575W HMI

Overview

In film and television lighting, "575W HMI" refers to the 575-watt power class of HMI luminaires and the HMI discharge lamps used for them. HMI (Hydrargyrum Medium-Arc Iodide) is a metal halide discharge technology that produces daylight-balanced light with high luminous efficacy. 575W is one of the established standard power levels in the HMI range, alongside values such as 200, 400, 1200, 2500, and 6000 watts.

Therefore, the designation does not describe a single lamp from a manufacturer but rather a class of equipment and lamps. Typical luminaires in this class include compact HMI Fresnel heads (e.g., ARRI Compact 575 / D5) and HMI PAR heads (e.g., ARRISUN 5). Like all HMI luminaires, a 575W head requires an external ballast and cannot be operated directly from the mains.

Technical Specifications

Characteristic of the 575W HMI class:

• Light Type: Daylight (daylight balanced), color temperature depending on the lamp around 5600–6000 K (individual lamp types may be higher)
• Power: nominal 575 watts lamp power
• Lamp Base Types: single-ended (for many Fresnel and PAR heads) and double-ended
• Ballast: separate magnetic or electronic ballast required; combined 575/1200W ballasts with head-to-ballast cables are common

Example of a specific lamp in this class – the double-ended Osram HMI 575W/DXS:

The values provided for luminous flux, lifespan, and base refer to this specific lamp and may vary depending on the manufacturer and lamp type.

On-Set Usage

The 575W HMI class is a typical "workhorse" luminaire for daylight setups: powerful enough for targeted accent or effect lighting and for punching through diffusion, yet still compact, relatively lightweight, and energy-efficient. Due to the high efficiency of HMI technology, a 575W unit delivers significantly more light output per watt than a tungsten luminaire of comparable power consumption.

A practical advantage is the low power requirement: a 575W HMI can usually be operated on a standard household circuit (around 15–16 A), whereas a powerful tungsten head would require a more heavily protected circuit. This makes the class particularly practical for shoots at locations with limited power supply. It should be noted that HMI heads require a ballast and appropriate cables, and the light color can drift slightly over the lamp's lifespan.