Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Superior Quartz Lamps

This is topic Superior Quartz Lamps in forum Film Handlers' Forum at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.

To visit this topic, use this URL:
https://ft-forum.com/ft/cgi-bin/ubb/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=1;t=008064

Posted by William Phillips (Member # 1162) on 06-07-2006, 10:18 AM:

Im thinking of changing to Superior Quartz for my lamps.
What are they like?. I would be using a 1.6k and 2k. Osram versions are 1.6khsc and 2kshsc.

Posted by Aaron Sisemore (Member # 145) on 06-07-2006, 02:43 PM:

They are very good lamps!

-Aaron

Posted by Jack Ondracek (Member # 1466) on 06-07-2006, 02:45 PM:

I've used them in 1.6, 2, 4 and 7kW versions. All have worked very well.

Posted by Randy Stankey (Member # 64) on 06-07-2006, 04:08 PM:

Been using them for over two years, now. Haven't had a single missed strike. Never had to press the STRIKE button even one time.

I'd recommend them to anybody.

Posted by Monte L Fullmer (Member # 2797) on 06-08-2006, 02:54 AM:

With these Superior Quartz bulbs, what is the price comparison between Osram and Christie ..for a 2k bulb.. (we won't bring in LTI, even though they are cheaper..but poor bulbs..)

-thx Monte

Posted by Jack Ondracek (Member # 1466) on 06-08-2006, 11:39 AM:

Someone else will have to chime in on that, Monty. I used Osrams and Christies in 4 & 7kW. Never tried them below those levels. I get fairly comparable service out of all of them, though I don't normally take them excessively past warranty.

Posted by Dennis Benjamin (Member # 1137) on 06-08-2006, 12:30 PM:

I know a certain someone that bet their reputations on these bulbs. Guess what - they still have a good reputation!

Highly recommended.

Posted by Jeff Taylor (Member # 443) on 06-08-2006, 03:05 PM:

I'd like to add a "ditto" to the foregoing remarks because they are good lamps, and also because Denny Losco of SQP has been so helpful and is a pleasure to work with.

Posted by Bill Enos (Member # 440) on 06-08-2006, 09:44 PM:

Have used several 3k. All developed significant flicker around
800 hrs. They were rotated at 250 hr. intervals. Could be our
14 degree angle. Other brands develop the flicker around 1500 hrs.

Posted by Monte L Fullmer (Member # 2797) on 06-09-2006, 01:39 AM:

quote: Jack Ondracek
I used Osrams and Christies in 4 & 7kW. Never tried them below those levels. I get fairly comparable service out of all of them, though I don't normally take them excessively past warranty.

..have to laugh for I've got 2k Christies that have hours well into the 5000 range...and the damned things still light up on the first strike, good light and no flicker..they just have the neat little "horns" on the anode plug.

quote: Bill Enos
Have used several 3k. All developed significant flicker around
800 hrs. They were rotated at 250 hr. intervals. Could be our
14 degree angle. Other brands develop the flicker around 1500 hrs.

..can't see the downward angle of your machines if the bulbs are designed to operate at that angle on the flickering issue. Are you using either the Osrams or the Christies? And wonder if your rectifier(s) have some DC ripple problems.

Some 3k bulbs only have warranty for 900 hrs...

Posted by Jack Ondracek (Member # 1466) on 06-09-2006, 03:00 AM:

Yah... I know... I've been on the receiving end of a couple of tart comments about that.

Only thing is, I have $1,800+ glass reflectors in my lamphouses. I'll change the bulbs, thanks! [Smile]

Posted by Monte L Fullmer (Member # 2797) on 06-09-2006, 04:21 AM:

Yet, Jack, I can totally agree with you being very accurate on your bulb changing and as you mentioned..using the glass mirrors

...And where I handled 4 and 6k bulbs myself.."You get those thing outta there before they hit 1400 hrs..even with metal mirrors"

Why I mentioned the high hours, is due to how good Christie bulbs can last with such high hours - couldn't do that with some other bulbs - I would pull those out at 3000 hrs..or, even right after warranty...(yes, waiting for new ones to come in, so I can pull those 5k hour bulbs out..)

..and seen some other consoles drag 2k Osram bulbs WAY past what I mentioned..almost to 10k hours....and they complain that the picture has gotten dim... You pull them worn things out, do the destruction thing on them and all they do is just shatter..not pop or explode.

Posted by William Phillips (Member # 1162) on 06-09-2006, 06:06 AM:

Cheers,
Ive also been looking at LTI lamps.
Does anyone from UK use superior of LTI, I would like to get in touch and if possiable arrange a visit to see them in action.

Posted by Pete Naples (Member # 761) on 06-09-2006, 06:45 AM:

quote: William Phillips
Ive also been looking at LTI lamps.
Does anyone from UK use superior of LTI

Posted by Richard Hamilton (Member # 321) on 06-09-2006, 08:56 AM:

quote: Jack Ondracek
Only thing is, I have $1,800+ glass reflectors in my lamphouses

what???? What kind of lamphouses? That sounds pretty expensive.

Rick

Posted by Jack Ondracek (Member # 1466) on 06-09-2006, 11:23 AM:

quote: Richard Hamilton
What kind of lamphouses? That sounds pretty expensive.

The Big Sky dichroics. Those things focus tighter than anything I've ever used out here. With the extra filter in front, they don't pass a lot of heat, either... just a little spendy, though.

I have 3 of those lamphouses here, so I figured having a spare on the shelf was probably a good idea.

