HELP! Blue Light?

[**DONOTDELETE**]

Hi!
I need some help finding a particular flashlight. I am making a short film and I am trying to get a bluish light effect from a flashlight similar to what you might get from one of those Maxabeam lights or HID headlights on a car. I have tried Maglights and Pelican lights, but they both yield yellow/white light.
Can anyone refer me to a particular small to medium handheld model? The Maxabeam is too expensive, too big, and too unreliable.

Thanks!

 

[Size15's]

So you need a bright blue flashlight...Like the MaxaBeam, but cheaper...

Look into SureFire, and I'm thinking the rechargeable SureFire 9NT ["TurboHead" - extra large reflector] with Blue filter (F47)

I checked two online retailers -

Tanners:
9N811 [Rapid charging SureFire 9N] - $265.70
T3 [TurboHead upgrade kit for 9N] - $105.26
N3 [Spare Lamp Module for 9NT] - $28.30
F47 [TurboHead Filter - Blue] - $31.02
TOTAL: $430.28

NDS:
9NT810 [Rapid charging SureFire 9NT] - $363
N3 [Spare Lamp Module for 9NT] - $32
F47 [TurboHead Filter - Blue] - $37
TOTAL: $432

My advice is to firstly call SureFire Customer Service to check to see if this combination of 9NT and F47 fits (it should I think),

Then, I would call Tanners and NDS and any other companies and see if they have the stock and if you can do a deal on price.

I hope you get what you're looking for.

Why is MaxaBeam unreliable?
I've never heard this before...

Alastair

P.S.
Try following these links
http://www.candlepowerforums.com/Flashlight_Links/dealers.htm
http://www.surefire.com/email.htm

 

[**DONOTDELETE**]

I don't know about the Surefire with the blue filter. I'm looking for a more subtle blue, not so obvious as the dark blue of the filter. More "faded blue jeans" than indigo.
As for the Maxabeam, I read about their reliability problems in an article about the prop master for the "X-Files", a show which the Maxabeams were frequently used. Apparently, they were subject to over-heating and their switching assemblies were inconsistent. Also, they could only be used for about a half-hour before they overheated or ran low on power. As a result, they use the Maxabeams only for episodes where the director specifically requests their use. On other episodes, they prefer using a small hand held light that has a gas-discharge bulb that creates a similar effect, albeit on a lesser scale, than the Maxabeams.
I have watched many a scene of the "X-Files" in slow motion trying to figure out what kind of light they now use.
It looks like a Surefire or a Streamlite Stinger, but some of the details suggest that the light isn't either of them.

Please help me find a similar light!
Thanks!

 

[**DONOTDELETE**]

p.s. I think the article said the flashlight used an Argon or Mercury gas bulb, if this helps.

 

[Size15's]

Okay, so why not get a 'gel' of the colour you want, and tape it over the front of a flashlight? This means that you'll have to be careful that it and the flashlight don't get too hot...

You could buy a cheap rechargeable spotlight and colour the lens with magic marker or something. You know those "1.5 Million CP" spotlights for $50 or less...

Thanks for the info on MaxaBeam. I wasn't gonna be saving for one of these as I've been advised "Xenonics" is better, but I want a "PlasmaBeam"!

Maybe if you give SureFire a call anyway, they can help you colouring the beam.

Al.

 

[Size15's]

From what I can make out, the low output SureFire Lamp Modules such as the P60 have High-Pressure Xenon, whilst the high output Lamp Modules such as the P61, N62, N2, MN20 & MN21 have a Xenon/Halogen mix.
I've read this is due to the Halogen gas keeping the bulb glass free from deposits produced by the Tungsten filament at very high temperature.

The amount of Halogen is not that much I don't think...

Alastair

 

[DavidW]

The small handhelds I've seen on the X-Files are Sure Fire 6P, Underwater Kinetics SL4, and various Maglites. I think I've seen a Streamlight Scorpian. Not sure since they don't zero in and freeze a shot on the flashlights.

The Blue tint you see in the Maxa-Beam comes from Short-Arc Lamps with Xenon gas fill. Smaller lights have the same tint to a lessor degree when using xenon bulbs. I haven't checked Sure Fire's specs but I think they're xenon gas fill rather than the halogen/xenon mix.

The Cateye Stadium light fills the bill at around $500-$700. But it's hardly a flashlight and out of production.

I'm sure there are places in LA, NY areas that rent the Maxa-Beam out to production companies. If you're close to these cities you might be able to rent rather than pay full retail.

------------------
"A knifeless man is a lifeless man"
-Nordic proverb

 

[Brock]

I would suggest either a Streamlight Scoprion or a surefire in the the 2 to 3 battery range. The surefires will cost more and be brighter. Then I would suggest getting some gel, Rosco 62, or maybe even 61, both are light blue. You shouldn't have a problem burning through the gel since it is meant to be in front of a 1000w halogen lamp.

Also to really get it to read on camera I would suggest some kind of haze. It will add a LOT to the look.

Brock

 

[**DONOTDELETE**]

You can get the Cateye Stadium light again. It's now called the Cateye Stadium 3 light. It's actually around $400 online/mailorder. The new Niterider Predator uses the same type of metal halide arc lamp and has a 4 hour burn time ($370). I think that the Stadium Light hasa around a 3-4 hour burn time, but is equivalent to an 80W halogen, while the Predator is equivalent to a 30-40W halogen (according to the catalog). I haven't really investigated further since the price is a little steep for my use.

Note that both of these lights are for bicycles, but the stadium light uses a water bottle-shaped battery pack, while the Predator uses a flat battery pack. I don't know if they're on the website, but I saw both (at seperate times this year) in the Colorado Cyclist catalog (www.coloradocyclist.com). If you're interested in bike lights, then TurboCat has some really nice halogen systems. (www.turbocatusa.com)

gm