Radio-Sync, Constant Color POWERLIGHT ! Operator’s Manual Solair! Constant Color PLR500DR Solair! Constant Color PLR1000DR Voltage Smart" Solair! PLRX500DR Voltage Smart" Solair! PLRX1000DR & Remote Studio Control Accessories 1
OPERATOR MANUAL FOR MONOLIGHTS Solair! Radio-Sync, Constant Color PLR500DR &PLR1000DR Voltage Smart#, Radio-Sync, Constant Color PLRX500DR & PLRX1000DR INFRARED ACCESSORIES PLCPTR-2 Computer Control Software. PLDIR-2 Side display & IR receiver. PLIRC-1 Hand held remote control. Thank you for selecting the Photogenic Professional PowerLight Solair brand, Radio-Sync, Constant-Color series.
SAFETY PRECAUTIONS Despite the measures that have been taken to make electronic flash equipment safe, it must be recognized that high voltages and high temperatures do exist within the power supply / lighting unit. Certain precautions must be observed in handling the unit. Contact with internal high voltage may result in severe injury or death. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9.
The unit is shipped with the modeling lamp and flashtube not installed. While installing the modeling lamp and flashtube (with glove or clean cloth to protect the hand and tube) be sure they are properly inserted and tight to avoid arcing and failure of the socket contacts during operation. Do not touch the glass tubes with bare hands, as normal body oils will shorten the bulb’s life. Always use a clean cloth or wear gloves to protect your hand from glass breakage and heat.
DIGITAL CONTROL PANEL AND BASIC OPERATION: Power Input: The power required to operate the Solair Radio-Sync, Constant-Color PLR500DR or PLR1000DR is 105 to 125 volts AC, 60 Hz, 5 Amp. The power cord has a 125V, 15 Amp. rating. [The Voltage Smart Solair Radio-Sync, Constant-Color PLRX500DR or PLRX1000DR is rated 90 to 250 volts AC, 50/60 Hz, 3.5 Amp and has a 230V power cord with a German/European plug. These Voltage Smart units have no recharge line current surge.
Functional Operation Solair! Radio-Sync, Constant-Color PLR500DR & PLR1000DR Voltage Smart,# Radio-Sync, Constant-Color PLRX500DR & PLRX1000DR Power Switch: The power switch controls the AC power to both the modeling and flash circuits. You have the option to turn-off the modeling circuit independently. Flash Power: When the power is turned on the red LED is illuminated. You adjust the PowerLight Flash power settings by pressing the 1/2 or 1/10 f-stops UP/DOWN arrow buttons.
The Solair Radio-Sync, Constant-Color PLR500DR & PLRX500DR models are fully charged when the READY lamp is on. Lowest power (3.9ws) charge time is a maximum of .5 seconds and at full power charge (500 ws) time is a maximum of 1.5 seconds. The unit may be flashed before fully charged. When adjusting flash power settings downward the units will bleed stored power until the lowered setting is reached, the green READY light will then be re-illuminated.
After the trigger cord is properly connected, check the synchronization with a film camera. Adjust the lighting unit to same height as the camera lens and face the lights into the lens. The lens aperture should be open to its fullest extent and set on “X” or “zero” delay. Remove the camera back. It is best to perform this test with the modeling lamps turned off. While looking at the lens through the back of a film camera, operate the shutter.
Photocell/Photo Slave: The sensor is built-in and can be shut off by plugging in the sync cord. Flash Power Bracketing: Bracketing refers to taking up to three (3) exposures in a sequence with different flash intensities, either additional watt seconds or fewer watt seconds, from the displayed or selected “primary” base intensity. The Solair units enable you to set the base flash power and then one high and one low bracketing values.
Color Temperature Consistent and Constant The problem: With the rare exception of units costing many thousands of dollars, flash lighting packs, up to now, do not control the color temperature of the light. The color temperature typically decreases by over 100 degrees Kelvin for every f-stop of power reduction. Over a 6-stop adjustment range, this results in a color temperature decrease of over 600K. Even units that have a small 3stop range can produce significant color shifts of over 300 degrees.
power point is commonly used in engineering and serves the purpose of reporting the bandwidth of the flash duration, but the graph below clearly shows that a power point measurement does not truly report the total flash duration. The clock doesn’t start running until the flash discharge reaches 50% of its peak, and stops when it falls below 50%.
Reciprocity Explained -Excerpts taken from Kodak TECHNICAL PUBLICATION DATA I FILM E31- July 2002 The reciprocity law states that the intensity of light falling on a photographic film multiplied by the exposure time equals the total amount of exposure. Intensity x Time = Exposure This means, for example, that an exposure of f 16 at 1/60 second is equivalent to an exposure of f 11 at 1/125 second. In either combination of settings, the same total amount of light reaches the film.
LONG-EXPOSURE EFFECTS Under low-light conditions, you may have to extend your exposure times to a point of significant speed loss. With black-and-white films, the effect of this speed loss is partially offset by wide exposure latitude. Most color films require more than the normally calculated exposure when the lighting is unusually low.
