Professional HMI lighting system designed for solar-balanced daylight production and outdoor cinematography.
Technical Details
The ARRISUN family is divided into six main variants: 575W (14,000 lumens), 1200W (32,000 lumens), 2500W (75,000 lumens), 4000W (120,000 lumens), 12,000W (350,000 lumens), and 18,000W (520,000 lumens). All models operate with electronic ballasts (EVG), which eliminate flicker at 25/50Hz and offer hot re-strike functions. The Fresnel lenses allow for beam angles from 12° to 65° depending on the model. The larger units (from 4K onwards) require separate ballasts with DMX-512 control and offer remote focus functions over 100m cable length.
History & Development
ARRI introduced the first ARRISUN models in 1982 in response to the growing demand for daylight-balanced light sources. HMI technology itself originated in the 1960s from Osram, but only found its way into the film business in the late 1970s. The second generation followed in 1995 with flicker-free electronic ballasts, the third in 2003 with the hot re-strike function. The current fourth generation, since 2018, integrates ARRI SkyPanel technology for more precise color control on the larger models.
Practical Use in Film
Emmanuel Lubezki used ARRISUN 18K units for the candlelight scenes in "Barry Lyndon" (reshoots 2019) to optimally illuminate Kubrick's NASA lenses. On "Mad Max: Fury Road," John Seale simulated the glaring desert sun with ARRISUN 12K arrays through diffusion. The 2.5K variants are often used for window light simulation indoors, while 575W and 1200W models serve as mobile fill lights on exterior shoots. The disadvantage lies in the warm-up time of 3-5 minutes and the heat generation, which requires additional cooling.
Comparison & Alternatives
Competitor products like the Joker-Bug 800W or K5600 Joker2 offer similar light quality but do not achieve the light output of the ARRISUN series. LED panels like the ARRI SkyPanel S360 are increasingly replacing smaller HMI units due to their instant readiness and color variability. However, for pure daylight imitation with maximum light output, ARRISUN fixtures remain unrivaled. Modern LED Fresnels have only achieved comparable light quantities since 2020 but require significantly larger housings.