Panalux Launches New LED Soft Light, Hybrid Generator at BSC Expo 2020

Lighting rental company Panalux, a member of the Panavision group of brands, has unveiled the new Panalux Sonara 4:4 variable-white LED soft light, which is capable of producing a broad, even spectrum of white light with full green/magenta control. Additionally, Panalux rolled out its new h40 hybrid generator from Panalux Power, marking the first high-power hybrid generator in its class developed specifically for the motion-picture industry, the company says.

Both products will be shown publicly for the first time at BSC Expo 2020 (January 30 -- February at Battersea Evolution in Battersea Park, London).

"With these new product offerings, Panalux is further illuminating the future of motion-picture lighting technology," says Kim Snyder, president and CEO, Panavision. "The artistry behind the new Panalux Sonara 4:4 soft light and the engineering that has gone into the h40 hybrid generator illustrate Panalux's commitment to innovation and customer service, the guiding principles of the entire Panavision family of brands."

The innovative LED technology of the Panalux Sonara 4:4 results in a high CRI of 96+, TLCI of 95+, and SSI of 82. The fixture can be tuned across a broad, even spectrum of white color temperatures, from 1,750 degrees K to 20,000 degrees K. Nuanced color adjustments can also be made across a range of pastel hues. A built-in color library allows users to recreate select LEE Filters lighting gels, and fine X,Y coordinate control allows for the creation of savable custom swatches.

"Cinematographers and gaffers place a premium on properly rendered skin tones," says David Amphlett, technical director for Panalux. "The innovative LED array in the new Panalux Sonara 4:4 provides cinematographers with the highest level of creative control, allowing them to tune the output along the widest range of white points, with subtle hue adjustment and precise control of green/magenta levels. As a result, the Panalux Sonara 4:4 renders skin tones exactly as a cinematographer intends."

Featuring a 4'x4' form factor that maximizes output and provides an ultra-wide 120-degree beam angle, the 1,500W Panalux Sonara 4:4 is capable of producing approximately 5,000 lux at 3m. The fixture incorporates unrivaled connectivity options with native Lumenradio CRMX, Art-Net, and Master/Slave functionality, as well as a detachable controller that can remotely control the fixture. Additionally, the Panalux Sonara 4:4 offers a range of control modes, including tunable white and HSI, as well as color-space calibration, which allows for enhanced tuning of light output to closely match the specific color gamuts of major cinema cameras.

The Panalux Sonara 4:4 is AC-powered and features a mounting yoke with an industry-standard 28mm spigot, and M12 mounting points positioned at each corner of the fixture's back allow for a variety of rigging options. A new line of proprietary accessories -- including soft boxes, egg crates, and silks -- provide additional creative control.

Further complementing the modern LED lighting ecosystem, Panalux has also introduced the new h40 hybrid generator as part of Panalux's fleet of power-generation products, now collectively known as Panalux Power. With the h40 from Panalux Power, Panalux is looking ahead to the future of the film industry while responding to critical climate issues confronting the planet.

"Traditional generators used on locations frequently run at a small fraction of their maximum capacity," says David Taaffe, chief operating officer for Panalux. "At the beginning and end of the production day, and during breaks and turnarounds, power is often only required for work lights, charging stations, refrigeration, and occasionally a portion of the unit base or production hub. Keeping a traditional generator running for prolonged low-level loads causes unnecessarily high emissions of nitrogen oxides and particulates, unwanted noise pollution, and damage to the generator. Panalux has specifically addressed this issue with the h40, which only switches to fossil-fueled power when required and runs silently in the background on battery power at all other times."

Combining a diesel engine with an advanced lithium-ion battery array, the self-charging h40 from Panalux Power is capable of delivering 240V AC power up to a load of 40KW. Without turning on its diesel engine, the h40 can power a 3,000W load for eight hours on batteries alone without making a sound. Seated on a 4x4 base, the h40 is ready to roll into the most remote locations.

Both the Panalux Sonara 4:4 soft light and the h40 from Panalux Power will be available for hire from Panalux's rental inventory in the spring.