We got a first look at the new Atomos Sun Dragon. This is Atomos’s first lighting product, which they state is the world’s first 99% sun spectrum-accurate (CRI:99, TCLI:98), 5-color HDR LED production lights in LED strip form.
Jeramy told me that Atomos has learned much about LED diode technology since the Atomos recorders use them in their monitors. They took all the years of designing the screens and applied some of the design to the new Sun Dragon. logo maker
Sun Dragon is a 16ft / 5m high-density lighting system with wired DMX and ethernet and wireless RF, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth connectivity for control and configuration. Its claimed brightness is 2000 lumens end to end. That is very bright for a LED strip. Sun Dragon utilizes RGBAW, a design of 5 different colored diodes – red, green, blue, amber, and white.
Instead of a conventional fixed, heavy, and cumbersome form factor, it is a malleable strip of ultra-dense 5-color LED lights. This density is claimed not to produce micro shadows, which can require diffusers on regular thin LED light strips. It also increases the relative brightness. The light strip draws 80W making them easy to use with external batteries.
The Sun Dragon is flexible; it can be formed into any shape, but can’t be bent. The included travel case doubles as a housing and includes a diffuser that attaches with magnets so it can be used as a soft source fixture with metal mounting options on the rear. Wider spirals make a wider light throw, and denser spirals form a closer, more intense beam.
Sun Dragon is fully water-resistant, dust proof and waterproof to a depth of 1m /3.3′. It is also lightweight, weighing in at 1kg / 2.2 lb.
The lights are made from densely packed high-quality LEDs for an even light without needing diffusion. They are punchy and powerful, and have an output that’s 99% of the full sun spectrum. Atomos’ provisional measurements state that they have a CRI (Colour Rendering Index) of approximately 99 and TCLI (Television Lighting Consistency Index) of 98.
Sun Dragon comes with an active controller with a large display and wireless/wired DMX remote control. Basic setup (Brightness, Color, Hue, etc.) is available via Atomos AirGlu RF devices. Sun Dragon is also Bluetooth compatible for DMX control from iPad and iPhone apps and can be battery or mains powered.
The new lights can be controlled by Atomos monitor-recorders and the Ninja Phone. This allows you to make adjustments to the Sun Dragon directly from your connected Atomos device right there on the screen.
Sun Dragon is expected to be available in June 2024 at a price of $999. It includes the carrying case that doubles as a fixture
Erik is an 18 time Emmy award-winning DP, with over 20 years experience in photojournalism, working in newsrooms all over the USA. The last decade has seen Erik migrate into broadcast television and filmmaking, where he has discovered a passion for visual storytelling and production. Additionally, Erik is an outstanding educator, teaching filmmaking via courses on Linkedin Learning and Lynda.com.
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