As you prepare to devour your nachos and chase it down with a couple beers you may notice something a little different about the Super Bowl today. University Of Phoenix Stadium, hosts of Super Bowl XLIX, have upgraded the old metal halide lights throughout the stadium and replaced them with LED light fixtures. Though not the first or only stadium to use LED lighting this will be the first time that LED lighting makes it to a Super Bowl broadcast!
The obvious reasons for choosing LED over the metal halide lighting are strictly economic. Originally there were 780 metal halide lamps in the University of Phoenix Stadium and they have been replaced with just 312 LED lamps, fewer than half, and yet they will output whiter and brighter light than the lamps they are replacing. The new LED lamps also use 75% less energy AND last significantly longer.
We have seen LED lighting making great strides and finding ever more commercial applications. Many videographers are already playing with LED lighting and photographers are beginning to explore its capabilities as well. During this Super Bowl, you make not see a big difference in the lighting while watching your favourite team on the field, but you may catch one of the upsides to using LED lighting when it comes to the slow motion playback. You will have a flicker free image since LED's don't produce the effect in the same way that metal halide lamps do.
Enjoy your Super Bowl Sunday folks!
[via The Verge]
You know who else is starting to feature LED lighting? Peter Hurley. That mothertrucker's creating his own kit. He said something like $2500 for the basic kit and $5000 for the pro kit.
They better be have a CRI of at least 95
Seriously. Years ago I dumped about two dozen CFL bulbs from our home and replaced 'em all with good ol' halogens. God, these tungsten burning Edison types just glow with the warmth of pure fire. Nothing else comes close.
LEDs? How many years would I need to run them to break even on the investment? Want the dimmable option? That'll be 30% more.
Oh wait, we're talking about photography lights.
Same attitude. I prefer good ol' strobes. LEDs are good for flashlights.