camera stabilizing rig, a handheld 3-axis digital stabilized camera gimbal, so advanced, it redefines the possibilities for camera movement.This cool-looking device uses a top handle or two front handles to control, move, and steer the camera against opposing servo motors that counter and smooth bumps. The rig can also be mounted to a small, radio-controlled car. About $16,000. Most of the Movis were shown with DSLRs, a few with Blackmagic Cinema Cameras. Regardless of the electronically dampened movement in the gimbal rig, I didn’t like the fact that the weight was still on the operator’s arms out in front of his/her body.  A Freefly rep told me that the Movi works well with the Easyrig shoulder mount (the cameraman’s original backsaver since 1994) though they didn’t have one in the Freefly booth to try out.They also showed helicopters with mounts for small cameras in two sizes, the DSLR-size Cinestar 8, and the GoPro-sized Cinestar 6. Prices to come for both.
  • Movi M10 camera stabilizing rig
  • Cinestar 8 helicopter mount for camera
  • Cinestar 6 helicopter mount for camera
  • http://www.freeflysystems.com

• Lensbaby showed the latest in their image-distorting line, the Composer Pro with Sweet 35 Optic ($380), which twists to one side or the other to fuzz the focus on part of the frame, like a tilt-shift lens, for fun, creative and compositional reasons.
  • Composer Pro with Sweet 35 Optic
  • http://lensbaby.com

• Edelkrone exhibited the Slider Plus+ for $499, which uses extenders to provide double your movement. Length of slider: one foot. Length of travel: two feet. Plus they had other DSLR rigs and camera support equipment.
  • Slider Plus+
  • http://www.edelkrone.com

• Wooden Camera showed camera base plates, cages, and risers. Unfortunately, the only things made of wood were some dummy cameras. It’s so hard to find wooden camera accessories these days!
  • http://www.woodencamera.com