What's the closest portable equivalent to a helicopter Nightsun?

[mickeyknox]

Hey all, I'm working for this guy who's done a lot of night time aerial photography in helicopters equipped with Nightsun (link) systems and he's tasked me with finding a "portable" equivalent.

This doesn't need to operate for long continuous periods of time, he essentially needs it to act like a camera flash on steroids, but will need to illuminate large (house size) structures from distances of 100 yards and up.

As far as portability goes it just needs to operate on some kind of battery pack and sit on a tripod (doesn't have to be hand-held or anything crazy like that.) Now the last thing is that there should be a way to control the focus on it.

Is there such a beast and how would one go about purchasing it?

Price isn't much of an issue btw

 

[Patriot]

:welcome:

Without power generators there aren't any options that will approach the Nightsun and still "portable"

The Xevision and Polarion both make 50W portable, high quality, HID spotlights which are around 5000 lumens. Anything beyond those two would be custom builds of some type.

The Larry12K and Larry14K are custom, do-it-yourself lights based on 600W Halogen, aircraft landing lights powered by custom battery packs and housed in converted 12v spotlights. If you do a CPF search on them you'll find a lot of info.

 

[FlashInThePan]

The most powerful handheld devices are generally HID (high intensity discharge) lights. Of those, the most powerful one I know of is the barn burner, a special 75w HID made by XeRay. They're no longer produced, but you can purchase them for about $1200 on CPF used when they come up. These lights are spec'd at about 8,000 lumens. If you can find one, they provide a *stunning* amount of life.

Short of that, you might want to consider the Polarian 50W HIDs. If you absolutely need focusability, the Acro 990 HID (also made by McCullogh) is a 35W that puts out about 3,000 lumens and is focusable from flood to spot.

A final option would be to try and pourchase a custom-built, one-off light produced by some of the CPF members here. Look for the Larry14K (made by tvdrod), or the Volcano or HyperBlitz (by JetSkiMark). Member "Ra" also made a phenomenally bright light, but I don't think it's for sale.

Hope this helps!

- FITP

 

[louie]

That's a 1600 watt xenon arc lamp - I don't think you'll find a battery powered equivalent. Not that it's impossible, but might take a wheelbarrow full of car batteries.

Go talk to a business that rents/sells lights for motion picture productions. I think a mains powered HMI arc lamp with focus/barn doors in a photo friendly color temp would be around $5000. Then consider a gas generator to run it.

 

[Gunner12]

How much does the target need to be illuminated?(I don't know much about photography)

Many HID and even LED lights hit 100 yard targets with no problem(target can be identified, maybe not photograph amount of light).

The handheld HID lights 24 watts and above should do a good job of lighting up targets at 100 yards but I'm not sure how much light would be needed and the focusing won't work well(rings and holes).

Looking at the candlepower, maybe a Maxabeam(might be to narrow a beam)?

:welcome:

 

[kongfuchicken]

You can probably come close to the lumen output with metal halide but if you want short arc, you'll be carrying a truckload of a battery, literally.

Look into 50-75W HIDs and since price isn't a problem, you can easily get one custom made for your purposes.

 

[BVH]

Have I got a deal for you!!! I would think my 2.2 KW ShortArc, instant strike and re-strike HID light below would fit the bill to a "T".

http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?t=175524

http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?t=110558&page=5 (start at post 240)

http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?p=2046322#post2046322


4 each, 110 AmpHour AGM "car batteries" wired in 2S, 2P will provide 26 volts initially and will power my VSS-1 "portable" rig for btw 50 and 55 minutes. The VSS-1 will outgun a Nightsun - No Contest. It is also focusable to a point.

 

[JimmyM]

petrev just built a 1000W light. It runs on 30-31 volts. His uses A123 cells. But for a non-handheld unit, you could just use 3 12V SLA batteries and adjust the driver so that your maximum voltage doesn't exceed what the lamp can take.

 

[scott.cr]

Have I got a deal for you!!! I would think my 2.2 KW ShortArc, instant strike and re-strike HID light below would fit the bill to a "T".

Honestly, this is probably the best deal and best idea. Not to mention all the free tech support. ;-)

 

[mickeyknox]

Have I got a deal for you!!! I would think my 2.2 KW ShortArc, instant strike and re-strike HID light below would fit the bill to a "T".

http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?t=175524

http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?t=110558&page=5 (start at post 240)

http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?p=2046322#post2046322


4 each, 110 AmpHour AGM "car batteries" wired in 2S, 2P will provide 26 volts initially and will power my VSS-1 "portable" rig for btw 50 and 55 minutes. The VSS-1 will outgun a Nightsun - No Contest. It is also focusable to a point.

Thank you, I'll be looking more into this then I'll run it by my boss.

Thanks all who took the time to reply.

 

[mickeyknox]

Ok, so after further discussion and pointing out his options I got him to agree to a distance of 50 yards but focusability and form factor are now high priority.

I was looking at the Polarion Helios, and if there was something like that would let me control the diameter of the spot on the fly it would be perfect.

*edit*

Wow, seems the Maxlight may be exactly what I need.

http://www.peakbeam.com/searchlights.html

Would you guys recommend it?

 

[Helmut.G]

the maxabeam is the longest-throwing non-custom light, it's focusable between very floody and extremely focused and it starts with instant full brightness, but with under 1000 lumens its brightness isn't comparable to the polarions.

 

[ShortArc]

I would suggest the Megaray MR-175.
http://www.megaray.com/mr175.htm
Regards.

 

[Gunner12]

My only though is the Maxabeam might have too narrow a beam aka it might only illuminate part of the house.

 

[ShortArc]

I would not worry about that at 100 yards. The beam Size of the Maxabeam is from 1° spot to 40° flood. The donut in the beam would worry me a bit
If money is no object, Megaray is the way to go in my opinion.

My only though is the Maxabeam might have too narrow a beam aka it might only illuminate part of the house.

 

[Ra]

I would not worry about that at 100 yards. The beam Size of the Maxabeam is from 1° spot to 40° flood. The donut in the beam would worry me a bit
If money is no object, Megaray is the way to go in my opinion.

You can widen the beam of Maxabeam to certain extend (5° or so) without the dunut-shape.

However, as soon as you start to flood Maxabeam, it's shortcomming in lumens output will reveal itself!

For a tiny spot, you don't especially need high lumens-output, you need high surface brightness (short arc)
For flood, you need lumens-output (as well..)


Best,

Ra.

 

[knucethelight]

How about this one. It maybe not be as powerful but seems to have quit aq lot of power for the money - 3500 lumens- $100 http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/t...x=mode+matchall&Nty=1&Ntt=spotlight&noImage=0

 

[fxstsb]

Hey all, I'm working for this guy who's done a lot of night time aerial photography in helicopters equipped with Nightsun (link) systems and he's tasked me with finding a "portable" equivalent.

This doesn't need to operate for long continuous periods of time, he essentially needs it to act like a camera flash on steroids, but will need to illuminate large (house size) structures from distances of 100 yards and up.

As far as portability goes it just needs to operate on some kind of battery pack and sit on a tripod (doesn't have to be hand-held or anything crazy like that.) Now the last thing is that there should be a way to control the focus on it.

Is there such a beast and how would one go about purchasing it?

Price isn't much of an issue btw

Auto parts stores are selling 30,000,000cp for $40, rechargeable

 

[Gunner12]

The problem is those ratings are lies. You'll be lucky to get half a million candlepower from one of those lights.

 

[Mach1]

You can't buy this for $40.00: