Dedolight 650w versus Arri 650w Fresnel?

[Mark Kenfield]

Hey guys,

I'm planning out some fairly extensive additions to my lighting kit and I'd be keen to hear people's thoughts on the Dedolight 650w units if anyone's used them?

I love, and I mean LOVE, the little 150w Dedos. They'll undoubtably be a part of my new kit. But I'm interested to hear how the 650w units compare to a more traditional 650w Fresnel, particularly in terms of spill control and light output (i.e. are the 650w units just the same as the 150w units with 4x the output?).

I'm spending extra to build a lighting kit filled with fixtures that are as controllable as possible in order to allow me to set-up, pack-down and light faster. So if the 650w Dedos can save me from having to rig up an extra flag here and there (compared to a fresnel), then that's what I'd want to get.

Any thoughts would be much appreciated.

Cheers,

Mark

[Rohan Dadswell]

Hi Mark,

I have both units (4 x Arri & 1 x Dedo)
The Dedo has a lot more grunt than the Arris - I was surprised how much brighter the Dedo was with the same lamp, almost double.
The Dedo also has a lot more control over the beam - better flood & spot and easier to cut when needed. They are just like an overgrown Dedo 150.
You can also get the projection attachment for using gobos (Lemac had a few domo units going cheap a while back)

The down side is that they are heavier and take up more room than the Arris and they are about double the price.
The other problem if you are setting up a truck is that a lot of people are stuck in their ways and request Arri (or other gear) because they know it and aren't keen to try other gear.

I'll admit that I'm a Dedolight fan and would buy a lot more if I could.

[Walter Brokx]

I met Dedo in person 2 weeks ago.
A nice old inventor who rethought the design of light to make it more efficient and more controllable.
Even the barndoors have more ways to move than the normal ones.

Initial cost is higher, but they produce more light, you'll have more control, need to replace bulbs less often and they are more rugged (they can survive a drop on the floor and more than a drop of water).

(Their softbox with 2 575W lights produces more light than a 5 kW in a traditional softbox.)

[Mark Kenfield]

Thanks fellas, really appreciate the feedback. I decided that superior control is the thing that really matters to me in the end, so I have two of the 650w units on order. Really looking forward to them.

In the long haul, the lower lamp replacement costs of the Dedos will also eventually make them the cheaper option, so that helps sooth a bruised credit card!