Why do on-camera flashes use Fresnel lenses while most studio strobes do not?
Asked 7/27/2010
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Many hotshoe flashes use a Fresnel lens or zooming front element to concentrate light, but most studio strobes seem to use a bare tube or standard reflector instead. Why is a Fresnel system common on speedlights but uncommon on studio lights?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
16y ago
2 Answers
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Fresnel spots are one of the traditional studio-lighting tools, carried over from theatre and movie work; they allow focusing the light from wide to narrow, just like the zoom function on a flashgun. For example this one from Elinchrom, or these Broncolors.
The reason you don't see them often is that, like a scrim, snoot, honeycomb, or other tools, they're a fairly special-purpose device that gives a particular look; one you don't want all the time. They were widely used in the 30s-50s in Hollywood movies and studio photography, which today gives them a fairly 'retro' look when used on their own, but they're still around (and are still the workhorse lights of theatre and movie production). I'm not a particular student of lighting trends, but I'd describe them as slightly harder light than is currently fashionable for portraiture.
On the other hand, flashguns have a couple of special properties that make a fresnel lens attractive for that application. A big one is effciency: Since power for flashguns comes from batteries, this is a much bigger concern than for mains-powered studio lights. The fresnel helps to focus the light to the desired field of view, and so the same power can be used to produce a higher GN (or extend battery life with the same GN).
Originally by user496. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user496
16y ago
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A Fresnel on a hotshoe flash is mainly a practical way to control beam spread from a small light mounted in a fixed position on the camera. Speedlights need to match different lens focal lengths, throw light efficiently toward the subject, and avoid wasting output as spill. A Fresnel lets them do that in a compact, lightweight design.
Studio strobes are used differently. In the studio, lights can be moved closer or farther away, and beam shape is usually controlled with reflectors and modifiers such as softboxes, grids, snoots, and tubes. Most studio work also favors softer light, so a Fresnel’s more focused, harder look is not needed all the time.
Fresnel attachments do exist for studio lighting, and they’re a traditional tool in theatre, cinema, and some portrait work when you specifically want a focusable, harder, more directional beam. They’re just more specialized in studio use, whereas on a speedlight that kind of beam control is a core function.
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