LED lighting technology (light-emitting diodes) was invented in the years 60 on the General Electric and is different from the traditional spotlight (or bulb or lamp, depending on each country). In fact, LED technology doesn't need spotlights at all.
LEDs are small semiconductor chips from 1/2 to 5 watts, which emit light when charged with a controlled amount of electricity and their colors differ depending on the phosphorescent material that is on the chip. We see them in appliances, work tools, traffic lights, scoreboards in stadiums and sports squares, video projection screens and in many other places.
LED technology is so common today that we hardly notice it. It is used in lights that must be on all the time and are uncomfortable to replace (the LEDs have a life span of up to 10 thousand hours and, possibly up to 11 years old). This is why they are now in more than half of the traffic lights in the United States.
The energy of LED lights is 300% more efficient than the same fluorescent lights! 70% more efficient than incandescent lamps! And because of that do not produce UV radiation or IR rays, are perfect for museums, offices and homes.
But what does this have to do with our world of lighting in video and movies?
We are a small part of the lighting industry, compared to 40 billion of dollars that represents this market worldwide, but we occupy an interesting position due to the demand for quality and consistency for cinema films and digital video.
For reliable results of lighting in video and movies temperatures are required well is 3200 degrees Kelvin, often called color tungsten or 5500 degrees Kelvin known as daylight color.
For the production of the first LED temperature requirements were not taken into account of daylight color or tungsten, but wide market applications such as traffic lights and signals warning.
The initial market of LEDs in the area of entertainment and media was on stages or for effects in live performances: as in signage and funds of competitive programmes.
Color Kinetics, Pulsar, James Thomas Manufacturing and other lighting manufacturers created a line of products made for the structures market permanent architectural, but found that with a slight modification, the same units could be used in live events and lighting functions for theater.
The product mix was based on the colors red, blue and green (RGB) available in that Time and worked well for side effects or background. Of In fact, currently many lighting designers hang a arrangement of RGB LED lights in a row on a background wall for change the colors as the work passes. In concerts frequently find LEDs oriented towards the public or as a ground-row unit lighting set for allow the lighting designer to change colors anyway necessary from the same lights. These were things that were done. used to be with MR16 50 watt striplights and now achieve with series of LEDs from as little as 1 to 3 watts.
White key lights
and fill for characters
In theory, RGB LEDs produce a white light at the point at the
which is focused but can also produce three types of
shade, one for red, one for blue and one for green.
These shadows are not appropriate, or even unacceptable for
movies and video, unless used for effects.
The illumination of colors for skin tones in daylight or tungsten with key lights or fill was not available until the company LitePanels launched ringlight and mini LitePanels in 2003.
Today LitePanels produces a wide range of white light artifacts for skin tones including the new improved mini litepanel and new full panel 1 x 1’. Recently, it provided 1x1 panels for the House. Blanca in Washington D.C., an organization that currently has around 50 units installed in the new BoardRoom.
Energy saving and impact Ambient make LED units a different option than CFL (compact fluorescent lamps). This was not possible. before with RGB LEDs. The units are regulated by DMX through of a system of lights type theatrical architecture and dimmer are not necessary since the LED option with the DMX allows that darkens directly from the console, as well as CFLs with DMX in the past.
Some manufacturers launched units with variable color temperature. Thus, you have a selection of two or three different temperature colors of LED. The downside is that this actually works in environments. closed: only 1/3 of the output of any color temperature unless they are all full and do not have 3200k or 5500K.
On CBS the new set of Evening News, presented by Katie Couric, has a mini ring LitePanels built on the table for lighting towards above and is also controlled by a direct DMX, linked to the studio lighting control console. Many directors Lighting prefer daylight panels since they are made the adjustment of the color temperature to favor the other units in use, as well as to allow a little more white to enhance.
On location or in large Inside, 1x1 panels can also be ordered in a range for 2x2 or 4x4 configuration. This approach with few electricity consumption requirements challenge the Low voltage HMI, as well as any daylight spotlight.
The problem: no spots
The drawback of LEDs in the world of film lighting
and video is that they are usually sorted into clusters
and in strips or rows for area or area lighting
filling.
No devices available today that use LED resources to generate closed or spot lighting. This is because LEDs are low voltage and cannot be concentrate the rays of each LED enough to project to distance.
As filler lights, they have optics of 50 and 20 degrees, but they do not have enough strength to achieve meaningful focused lighting. Without knowing for sure, it is assumed that the manufacturers of these artifacts are working on that kind of unit currently and we are only in the principle of the LED phenomenon.
