Fake Film Lights.

Recently few cinematographers informed me about some fake lights are circulating at Chennai market.
As cross checked with Lotus cine equipments their confirmation very much shocked to hear most of duplicate look a like lights are Arri Sky panel and Day light M series.

Can we imagine about a duplicate camera make?! According to me even good camera and optics can’t produce good image if we use a Bad quality lights.

Light quality plays very key role in the world of Cinematography.
Coming to the look a like Sky Panel lights which is a fake one has same body.
These cheap lights will not produce good quality illumination, the Skypanel and other lights are carefully crafted by Arri Engineers with precision.

As i had a chance to see fake lights i could note down here some basic points that makes a huge difference from Original products.
* firmware upgrade. Arri lights has firmware upgrade each and every month adding some great features. Fake lights has a port but there is no way a firmware can be updated.
* Original Skypanel is produced with multiple light Engines.

* LED lights biggest challenge is color accuracy. Duplicate lights cannot produce accurate colors that is very difficult to fix even in the post.

* Green Magenta shift option clearly absent in the fake Sky panel lights.

* DMX control and special light effects and digital CC filters are no way there.

* Since fake lights use Cheaper LED bulbs it creates eye irritation even when a soft diffuser panel used.

More dangerous is M series lights are faked which is really dangerous when used in the film set.

There has been reports of a bulbs cracked of poor power sockets.

Rental houses who own these cheaper lights too should be aware they are also cheated by paying slightly lesser money than original products will loose the extended warrenty for the light they get from Original products.

More is the reputation.

It is time for DOPs to be careful choosing lights.

There are reports of sending some fake lights among with Original Lights.

ARRI company has served film Industry for more than 100 years of quality reputation on Cameras and lights.

Faking a light of Arri standard is unimaginable.

Light shapes the characters in a frame.

Quality of light is most important basic aspects of film lighting.

No more Fake and look a like lights should be encouraged for cheaper money value.

CJ Rajkumar

Author/ Cinematographer.