Single point LED....

[Gilligan]

Lets also not lose sight of the reason things expose so fast is because of how close the LEDs are... So going single point does give you a long lasting cooler bulb but probably won't reduce exposure times like the multi led systems will.

[Colin]

If it would keep my 3140 from getting to 110+ degrees when shooting multiple dual cure screens.... I am all over it.

[Gilligan]

But why not just go straight to the standard led unit and get best of both worlds?

[jvanick]

I wonder if you have to pull the ballast or make other internal electrical changes, or if it's truly 'drop-in'

[IntegrityShirts]

Can't be truly drop in as let's are DC powered. Single point led in the 300w range will probably need a 72v DC power supply. Still if it shoots quick, geat potential here.

[Binkspot]

I think this one is more of a replacement for a freestanding unit to be used with a vacume frame of hanging screens on a wall when using DTS.

Like mentioned no heat and not having to replace a bulb are tremendous benifits.

[Gilligan]

Can't be truly drop in as let's are DC powered. Single point led in the 300w range will probably need a 72v DC power supply. Still if it shoots quick, geat potential here.

Most have drivers that accept standard AC, sometimes between 87 and 240 volts.

[Denis Kolar]

I could attach this to the top of mine 40-1K.
Keep the controls on the existing unit just for the vacuum and use this and the timer for the exposing.
And that is of course if my unit goes dead.

In the meantime, I never understood the pricing on these stand alone LED units. WTF they are so expensive??
I understand the R&D, but I just bought an LED light string, 3 meters and 300 LED lights in it. With a power converter it was $15.
Lets say, little LED light in the exposure unit are more expensive to make by 10 times (I doubt it), that would put the cost at $150 for 300 lights.
That means that wires, box, timer, vacuum and a glass is about $7-$8K

Sorry, just thinking out loud.

[mk162]

because they can be...

prices often times are more about what the market can bear more so than a figure based on cost...this can work both ways...this is why places clearance stuff too.

[Binkspot]

Offset the cost of R&D, it is built into the cost of most goods.

[mimosatexas]

Yea the LED units will come down an absolute ton in a few years when every manufacturer is producing them.

[Gilligan]

I don't think they will come down in prices... At least not from the "big boys".

As Brad said, "because they can."  We will pay $7k because of "perceived value".

When I was in (actively) the video production business we lost a bid once because my business partner didn't get this.  Someone wanted a comercial and everyone else was bidding $50k-$75k and he thought "that's crazy, even if we rented the same camera as they have and brought in a grip truck. we could still do it for under $20k and make out like bandits."  So that's what he did.  It was even a friend of his taking the bids, we didn't get the bid and he was so confused why they would CHOOSE to spend 3 times the money for the same product.

Perceived value... The organization just couldn't image that we would be able to give them the same quality product for such a lower price.

It's basically unspoken price fixing.  They all know it doesn't serve any of their interest to cut the others throat by THAT much... They want to make that big margin as well.  Even if Anatol, workhorse and vastex all came down to half of what M&R is charging, M&R would probably still out sell them because of perceived value, lots of ppl FEEL like they are getting that much more for their money.

[blue moon]

huge part of what you paying for is the support. Don't forget M&R offers 24/7 phones and techs all over the place. Add the R&D, better quality LED's (yes there is a difference, and the better stuff is made in smaller batches so it is significantly more expensive and your 10x example is not that much off) and the price goes up. If you want something that will work for the most part, build it yourself. If you want something that is guaranteed to work, by a unit from one of the big manufacturers.

pierre

[TCT]

Lets also not lose sight of the reason things expose so fast is because of how close the LEDs are... So going single point does give you a long lasting cooler bulb but probably won't reduce exposure times like the multi led systems will.

In total efforts to prove my ignorance, is that really how it works? Because the LED units are so close?

[Gilligan]

This is also why fluorescent units expose pretty quickly... the bulbs are right on the glass (practically).

Inverse Square Law is what applies here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inverse-square_law