Asymmetric wide-beam fixture with rectangular light coverage — ideal for even area illumination and greenscreen work.
Technical Details
Standard solarfloods use asymmetric parabolic reflectors with a beam characteristic of 60° to 120° horizontally and 40° to 80° vertically. The luminaires achieve illuminance levels of 800 to 4000 Lux at a distance of 3 meters. Typical models such as the Arri Softlight or LTM Pepper weigh between 8 and 25 kilograms and measure approximately 80 x 60 x 40 cm. The lamps are arranged in segmented reflector chambers, ensuring uniform illumination even if individual bulbs fail.
History & Development
The solarflood was developed in the 1940s by Mole-Richardson for Hollywood studios to evenly light large sets. In 1952, Arri introduced the first European solarflood. In the 1980s, more compact versions with improved light distribution emerged. Since 2010, LED-based solarfloods have increasingly been developed, consuming 70% less energy for the same light output and generating no heat.
Practical Use in Film
Solarfloods serve as base light for large studio areas or as soft fill light for group shots. In "Blade Runner" (1982), Jordan Cronenweth used solarfloods for the uniform illumination of the cityscapes. In television productions, they are standard for talk show sets. The advantage lies in the even light distribution without hard shadows; the disadvantage is the low light intensity and high power consumption of halogen models.
Comparison & Alternatives
Unlike Fresnel spotlights, solarfloods do not produce a focusable beam but constant area illumination. Space lights hang from the ceiling and illuminate in all directions, while solarfloods create directed area light. Modern LED panels such as the Arri SkyPanel or Litepanels Gemini are increasingly replacing classic solarfloods as they are dimmable, offer various color temperatures, and generate significantly less heat. Kino Flo fluorescent tube arrays offer similarly soft light with lower power consumption.