ARRI announces its new SkyPanel LED soft light fixture series.
More details from ARRI (www.arri.com):
The new ARRI SkyPanel is an exceptionally versatile LED soft light – compact, fully tuneable and delivering light of unsurpassed power and quality. Because different application areas call for different lighting needs, SkyPanel has been designed as a series of fixtures. The S60 is the mid-range model and the S30 is the smaller, more portable version. With SkyPanel, the sky is limitless…
Fully Tuneable.
Get the color you want in seconds.
SkyPanel ‘C’ (Color) versions have the ability to adjust the correlated color temperature anywhere between 2,800 K and 10,000 K, with excellent color rendition over the entire range. Full plus and minus green correction can be achieved with the simple turn of a knob, and in addition to CCT control, vivid color selection and saturation adjustment is also possible.
Applications for this controllability range from quickly adjusting the CCT to set the mood of a scene, to selecting the perfect green color to wash a greenscreen. Each LED light engine is computer calibrated in order to ensure unit-to-unit and batch-to-batch consistency, as well as accurate color temperatures. The SkyPanel series of lights also works in concert with the L-Series, ARRI’s LED Fresnel line, perfectly.
Tremendous Output.
One of the brightest soft lights on the market.
High output is usually not associated with a fully tuneable LED fixture, but with the SkyPanel ARRI has been able to accomplish both. SkyPanel has tremendous light output across the entire CCT range. Brighter than a 2 kW tungsten soft light or a 6 kW tungsten space light, the SkyPanel S60 has more than enough light for most applications. In some cases the fixture can even compete with natural sunlight; at the same time, it is able to perform beautifully at lower light levels.
True Soft Light Beam Quality.
Soft and uniform is the name of the game.
Soft lights are known for their smooth quality of light and even, uniform beam field – SkyPanel is no different. The combination of the curated selection of diffusion panels, LED mixing chamber and large light aperture allows for the light to wrap around objects, eliminating sharp shadows and making for a perfect beauty light. The beam field is homogeneous in both color and intensity.
Outstanding Color Rendition.
LED white light without sacrifices.
ARRI has always been at the forefront of LED white light color quality and SkyPanel lives up to this standard. Natural rendition of skin tones, accurate color reproduction and precise color temperature settings are all areas where SkyPanel excels. Whether you measure the color rendition using CRI (Color Rendering Index), CQS (Color Quality Scale) or TLCI (Television Lighting Consistency Index), SkyPanel performs beautifully.
A Single Soft, Clean Shadow.
The proof is in the shadows.
SkyPanel perfectly mixes some 2,000 calibrated red, green, blue and white LEDs into one homogeneous beam of soft light. In addition to providing excellent light, the SkyPanel also provides excellent shadows. The shadows are soft in nature and do not exhibit multiple edges or strange colors, making SkyPanel one of the best LED soft lights for shadow rendition on the market.
Familiar but Revolutionary.
Easy to use.
The SkyPanel user interface is designed to be incredibly easy to use, but also to make a wide range of controls available to the user, all at the same time. With three simple knobs, the color temperature, green/magenta point, intensity, hue and saturation can be adjusted instantly. People who have never used the light before find the interface effective and intuitive. In addition to the on-board controls, all functions can be remotely adjusted via DMX or LAN network connections.
Versatility Built-In.
Use and adapt SkyPanel according to your needs.
The SkyPanel was designed to be used primarily as a soft light to illuminate people. However, features were also designed into the fixture to make it extremely versatile. The diffusor panels on the front of the lamphead are interchangeable, so going from a heavy diffusion to a lite diffusion can be done in a matter of seconds. In addition, plans are in place to roll out further diffusion accessories that will accommodate other applications.
The SkyPanel also makes an amazing space light; by providing a large pool of downward soft light, as well as the ability to change CCT and vivid colors, SkyPanel offers a compelling alternative to conventional space lights. Other features include an on-board battery input for mobile applications, LAN port for network connectivity, USB-A port for firmware updates via thumb drive, and many more.
Powerful Mobility.
Battery mode included.
The SkyPanel’s low power consumption allows the fixture to be operated in many locations, using many different sources of power. With the on-board battery input, SkyPanel can easily run off industry-standard batteries. Powerful, beautiful soft light need no longer be tethered to the wall or generator. The S60 can be operated at up to 50% of its total power while on battery, and the S30 can be used at full power.
Large Aperture.
Bigger is better.
Having a diffused light source is not enough to make a true soft light. SkyPanel also has one of the largest light apertures in its power class; this substantial opening contributes significantly to the soft quality of light and wrapping of the source around a subject. When it comes to soft light aperture, bigger is usually better.
Thin Profile.
Fit the SkyPanel into tight locations.
Having a diffused light source is not enough to make a true soft light. SkyPanel also has one of the largest light apertures in its power class; this substantial opening contributes significantly to the soft quality of light and wrapping of the source around a subject. When it comes to soft light aperture, bigger is usually better.
Remote Phosphor Version.
Extra brightness, amazing color.
In addition to the fully tuneable color versions of the SkyPanel, remote phosphor versions are also available. To make white LEDs, phosphors are typically placed directly on a single blue LED. Remote phosphor technology uses many powerful blue LEDs to excite a panel coated in phosphors, which is positioned further away from the LEDs.
These high-quality phosphors deliver near-perfect color rendition and outstanding light output. The remote phosphor versions of SkyPanel are roughly 10% brighter than the color versions and have a lower price point due to less complex electronics. Different color temperature panels are available, including 2,700 K; 3,200 K; 4,300 K; 5,600 K; and 6,500 K.
Built to Last.
Constructed with great care from durable materials.
Made in Germany to the high standards for which all ARRI products are known, SkyPanel is built to last – constructed from resilient materials and assembled by hand with great care. The combination of an aluminum core with fiberglass-reinforced thermoplastics results in a solid fixture that can withstand heavy daily use on busy film sets.
The electronics have been designed to last beyond a minimum of 25,000 hours, and to be easily serviceable. The LED light engine even allows for recalibration, further enhancing SkyPanel’s credentials as a long-lasting, high-quality fixture. As with all ARRI products, a high return on investment is ensured by uncompromising engineering standards.
From the field …
“The ARRI SkyPanel gives filmmakers the ability to quickly change colors without the need for gels. This creates new choices and allows for more creativity on set.”
Helmut Prein, Gaffer
“I have been insisting on using ARRI lights for over 30 years, ever since being introduced on a film in France. They have always been better, brighter, and more reliable. The new SkyPanel is no exception, high output, great CRI, and a very user friendly design. I will be carrying several of them on every film I do.”
Mo Flam, Gaffer
“I have only been able to see and briefly play with ARRI’s new SkyPanel earlier this year, but what I saw I liked very much and can’t wait to get it in the field and actually use it. It seems by far the most versatile LED soft light in its class. In terms of color rendition, it is unrivaled and to have RGB, daylight, tungsten and green/magenta shift control in one unit with such powerful output is amazing. This could be the gold standard all other LED soft lights will be compared to.”
Robby Baumgartner, Cinematorapher
Technical specifications
- SkyPanel S60-C – Data Sheet – English (410 kb)
- SkyPanel S60-RP – Data Sheet – English (430 kb)
