Lighting, whether we like it or not, is a highly technical craft. Even though it isn't necessary to know the amount of footcandles or lux that a light gives off at a certain distance, or how a light's CRI will affect the final image, in order to light a shot effectively, you can bet that the most discerning cinematographers and their gaffers are absolutely thinking about those technical characteristics when they light. Even though that type of information can be intimidating for beginning (and even intermediate) filmmakers, Arri's new Photometrics app puts all of it right at your fingertips:
Here's some of the key information that the Photometrics App crams into your pocket:
- Luminous Output
- Beam Diameter
- Beam Angle
- Flood, Middle and Spot Photometrics
- Luminous Distribution Graph
- Camera Exposure and Aperture Information
- Light Properties including: Color Temperature, CRI, Protection Rating, Dimming, Dimensions, Weight, Power Draw, Lamp Holder Type, Mounting, Reflector Type, Lens Type, and Scrim Size
- Metric and Imperial Units
- Bulb Selection
Here's what the app looks like:
While this app certainly has some really useful information packed into it, it's important to remember that it's only applicable to Arri lighting fixtures. (It is an Arri app, after all.) This is both a good thing and a bad thing. It's good because almost every set that I've ever been on has had at least a few Arri fresnels, or maybe an Arri HMI or two. Arri lamp heads are some of the most ubiquitous pieces of gear around, so this app ought to come in handy. However, for extremely low-budget sets where the lighting is pieced-together, this app likely won't be practical at all.
Unfortunately this app is currently only available on iOS7, so it won't work on iPhones or iPads without the latest version of the OS. Sadly, it's also unavailable on the Android platform. You can download the Arri Photometrics app through the App Store, or click here to find it through iTunes:
What do you guys think of the Arri Photometric App? Can you see yourselves using it on future productions? Let us know in the comments!
Link: Photometrics -- iTunes
