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B&H Photo - Introduction to Lighting - Part III
 

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Introduction to Lighting

Part: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Light Fixture Types


(Luminaires)

There are many different lighting fixtures that change the quality of the light that is generated by the lamp inside. In the B&H web site, you will see a majority of the different popular types used today. We have defined a few of them for you so you’ll get a good idea of what each of them does.

In addition to the sun, light can be created many different ways.

Fresnel


Fresnels are identifiable by the glass lens with the concentric circles on the front of the fixture. Fresnels are true focusing lights due to the fact that the lamp and reflector move in unison. Fresnel lights provide an even beam with good shadow definition. Fresnels are some of the most popular lights used in film and television production around the globe.

Open Face


A general term for a luminaire that does not use a lens. They sometimes may be provided with a safety glass or a wire mesh. Generally they cast a fairly wide beam. They are excellent lights if you are going to diffuse them through a silk, softbox, or bounce them off a reflective panel. They tend to be a little lighter in weight and less expensive than Fresnels.

Par


A generally lightweight luminaire that uses a PAR (Parabolic Aluminized Reflector) lamp. The light beam characteristics depend upon the type of lamp used. These types of luminaires are used frequently in stage and theatre productions.

Broadlight


A wide-angle floodlight. Used to direct a large amount of light at a relatively large area.

Softlight


A softlight is an indirect lighting source in which the light bounces off an internal reflector to produce soft light with soft shadow edges.

Ellipsoidal


These fixtures are usually classified as spotlights. They usually throw a controlled narrow beam with a sharp edge with strong shadow definition.

Cyc light


A fixture designed to provide an even wash of light on cycloramas (a curved curtain or wall used as a background of a stage set to suggest unlimited space) and backdrops. The cyc light can also be used as a multi-purpose flood or fill light for stage and studio lighting applications.

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