Smoke and haze have been a long-time device of the commerce. However smoke-in-a-can and big fog machines beware. This pocket-sized fog machine lives as much as the identify of Smoke Genie.
So by now, I’m certain you’ve got all seen the entire smoke-in-a-can kind factor proper? Which, do not get me mistaken, they’ll work nice. However my difficulty is that the cans are fairly huge they usually all the time appear to go empty on the precise mistaken time. This makes it so I find yourself needing two cans simply in case, which takes up much more room. Even then, these cans aren’t the most secure factor to be inhaling. With issues like propane and butane inside them, I do know I do not need to breathe that in, so I by no means need to topic my shoppers to that kind of factor both. Fortunately when utilizing these cans up to now, earlier than I knew what was in them, I by no means truly had any huge points. However I’ve a buddy of mine who had a consumer go right into a coughing assault from the spray and could not proceed with the shoot.
So enter the Smoke Genie. It is a battery-powered smoke machine that runs on rechargeable batteries and encompasses a refillable tank. The smoke comes from a glycerine-based fluid and has been examined 56 occasions by the Nationwide Institute for Occupational Security and Well being. These assessments embody toxicity in addition to pores and skin and eye irritation. When you positively should not inhale the smoke instantly from the machine, the smoke produced is far safer than the smoke produced from most conventional machines and is even food-safe and odorless.
The unit encompasses a good LCD display screen that can inform you the battery stage in addition to the smoke and fan settings. You possibly can then use the choice button paired with the up and down buttons so as to set the machine to your required ranges. You possibly can have a low smoke stage and excessive fan or a excessive smoke and low fan. Plus any setting in between. For each the fan and smoke, you’ve got 5 ranges of adjustment, but when you should be actually specific with these settings, you possibly can lengthy press the ability button to enter “Professional Mode” which provides adjustment ranges 1-10 for each the fan and smoke. This professional mode additionally provides you further output from the machine.
Different buttons on the machine are the ability button, which makes use of a three-button press function to stop the machine from unintentionally turning on in your bag. And you employ the identical three-button press motion to show the machine off. Then on the again, there’s a devoted button for truly triggering the smoke.
Now in terms of the smoke fluid, that is positioned on this little clear vial. The perfect half although is that the veil is designed to have an air-tight seal. Which implies no fluid will leak out into your bag. I’ve truly used a less expensive pocket-style smoke machine up to now and came upon the arduous manner that not everybody pays this shut consideration to the real-use particulars. This led to me having a digicam bag stuffed with slimy fluid. So I a lot desire the upper high quality discovered on the Smoke Genie.
One other fairly cool function of this air-tight seal is that the rubber is definitely warmth delicate. So when the vial will get sizzling, the rubber adjustments shade. This manner you realize once you go to refill the fluid or take away the tank for some purpose, you’ve got a visible cue as as to whether it is too sizzling to the touch. The vial can be clear, so there is no such thing as a must hope and assume you’ve got sufficient fluid within the tank earlier than you allow for a shoot. You possibly can visually see how full the vial is and refill it as wanted. And the fluid truly lasts for a decently very long time. Once I fill a vial, I can normally go a number of classes without having to fill the tank. And the newest model of this machine options an upgraded vial that may be struck with a hammer and nonetheless not break. So no want to fret about issues getting smashed in a digicam bag.
From right here the machine has a pleasant little cage-type cap that protects the vial from being touched or banged into, and this cage is held on with friction paired with magnets so you do not have to fuss with instruments to take it on or off. On the again, the battery door options comparable magnets to carry the door closed they usually even put a pleasant little QR code contained in the door in case you should rapidly reference the consumer guide when out on location. The machine even has a USB-C port that can be utilized for charging the batteries in addition to for any potential firmware updates sooner or later.
That is primarily all concerning the machine, so you’d suppose we might be finished. However, one of many coolest components about this machine lies with the equipment you need to use to control the smoke. For me, I have a tendency solely to make use of the genie itself, however if you’re a product photographer or if you wish to attempt some cool smoke results in your portrait topics, you’ll positively be fascinated by all of the little instruments you need to use with this machine. The Smoke Genie even has this little distant so you possibly can mount the smoke machine through ¼-20 and set off issues remotely. Whereas these fast examples can provide you an thought, I will not fake to know all of the ins and outs of those instruments and their varied makes use of since I are likely to solely use the machine and probably the fan. However if you’d like extra examples, I advisable going to take a look at the PMI web site in addition to their devoted Fb group.
Talking of the fan, PMI Gear has truly simply launched a brand new up to date mannequin of the Smoke Genie that actually helps customers when utilizing the fan. This new mannequin comes with a further head cage that lets you mount the fan to the machine. Previously, you needed to maintain the machine in a single hand and the fan within the different. Which made it arduous to do anything whereas triggering in addition to making it troublesome for any kind of distant triggering. However now with this new head, it is tremendous simple to haze a room even when utilizing the remote-triggering choice
What I Appreciated
- Small and light-weight
- Refillable air-tight chamber
- Rechargeable
- Highly effective and adjustable
What I Did not Like
- Coming in at $595 for the starter package, It is a bit pricy in comparison with different choices.
- Should you deliver the complete package with the machine and equipment, it may be a cumbersome further merchandise to pack. Particularly with the case, as superior as it’s to have.
On the finish of the day, this merchandise is as pricy as it’s good to have. If a fog machine or hazer is not one thing you want fairly often, then this may not be best for you. But when you end up utilizing fog in a can, or a machine that plugs into the wall, this merchandise simply would possibly lighten your bag or offer you a drastic enhance in versatility.
