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



## mickeyknox (Feb 27, 2008)

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


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## Patriot (Feb 27, 2008)

: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.


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## FlashInThePan (Feb 27, 2008)

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


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## louie (Feb 27, 2008)

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.


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## Gunner12 (Feb 27, 2008)

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:


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## kongfuchicken (Feb 27, 2008)

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.


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## BVH (Feb 27, 2008)

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".

https://www.candlepowerforums.com/threads/175524

https://www.candlepowerforums.com/threads/110558&page=5 (start at post 240)

https://www.candlepowerforums.com/posts/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.


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## JimmyM (Feb 27, 2008)

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.


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## scott.cr (Feb 28, 2008)

BVH said:


> 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. ;-)


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## mickeyknox (Feb 28, 2008)

BVH said:


> 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".
> 
> https://www.candlepowerforums.com/threads/175524
> 
> ...


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.


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## mickeyknox (Feb 28, 2008)

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?


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## Helmut.G (Feb 28, 2008)

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.


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## ShortArc (Feb 28, 2008)

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


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## Gunner12 (Feb 28, 2008)

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


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## ShortArc (Feb 28, 2008)

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.



Gunner12 said:


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


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## Ra (Feb 29, 2008)

ShortArc said:


> 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.


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## knucethelight (Mar 7, 2008)

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


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## fxstsb (Mar 8, 2008)

mickeyknox said:


> 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.
> 
> ...


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


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## Gunner12 (Mar 8, 2008)

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


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## Mach1 (Mar 9, 2008)

You can't buy this for $40.00:


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## Ra (Mar 9, 2008)

fxstsb said:


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



Gunner12 is right..

Those claims are highly exaggerated to grab you attention! They propably think "who's able to measure it anyway.." Well, I am !!

The highest cp-vallue I ever measured on a halogen spotlight was with the 130watt halogen Cyclops Platinum Thor 15M (Maxablaster host)

400,000 cp !

All smaller (halogen-) stock-spotlights only produce 100,000 - 250,000 cp (Thor 10M and others)

They wrongly use the term candlepower to say something about the amount of light that is produced: Candlepower output is the abillity to enlighten distant objects, not the amount of light that is produced! That's lumens output.

You don't nessesarily need high lumens output to enlighten distant objects! 
Example: Laser pointer: very poor lumens output, high throw! 


Best,

Ra.


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## Flashanator (Mar 9, 2008)

nice pic Mach 


I saw two lights like that on a police chopper + the big flood center beam.

It was bright.


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## fxstsb (Mar 10, 2008)

Mach1 said:


> You can't buy this for $40.00:



I can get if for free


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## mickeyknox (Mar 11, 2008)

So the time to make a decision has come and it's down to the Maxabeam and the Megaray, just had a quick question on the flood of both, which one has the widest diameter flood at short distances? 

Is there a chart or a formula to compare flood width vs distance between the two?


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## Flashanator (Mar 12, 2008)

hey mickey, maybe this comparison will help you decide. (Althought the Megaray in this pic is an older version (125watt, while the new is 175watt)





The Maxabeam can flood up to 40 degrees. While the megaray only 6 degrees. But the Maxabeam lacks the lumen output of the Megaray, but throws further on tight spot.

hope that helps.


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## Nitro (Mar 12, 2008)

mickeyknox said:


> So the time to make a decision has come and it's down to the Maxabeam and the Megaray, just had a quick question on the flood of both, which one has the widest diameter flood at short distances?
> 
> Is there a chart or a formula to compare flood width vs distance between the two?


 
My vote is with the Megaray 175W. The beam isn't as tight as the Maxabeam, but it's brighter. It doesn't sound like you need the beam to be as tight as the Maxabeam. 

Check out my "Got Throw" link comparing the MB to a 50W HID. I wish I had the Megaray to compare also, but I'm not that fortunate.


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## JimNoble (Apr 4, 2008)

mickeyknox said:


> 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.



Not a very CPF answer, but have you considered something like the Alien Bee (http://www.alienbees.com/b800.html), or maybe several of them, placed closer to the structures and triggered from the camera using wireless transceivers (eg http://www.pocketwizard.com/HTML/plus2.asp)...?

Not portable in the same way a monster HID flashlight would be though! 

Jim


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## Patriot (Apr 4, 2008)

mickeyknox said:


> So the time to make a decision has come and it's down to the Maxabeam and the Megaray, just had a quick question on the flood of both, which one has the widest diameter flood at short distances?
> 
> Is there a chart or a formula to compare flood width vs distance between the two?




Are you photographing or just viewing with your eyes? Also is it's for photography will there be any moving objects involved?


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