As stills and motion photography converge, a little known product to still photographers is big news in the video capture world. Kobold, by bron, is known and trusted by all of the major news networks for their HMI daylight balanced continuous light. As I was walking along 6th Ave in New York City, Fox News Network had set up a streetside interview point, where they were looking for passers-by to ask questions in a live TV broadcast. First thing I noticed was the Kobold HMI lights.

Fox News Network HMI Daylight Balanced 400w HMI

“We just love ‘em” says Paul Alvarez, ENG Cameraman for Fox. “The all weather housing allows us to travel with confidence knowing that no matter what nature throws at us – the lights are going to be fine”.
Paul is referring to the IP54 weather rating that allows the Kobold HMI lamps to be out in the rain without the need to be covered. The lamp fixtures also have the added advantage that the rear of the fixture stays cool, which greatly extends durability, by allowing the electronics to operate at a lower temperature. They are available in 200w, 400w and 800w with ballast units featuring a dimmer control and an amazing “hot-strike”. This means that you can turn the lights off and back on with no waiting time for warm-up.
Trusted by news crews in the harshest environments, featuring outstanding design and build quality, plus the ability to utilize some of the existing broncolor lightshaping tools Kobold has both stills and motion capture covered.

Dave McRitchie.