2007General Discussion forum
Wireless control options for on-board camera lights during steadicam work
19 years old. Gear and prices may have changed since.
What the thread found
- On-board lights like Litepanels can be controlled remotely using wireless DMX systems that bridge the gap between a lighting console and the camera-mounted fixture.
- Wireless DMX operates on push protocol with one sender and multiple receivers, allowing a single wireless set to control numerous lights on the camera rig simultaneously.
- For simple single-channel control of an on-board light, a basic DMX tester costs around fifty dollars and provides wireless dimming control without requiring a full lighting console.
- A mechanical approach involves attaching a small motor to the dimmer knob of an on-board light to allow remote dimming, though this requires modifying the knob for reliable gear engagement.
- DMX signals use XLR connectors in either 3-pin or 5-pin configurations, and standard audio cables must never be used for DMX as their internal wiring differs from lighting cable specifications.
- Multiple wireless DMX systems are available operating on different frequencies such as 2.4 GHz and 900 MHz, and these systems integrate with existing lighting infrastructure on live television productions.
Depends on
- Litepanels did not offer a wireless version of their DMX control system at the time of this discussion in 2007.
- Wireless DMX adds another radio signal to an already congested electromagnetic environment on set.
- The mechanical motor solution requires modification to the dimmer knob and works best when a small gear can be added to the control mechanism.