Introduction
The advent of balloon lighting has changed the lighting industry a lot. It has increased awareness of many issues being taken as usual in terms of health safety and the provision of light. Years ago, you may remember that light tower was the most visible source of light across industries due to their wide and clear illumination. The light tower would be placed at convenient high places to provide lighting on the area of the target. This would be the case in construction sites, filming, concerts, etc.
Despite the light tower being the most common source of light, it also caused other problems and there was a need for suitable solutions to this by inventing balloon light. The sharp lighting was not good for the eye and would never be good, especially for nighttime construction and film and video recording. There is a tendency for the light tower not to provide uniformity of light and this became the main issue that was perfectly addressed by diffused balloon light.
However, the light tower still has its line of benefits and in our blog today, you are going to know when to expect better-diffused light. You will be in a position to decide which one between the balloon tower and the light tower you should consider to get better-diffused light.
What is diffused light?
Let us start first by understanding what diffused light is. Have you ever asked yourself why photos shot at sunset look much better compared to those taken at noon, or maybe why studio photos manage to capture the subject in their best light? The answer to these and many other questions is diffused light. Diffused light is the light that scatters all over and around the subject in equal measure.
Diffusion of light is made possible through the user of a diffuser. The diffuser distributes the light evenly eliminating any sharp shadows on the subject. Diffused light is commonly known as soft light while undiffused light is referred to as hard light. Diffused light is the one that has been filtered by something capable of filtering direct light. For example, the sunlight that comes through the sheer curtain is diffused.
The light that emanates through the lampshade is also diffused compared to the light coming directly from the bulb. The evening sun is normally softer because the sun illuminates at an angle. The light, therefore, gets diffused by the clouds compared to the sun heating directly from above at noon. The atmosphere in this case acts as the diffuser. In some situations, people also diffuse the harsh natural rays by use of a diffusion sheet.
The difference between the balloon and the light tower diffused lights
The balloon light which is also called a lighting balloon is a special kind of luminaire. It is made of high-intensity lamps that are covered with a diffuser or a translucent fabric balloon. It is this diffuser that is responsible for softening and dispersing the light. The upper area of the balloon is made of a reflective material that ensures all the light is reflected downwards and dispersed evenly by the diffuser. This is where the soft light comes from.
A light tower on the other hand is a mobile or stationary equipment that is made of one or many high-intensity kinds of electric lamps. The lights are held on a mast almost always. The mast is attached to a trailer that has a diesel-powered generator. There can also be solar-powered, battery-powered, or even hydrogen-powered sets of lights.
You can use light towers when illumination is needed both indoors and outdoors mostly on a temporary arrangement. This can be in mining sites, construction sites, demolition, emergency services, sports, or even in agricultural sectors.
It is clear that both the balloon and light tower can be used for the same job. However, the balloon light offers many advantages compared to the light tower. Some of these outstanding advantages include;
- Non-glaring light
- Zero emissions
- Portability due to their small size
The above advantages are what make the balloon towers good for;
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Party rentals
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Service and repair trucks
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Indoor works
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Emergency command stations
Traditional light towers have many applications and are still leading the way in illumination. However, you will need balloon light as a requirement especially on road construction sites when working on a busy road with traffic at night. Balloon lights are going to increase in application due to the many benefits that they offer even on construction sites.
Benefits of Diffused light from balloon tower
Flattering light quality
The diffused balloon light is used for interviews, films, and commercials for various reasons. One of the main reasons is that it produces flattering light quality. The features on the face and wrinkles do not appear harshly defined when using diffused light produced by the balloon.
Wider beam angle
The second benefit of using the ballon diffused light as opposed to the light tower is its wider beam angle. This is especially so when you need to light large spaces and your light is giving a narrow and concentrated spread. By using the diffused light from the balloon light, you will be able to cover a much larger all round space than the light tower would cover.
Soft shadows
The third aspect with regard to the benefits of using balloon light is that many times the cinematographers try to avoid the harsh shadows while shooting. This is because they want everything to match the style and tone of the scene. The diffused light from the balloon light helps you create soft shadows that will not be distracting or very much visible.
The difference between the balloon (soft light) and the light tower (hard light)
The light tower produces hard light sometimes called direct light that creates high contrasting scenes. The scenes have harsh shadows and bright lights that are also sharp similar to the direct sunlight in the cloudless afternoon.
While the light tower produces these hard light rays, the balloon light on the other hand produces good, soft, and evenly scattered light.
Some of the characteristics of the light tower that distinguishes it from the balloon light include;
It is designed to illuminate large spaces with its lights raised as high as 30 feet.
- The light tower has adjustable lights that can be directed to any specific position where light is needed most at the job site.
- The set-up and set-down of the light tower for lighting are very fast
- The light tower is not built for mounting on other construction equipment. One has to keep on re-adjusting it to the intended subject.
- The light tower comes as a stand-alone source of light complete with the power generator
- It has a power generator that can also act as a power source for other power tools at the job site.
- The light tower is very mobile and can be moved from one point to the other without having to remove the light fixture.
The balloon light also has unique characteristics that make it stand out when it comes to the search for the best-diffused light. Some of these characteristics include;
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Balloon light produces much better-diffused light compared to traditional tower light. The diffused light is glare-free with reduced shadow lighting.
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You do not have to tilt the light like in the traditional light tower. The balloon light produces 360 degrees of illumination covering the whole working area at a go.
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Balloon light produces no sound or emissions that may pollute the environment.
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You can choose to have the balloon light either as stand-alone equipment or mount it anywhere else you may prefer. It can be mounted on mobile trucks to make its movement easier.
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The balloon light is very easy to handle especially when storing it for transportation to the job site through a portable case and carry bags.
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The balloon light is made in a special way to provide well-diffused light for special and general lighting purposes. The diffuser is strong enough to handle high wind speed and stress.
Why you should go for the balloon light for better-diffused light?
From our discussion above, it’s clear that balloon light is specially designed to offer diffused light. Diffused light has many advantages and some activities like nighttime road construction, cinematography, and photography cannot work with the traditional light towers.
As a result, balloon light is loved for its ability to offer better-diffused light. The ability to offer light that has no glare cannot be emphasized. If you are not sure whether to go for a balloon light or light tower while at the same time factoring in diffused light, don’t think twice. Just go for balloon light.
It is also important to let you know that the diffusion of light by the diffuser means a loss in output. The amount of light originally produced is not the same light you will get once it passes through the diffuser. The diffuser converts the hard light into soft light but at the same time reduces the amount of exposure that your subject area experiences. This is one of the negative aspects of using the balloon light but it’s worth it.
To avoid this loss in output, then you need to have much stronger lights or light sources. This ensures that even after the diffuser diffuses the light, you can still get as much exposure to the area as you expected while still enjoying the many benefits of diffused light.
Conclusion
Now that I have enlightened you on how to decide on the source of diffused light and why I think balloon light offers better-diffused light, it’s your time now to do your own search and decide which source of light to work with. Although traditional light towers are very common, balloon lights are also widely available. In fact, here at Moonlightia, we have many varieties and models for you to choose from.
The beauty of working with Moonlightia is that you can also get your own customized balloon light tailor-made for your specific use. If you are looking for a dealership for your local market, Moonlightia offers both OEM and ODM for all our products. Contact us today and learn more about the various products that we believe are going to impact your business positively.