As for cost... few years ago, I bought some reflectors for the Super Lume-X. They were around $900 back then. Just after I bought them, I was told that Strong increased their prices.

Posted by Monte L Fullmer (Member # 2797) on 06-09-2006, 03:39 PM:

quote: William Phillips
Ive also been looking at LTI lamps.

...look somewhere else .. save your money... (and do we remember those horrible ORC/Perkin Elmer bulbs? these bulbs are even better than LTI's .. if that means anything..) .. for Christies, Osrams ..and it looks like Superior bulbs..(since I'm not familar with them..)

Sorry, not impressed with LTI's at all! Even with the Helios bulbs. Yes, I DO like the light output-excellent color output for bright and full contrast screens, BUT....they are very poor bulbs..the arc will flicker when new...and eventually flicker within a thousand hours..and horribly after 1200 hours..for a 2k bulb.

The Helios that I used, died just over 2300 hrs - 800 hrs over warranty..FAR from what a Christie, Osram or others would go before dying.. The standard LTI's are just plain crap. If you get these, plan on warranty returns....

What I noticed on the LTI's is the tungsten composition for the anode plug - it seems a lot more of a course material than the others- just not as dense as with the others. When it burns, it actually creates a crater in the middle of the tungsten, thus the flame will begin to wander on the outside edge of the crater in the tungsten. Then, the tungsten develops hairline cracks running lengthwise of the plug, causing complete failure.

Also, with this poor density/quality of the tungsten, the bulb really collects the burnoff on the inside of the envelope in a short time, thus needing more rotation than necessary...

Stay away from LTI bulbs...

Posted by Steve Guttag (Member # 268) on 06-09-2006, 05:32 PM:

Come on Monte...stop beating around the bush...what do you really think? [Wink]

Posted by Stephen Furley (Member # 1277) on 06-11-2006, 04:08 AM:

Never heard of LTI; who are they? Osram seem to be by far the most common here.

One thing I like about carbons; there's no risk of them exploding [Smile]

Haven't been able to run them for many years now in a public cinema. Still very occasionally get to run them elsewhere.

Posted by Monte L Fullmer (Member # 2797) on 06-11-2006, 11:23 PM:

Site for you to look at Stephen ... www.ltilamps.com on these bulbs...

Agree..no explosions with carbons...and fun to work with.

-Monte

Posted by Bill Enos (Member # 440) on 06-18-2006, 08:14 PM:

No explosions, but how about the carcinogenic dust, disposing of stubs, erratic quality of the carbons, flicker due to same, cost is a couple or three times higher, worn out feed mechanisms etc. They've been gone from here since Oct. 15, 01, and not missed at all. Customers commented the first night of the xenons on how much better the picture is. One of the things that has amazed me from the start is how much people in this business whine about how good the old days were. I'd rather have my nuts in a vise than go back to carbons.

Posted by Monte L Fullmer (Member # 2797) on 06-18-2006, 11:17 PM:

Yea Bill LOL ...

Since National Arc Carbons quit making the "good quality" of carbon...

Now, there are those who are now stuck with those cheesy Marble carbons...being practically the only ones out there that still make the rods...and sell them at a horrendous price for a case of positives...which is a fraction of the duration of what a xenon bulb can last..and being tons more expensive...

Posted by Steve Guttag (Member # 268) on 06-19-2006, 06:30 AM:

Carbons are certainly more work but they absolutely beat Xenon on quality and quantity (per watt of power) of light they output. In my years of running carbons, they were always superior...but this was before the "dark times" when quality carbons were still available.

Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 06-19-2006, 07:14 AM:

quote: Steve Guttag
Carbons are certainly more work but they absolutely beat Xenon on quality and quantity (per watt of power) of light they output.

I agree that arc looks ALOT better but definately doesn't even come close in per watt of power vs. light output... not even close to modern Xenon especially if you throw a 90% efficient switching xenon power supply into the equation as compared to the 35 to 40% efficient arc rectifier.. or even lower efficiency M.G. set... then there is the power wasting ballast in M.G. based arc system. Modern Xenon can and will continue to improve and will also continue to put out more lumens per watt consumed than any arc could. I've had several instances in the light level department where a 2kw xenon beat the crap out of a Magnarc running at full tilt and one instance where a 3kw in a Xenex-1 beat the crap out of a Futura running at 135 amps.

Mark

[ 06-19-2006, 08:22 AM: Message edited by: Mark Gulbrandsen ]

Posted by John Pytlak (Member # 331) on 06-19-2006, 10:45 AM:

The spectral output of high intensity carbon arc is much like daylight, with no significant gaps or peaks as a function of wavelength. Xenon arc approximates daylight illumination, but is much more "peaky" than carbon arc. That's why some prefer the "look" of film projected with a carbon arc illuminant.

Posted by Dennis J. Losco (Member # 1374) on 08-10-2006, 11:10 AM:

I would like to announce the opening of our brand new 62,000 square foot manufacturing facility. The facility is located at 2701 Baglyos Circle, Bethlehem, PA ...new phone numbers are 610-317-3450 and fax 310-317-3451. I welcome anybody from the industry to stop by so I can give a personal tour. Thank you for all of those supporting our products. We continually strive to improve the quality and service to our customers.

Posted by Dennis J. Losco (Member # 1374) on 03-26-2007, 03:33 PM:

I am please announce Superior Quartz Products, Inc. 50th Year Anniversary 1957-2007 see attached link to our press release.

http://www.sqpuv.com/PDFs/030607PressRelease.pdf

Regards.
Dennis Losco