OPERATIONAL PARAMETERS Solair! Radio-Sync, Constant-Color PLR500DR Voltage Smart# Radio-Sync, Constant Color PLRX500DR Flashing Rate: The unit recharges quickly, as indicated by the READY light on the control panel. A quick series of flashes can be obtained within the limits of the recharge time. Continuous rapid flashing, however, can overheat and damage the flashtube and internal parts. The maximum recommended rate of flashing would depend upon the power level being used and the amount of operation time.
SPECIFICATIONS Solair! Radio-Sync, Constant-Color PLR500DR Voltage Smart# Radio-Sync, Constant Color PLRX500DR General: Flash Power….........................................………...3.9 to 500 watt-seconds. Maximum (8 f-stops) Flash Duration….........................................……...1/280 second at Full 1/5800 second at 1/128 Reciprocity……………………………………….Excellent, no filters required Recycling time…..........................................……..0.5 to 1.5 seconds @ full Power Control….......................
OPERATIONAL PARAMETERS Solair! Radio-Sync, Constant-Color PLR1000DR Voltage Smart# Radio-Sync, Constant Color PLRX1000DR Flashing Rate: The unit recharges quickly, as indicated by the READY light on the control panel. A quick series of flashes can be obtained within the limits of the recharge time. Continuous rapid flashing, however, can overheat and damage the flashtube and internal parts.
SPECIFICATIONS Solair! Radio-Sync, Constant-Color PLR1000DR Voltage Smart# Radio-Sync, Constant Color PLRX1000DR General: Flash Power............................................…………7.8 to 1000 watt-seconds maximum. (8 f-stops) Flash Duration........................................…………1/250 second at Full 1/4000 second at 1/128 Reciprocity………………………………….........Excellent, no filters required Recycling time..............................................……..0.8 to 3.0 seconds Power Control......................
ADVANCED POWERLIGHT FEATURES Solair! Radio-Sync, Constant-Color PLR500DR & PLR1000DR Voltage Smart# Radio-Sync, Constant Color PLRX500DR & PLRX1000DR Automatic Discharge Each time the AC line power is disconnected or switched off, the unit will automatically flash-dump most of the stored power, and then discharge by resistor the remainder of the stored power.
During the “ir” display if you then press either of the 1/10 buttons you will display “rado” pressing the 1/10 button again will display a studio “Su” and number 1 through 4. Studio numbers are assigned with 1/10 buttons. NOTE: the “rado” is currently an internal-only system and should not be used if you intend to use infrared controls. To close “rado”, press the 1/10 button again until the display reads “ir” then press the _ UP button again.
Advanced Series Accessories Solair!, Voltage Smart# & PL2 series PLDIR-2 Remote digital display and Infrared receiver. (Must be used with PLIRC controller) The PLDIR-2 is a digital display to enhance visibility and to receive infrared signals to control the functions of the Solair Constant Color, Radio-Sync PowerLights. It displays Flash power, Modeling lamp power and unit number. It has a green READY indicator and a BI-color indicator for Flash or Model. Behind a small window is an infrared receiver.
General Trouble Shooting COMMON PROBLEMS AND CAUSES Unit does not charge. Probable causes: 1. Fuse blown. (Unplug the unit-Replace fuse.) 2. No line power to unit. (Check line cord and outlet.) 3. Internal thermal protection activated. Will occur if power setting is increased and decreased rapidly, several times. (Wait for unit to cool. May take 2 to 5 minutes.) Modeling light does not turn on. Probable causes: 1. Lamp turned off. (Press FULL ON/OFF button until LED lights.) 2. Lamp burned out.
Limited PowerLight! Warranty Photogenic Professional Lighting warranties the “standard line” products are free from defects in material and workmanship of the PL2 series of PowerLights for a period of two years from date of purchase. At our choice, we will repair or replace any PL2, Solair or Voltage Smart series light that is deemed to be defective. This warranty does not cover damages caused by shipping, product abuse or use other than the intended photographic applications.
PowerLight! Infrared Studio-Control Accessories. (For all Digital Remote “DR” models.) PLCPTR-2 Computer Studio Control System for IBM compatibles. • On-screen display of up to 9 different PowerLight “DR” models. • Set and transmit commands to just one light or the entire studio. • 360-degree command coverage for changing flash power, modeling intensity, proportional modeling sets, modeling ON/OFF, test flash, autobracketing and standby mode.
POWERLIGHT! QUICK-CHANGE# ACCESSORIES REFLECTORS: PL3R ------3” Shallow Background reflector rotates to control light for high key and back lighting. PL3RV-----3” Veil Slotted Background reflector for veil and burst-lighting PL5R-------5” Deep Conical Background reflector. PL7R-------7 _” Standard high grain reflector. 35-degree coverage. PL14R-----14” Parabolic for portraits, feathering, flood and fill lighting. 45-degree coverage. PL16R-----16” Parabolic for portraits, feathering, flood and fill lighting.
