ARRI True Blue D12

Last Updated 2 days ago

Overview

Key specifications

Specification	Details
Lamp / technology	1,200W single-ended metal-halide; HMI Fresnel
Lamp base	G38
Nominal lamp colour	6,000K; lamp type, age and ballast mode affect the result
Focus range	7.5°–50°
Lens diameter	175mm
Lamphead weight	9.4kg, manufacturer net reference; ballast and cable separate
Dimensions including pin (H × W × L)	644 x 374 x 325 mm
Stand interface	28mm junior spigot
Scrim / barndoor interface	230mm scrim; 245mm barndoor
Published matching ballast	EB MAX 1.8; select lamp wattage and correct head connection
Dimming	50–100% through a compatible ARRI ballast
Lamp circuit voltage	100 V nominal at the lamp; this is not the ballast mains input
Protection	Class I; IP23 lamphead
Remote control	Determined by the ballast; no LED colour engine or built-in wireless receiver

Technical reference: ARRI specifications.

Strengths and limitations

• Strengths: a continuously focusable Fresnel beam, replaceable discharge lamp and conventional barn-door and scrim control.
• Trade-offs: separate ballast and head cable, lamp warm-up, high surface temperature and a lamp-specific operating package.
• Choose it for: controlled daylight at a workable distance; compare an LED when immediate restart, low-power dimming or electronic colour adjustment is central to the job.

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Practical uses

Setup	How to use this head
Window motivation	Send the beam through a window from an appropriate outside position, then use flags to decide which part of the room receives it. The Fresnel’s spot/flood travel changes coverage without exchanging a PAR lens.
Daylight bounce or diffusion	Choose flood for a broad frame and verify coverage at its corners. Allow for the light lost in the chosen fabric; the centre value in spot does not predict the exposure behind a large diffusion frame.
Longer backlight	Use the head as a defined edge from across a stage or large location. Keep its hard beam away from the lens unless flare is part of the shot, and give the ballast a position where it can be reached during takes.

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Output and colour

The ARRI D-Series overview poster lists the following nominal centre illuminance with the 1,200W lamp. Distance is 15m; beam diameter is the manufacturer’s field reference for each focus setting.

Focus / beam	Centre illuminance	Beam diameter
Spot / 7.5°	2,633 lux	1.97m
Medium / 30°	612 lux	8.04m
Flood / 50°	311 lux	13.99m

Spot raises the centre intensity by narrowing the useful area. Use medium and flood figures when sizing a window source or diffusion frame. These are nominal manufacturer values, not measurements of a particular rental lamp; lamp age, lens condition, focus and operating mode can change the result.

The published 6,000K figure is a nominal lamp reference. HMI does not provide the continuous CCT and green–magenta controls of an RGB LED. Check the warmed lamp with the production camera and meter before choosing correction; changing ballast power can also alter colour.

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Power and ballast requirements

The 1,200W figure belongs to the lamp. The ballast draws additional power and may draw different current at different mains voltages. Use the input label and manual of the actual ballast when planning distribution; dividing lamp wattage by outlet voltage understates the operating package.

ARRI lists the EB MAX 1.8 for this head. Confirm lamp selection, connector type, approved cable and any head-cable extensions. VEAM and Schaltbau versions appear in the catalogue; a compatible wattage rating alone does not establish cable compatibility.

A lamphead is not connected directly to mains or a conventional lamp dimmer. Feed the ballast from its specified supply, keep ventilation clear and allow it to run the lamp through its proper start and warm-up sequence. A portable power system must support the ballast’s continuous input and starting behaviour.

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Control, cooling and camera operation

Focus and aim are mechanical at the lamphead. Intensity adjustment, lamp on/off, low-noise operation and high-speed modes belong to the ballast, with features depending on the ballast generation. A listing for this head does not guarantee that a rental includes DMX or a high-speed ballast.

Select the ballast’s operating mode before testing the camera. Higher lamp-drive frequency can help high-frame-rate photography, but “flicker-free” is not a guarantee for every shutter angle and frame rate. Test the intended combination at working output; lamp or ballast sound can matter in quiet interiors.

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Modifiers, rigging and the working package

Item	Working-package detail
Barn doors / scrims	Use the 245mm barndoor and 230mm scrim references for this model; do not order by lamp wattage alone.
Diffusion / bounce	Use a separately supported, heat-appropriate frame or bounce with the required clearance. Verify even coverage rather than judging only the bright centre.
Support	The head is approximately 9.4kg before loose accessories. The 28mm pin identifies the mounting interface, not the load capacity of the complete support.
Cable and ballast	Include the correct head cable, ballast, mains lead, cable management and safe access in the order.

ARRI’s D-Series manual gives 10.1m as the minimum distance to illuminated persons, objects and surfaces for the D12, plus 1m around the fixture to flammable material. Follow the lamphead label and manual for the particular unit. Keep the lens, protective parts, latch and interlock in serviceable condition; a damaged enclosure is a reason to take the head out of use.

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Alternatives and related fixtures

Fixture	Why compare it
ARRI M18	A lensless MAX-reflector alternative; compare the beam and useful coverage at the same distance, not lamp wattage alone.
ARRI Orbiter	A smaller full-colour LED package with interchangeable optics when controllability and quick colour changes matter more than discharge-lamp output.
ARRI Compact 6000 Plus	A larger daylight Fresnel when the required distant coverage and exposure exceed this head’s working output.
ARRI True Blue D5	A smaller 575W HMI Fresnel when its working output and coverage suit the job.
ARRI True Blue D25	A 2.5kW Fresnel for greater distant coverage and exposure, with larger distribution and support requirements.

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What people are saying

In ARRI’s D-Series presentation, cinematographer Bill Holshevnikoff demonstrates the smaller D5 and D12. The presentation is manufacturer material and is useful for seeing the head, focus and handling arrangement in context.

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Videos

ARRI: Bill Holshevnikoff on the True Blue D5 and D12. Exact-model manufacturer demonstration.

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Rental and used-fixture checks

• Confirm the exact lamp, ballast, head cable and connector version before collection.
• Inspect the Fresnel lens, reflector, protective assembly, lamp holder and door interlock; do not bypass an interlock to test a damaged head.
• Run the lamp long enough to check stable colour, focus travel and the selected ballast mode.
• Check the tilt brake, sliding yoke and accessory latch with the actual barn doors fitted.
• Test the planned frame rate and shutter with the complete operating package, and include lamp hours and spare-lamp availability in a used purchase.

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Documentation and specifications

• ARRI True Blue D12 specifications and downloads
• ARRI True Blue D-Series – Overview Poster
• ARRI True Blue D-Series – User Manual
• ARRI True Blue D12 – Photometric Files (IES) Dec2011

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