2 Bank

Overview

"2 Bank" (also "2-Bank" or "Double") refers to a design of fluorescent tube luminaires from Kino Flo, a US manufacturer widely used in film and television lighting. The term "Bank" refers to the number of fluorescent tubes mounted in parallel within the luminaire housing ("Shell"): a 2-Bank fixture holds two tubes, a 4-Bank accordingly four, and a "Single" one tube.

The fixture belongs to the category of soft, diffused light sources and is typically used as fill or effect lighting. Characteristic of Kino Flo systems are their flicker-free operation, low heat generation (the tubes remain touch-warm during operation), and quiet, fanless running.

Construction and Lamps

A 2-Bank fixture consists of the housing with two tubes positioned side-by-side and a separate (remote) electronic ballast, connected to the fixture by a cable. This allows the ballast to be placed out of frame or on the floor, while only the lightweight fixture head is rigged.

The tubes are interchangeable plug-in tubes; two color temperatures are common:

The tubes achieve high color rendering (CRI 95) and can be swapped depending on the desired mood. The fixtures are available in lengths of 4ft (approx. 1.2 m) and 2ft (approx. 0.6 m); the designation "2 Bank" refers solely to the number of tubes, not the length.

Use on Set

The 2-Bank provides soft, diffused light and is often used as fill light or edge light (Back-/Edge-Light), as well as for even surface illumination, for example of walls or faces. Compared to the 4-Bank, it is more compact and less powerful, but easier to position and hide.

• Low power consumption – several fixtures can be operated on a standard circuit.
• Flicker-free and therefore usable even at high frame rates (High-Speed).
• Low heat – can be used close to actors or temperature-sensitive set elements.
• The individual tubes can be removed from the housing and installed or hidden separately in the frame.