Standard

The standard is your workhorse on any set—a robust standing lamp with a shade on a stable tripod that needs to be quickly positioned and adjusted. Unlike heavy Fresnels or elaborate constructs, you set up a standard in seconds, change the bulb, and adjust the height. This makes it indispensable when time is tight or space is limited.

Typically, you work with 2 to 5 kW—often halogen spotlights (500 to 2000 watt Halos) or increasingly LED heads, which generate less heat and are more flexible in terms of color temperature. The shade (usually a white or silver reflector) bundles the light and prevents unnecessary spill into the audience or into other areas. For interview setups or documentary shooting, the standard is your first light—fast, reliable, controllable. You can tilt it, pan it, adjust the color temperature, and move it again immediately if the talent's position changes.

In practice, you often use the standard combined with diffusion or bounce—a foam diffuser or a 1x1 silk behind it for soft light. It can also be used as a key, fill, or kicker, depending on the distance and reflection. Important: The standard needs a solid base (don't forget sandbags), because a toppled 2kW standard is not only expensive but also a fire hazard.

In set construction, you often place standards as primary illumination, while Fresnels or specialized lights (see also: Fresnel, Par, Kino-Licht) are added later for accents. The advantage: The standard is easy to operate, requires minimal setup knowledge, and runs reliably stable. Disadvantage: Less focusable than a Fresnel, less intensity when zooming, and the heat development of older halogen models can become a problem in confined spaces. LED standards largely solve this, but cost more.