Video light does not work on 'auto'

Greg Boston · January 7th, 2010, 06:22 AM

I'm late to this thread, but I know what the problem is. You can't use that light with the delay circuit. I have the AB Ultra light with the UL dimmer. Can't run the dimmer through the camera body tap, have to use the tap on the battery plate. The Ultralight by itself will run just fine.

It's not a voltage issue, it's a current issue. Not an excess of current, but a lack of it that gets drawn when you plug in an electronic dimmer or delay. The camera is designed this way and I know of no workaround other than the one you have already implemented. I have to do the same thing with my UL dimmer.

-gb-

Luc De Wandel · January 7th, 2010, 09:38 AM

Thanks Greg; very useful comment. I've been measuring a lot and to no avail. But this is the answer, so I can stop measuring and just forget abut this light. I'll use my Sony LED-light instead.

Derek Heeps · April 10th, 2023, 03:10 PM

I also have a PDW-F350 ; I'm pretty sure ( haven't checked ) that there is a 50W limit on the output from the camera . I use a PAGlight which has a 35W bulb and it works fine . There is a limit to what you can run through the camera .

Doug Jensen · April 10th, 2023, 04:39 PM

Ha, ha. Do you realize you are replying to a 13 year old thread? By now everyone has switched to LED. Personally, I use a Litepanels Bi-color brick that uses only 13W to match the output of a 100W tungsten. Plus it is dimmable, so I rarely am running it at the full 13W.

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produ...led.html/specs

Derek Heeps · May 10th, 2023, 07:41 AM

Yes I did , but always useful , even on old threads , to post anything that might help others .

Yes I also have some LED lighting , but on this camera I still have my various PAG lights , which include various wattages of tungsten , the PowerArc lamps , which also draw around 35W but are equivalent to 100W tungsten , and the LED module , all of which can interchange into the same basic lamp .

April 10th, 2023, 03:10 PM	#18
Derek Heeps Major Player Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Glasgow , Scotland Posts: 224	Re: Video light does not work on 'auto' I also have a PDW-F350 ; I'm pretty sure ( haven't checked ) that there is a 50W limit on the output from the camera . I use a PAGlight which has a 35W bulb and it works fine . There is a limit to what you can run through the camera .

April 10th, 2023, 04:39 PM	#19
Doug Jensen Vortex Media Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Florida Posts: 3,417	Re: Video light does not work on 'auto' Ha, ha. Do you realize you are replying to a 13 year old thread? By now everyone has switched to LED. Personally, I use a Litepanels Bi-color brick that uses only 13W to match the output of a 100W tungsten. Plus it is dimmable, so I rarely am running it at the full 13W. https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produ...led.html/specs __________________ Vortex Media http://www.vortexmedia.com/ Sony FS7, F55, and XDCAM training videos, field guides, and other production tools

May 10th, 2023, 07:41 AM	#20
Derek Heeps Major Player Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Glasgow , Scotland Posts: 224	Re: Video light does not work on 'auto' Yes I did , but always useful , even on old threads , to post anything that might help others . Yes I also have some LED lighting , but on this camera I still have my various PAG lights , which include various wattages of tungsten , the PowerArc lamps , which also draw around 35W but are equivalent to 100W tungsten , and the LED module , all of which can interchange into the same basic lamp .

January 7th, 2010, 06:22 AM	#16
Greg Boston Wrangler Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: DFW area, TX Posts: 6,117 Images: 1	I'm late to this thread, but I know what the problem is. You can't use that light with the delay circuit. I have the AB Ultra light with the UL dimmer. Can't run the dimmer through the camera body tap, have to use the tap on the battery plate. The Ultralight by itself will run just fine. It's not a voltage issue, it's a current issue. Not an excess of current, but a lack of it that gets drawn when you plug in an electronic dimmer or delay. The camera is designed this way and I know of no workaround other than the one you have already implemented. I have to do the same thing with my UL dimmer. -gb-

January 7th, 2010, 09:38 AM	#17
Luc De Wandel Major Player Join Date: May 2008 Location: Knokke-Heist, Belgium Posts: 963	Thanks Greg; very useful comment. I've been measuring a lot and to no avail. But this is the answer, so I can stop measuring and just forget abut this light. I'll use my Sony LED-light instead.