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DigitalFoto HELIOS-B500 Announced – Bi-Color Studio LED Lighting

May 27^th, 2021

DigitalFoto HELIOS-B500 Announced – Bi-Color Studio LED Lighting

by Olaf von VossMay 27^th, 2021

This new HELIOS-B500 LED fixture may look a bit familiar, as it obviously mimics the look of a certain ARRI SkyPanel S120-C fixture to some extent. Let’s take a closer look at DigitalFoto’s latest offering in studio lighting.

This new bi-color light is aimed primarily at studio setups, as it is 1) quite large and 2) offers a number of remote control options without having to use the controls on the back of the unit.

Compared to the ARRI, the HELIOS-B500 is a bit smaller in size – 98 x 18 x 34cm while tipping the scales at 15.35kg (and this will be the last time I compare the two in this article, as they are obviously not in the same league, but since the outward appearance of the HELIOS-B500 demands it, I felt the urge to mention it).

DigitalFoto HELIOS-B500

The HELIOS-B500 offers, as the name suggests, 500W of LED power, distributed over 5125 individual LEDs. The whole thing can be powered by either AC 110V ~220V or DC 62V/12A. So you can use 4 appropriate V-Mount batteries to power one unit.

Control the HELIOS-B500 via DMX. Image credit: DigitalFoto

The HELIOS-B500 is a bi-color fixture that ranges from 3200K to 5600K (±300K). You can control it via an included remote control or via DMX or via the physical controls on the back of the unit. Of course, the usual lighting effects are implemented as well: Flashing, Strobe light, Paparazzi, TV, etc.

Effects — Available effects. Image credit: DigitalFoto

The HELIOS-B500 is an actively cooled unit with internal fans and heat dissipation holes. A diffusion panel is included in the package. You can also purchase other diffusion panels or, to harden the light a bit, remove the diffusion panel altogether.

The bracket can be rotated 360º and the beam angle of the light is specified as 120º with the standard diffusion plate.

I can’t say too much about the light quality since DigitalFoto only claims a CRI of 95. But since the CRI is not exactly ideal for measuring modern LED lights, we’ll have to wait and see a HELIOS B500 unit in action to judge the quality of the light.

Pricing and availability

The DigitalFoto HELIOS-B500 is now available for purchase at B&H. One unit, complete with yoke, soft bag, some cables, and tripod stand adapters is $1,860. An optional hard case for transportation can be purchased separately.