Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: christie CDXL lamp brightness

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Posted by Jeff Else (Member # 4063) on 03-26-2010, 08:11 PM:

i'm planning to use christie lamps from now on, considering their reputation in these parts. i'm especially interested in the CDXL series lamps for their efficiency. (save that $$ on the electric bill). so, for those with experience with them, is it true that a lower wattage CDXL will perform comparably to a higher wattage CXL? in my case i would like to replace 1600 watt LTIX's with 1000 watt CDXL's

Posted by Monte L Fullmer (Member # 2797) on 03-27-2010, 01:14 AM:

Kinda defeating the purpose of going down to a 1k bulb where you want the light output in the first place ..

But, do a lumen output search on the two bulbs, for this is the magic number that you need at the operating amperage.

I'd stick with the CXL-1600 bulbs.

Posted by Gordon McLeod (Member # 33) on 03-27-2010, 02:03 AM:

remember the light drop off curve over the lamps life is higher on the high output lamps

Posted by Louis Bornwasser (Member # 3063) on 03-27-2010, 06:20 AM:

Remember that originally ALL xenon bulbs were high output. Theatre owners wanted LIFE so output was reduced; thus we arrived at the present situation of long life/lower output. What we are seeing here is simply a reversal.

Some bulbs last years; others are used as flash bulbs. You takes your choice. Louis

Posted by Jeff Else (Member # 4063) on 03-27-2010, 02:43 PM:

i see... i think i will go with CXL's

Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 03-28-2010, 08:33 PM:

quote: Gordon McLeod
remember the light drop off curve over the lamps life is higher on the high output lamps

It is not on all of them... The CDXL-45 being the best of them... according to Heir Guttag.

The amount you gain by running the CDXL would vary as to what console/lampenhousen you are using. But what I was told at Showest by Jim Dukes from Christie is that if you put a CDXL-30 in a SCH lamphouse it will be the equivelent of the CXL-40.

Hope this helps... now you'll have to go check the warranty to see how it compares and so on... perhaps Heir Guttag has also tested the CDXL-30. I can vouch for it being a very reliable lamp!!

Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 03-28-2010, 08:42 PM:

quote: Gordon McLeod
remember the light drop off curve over the lamps life is higher on the high output lamps

Actually if at all possible I prefer to spec in cinema type xenon lamps where ever possible in attempt to hold down operating costs. This works great on 2-D systems... for 3-D you may need the extra lumens provided by the short gap lamps. Sony D-Cinema projectors are the only ones I know that do not allow this. Most of the DLP models out there do allow it.

Mark

Posted by Steve Guttag (Member # 268) on 03-28-2010, 10:13 PM:

Yes...I'm a big fan of the CDXL-45...truly an incredible lamp!

I'm currently testing the CDXL-30s. Light output is as predicted (substantial increase and allows a 3K environment to operate like a 4K).

A big difference between the CDXL over the CXL is how slow the light fall off is. On a typical cinema lamp, you lose about 20% of your light within the first 100-hours. On a CDXL...that is closer to 300-hours. Then the decay on the CDXL shallows even more. The CXL (or any other cinema lamp) will also shallow, unless you raise current.

There is nothing particularly wrong with using the Cinema grade lamps, so long as they meet your needs with respect to light output. For instance, I have a CXL-16SC in a CP2000M and it has more than enough light...I wish Christie would update the software to allow the CXL-10SC! Some screening rooms just don't need anything bigger!

Steve