Basics
If you want even, transparent haze that stays constant and doesn’t cause residue build up in your fan cooled equipment, you’ll need a vaporiser mineral oil machine like the Phantom Hazer, but at a premium cost. If you residue isn’t a big concern then go for a mineral oil cracker like the DF50. If on the other hand you want a more visible haze and/or something that can be limited to just part of a performance then look at water/glycol.
Water/glycol machines
Usually silent operation.
Cheapest, but effect is dense and short lasting.
Produce a white, high density particle (approx 20 micron – not all machiens, but as a generic guide). Because of this the effect tends to be more opaque, diffuses light more and is more susceptible to air movement making it harder to achieve even coverage. Will not hang in the air anything like as long as mineral oil based machines, requiring constant top up.
Often machines have a variable output by adjusting the flow rate of the fluid through the vaporiser. “Smoke” or “haze” is basically just the mix of the fluid used, its still the glycol creating the effect, just at different densities.
No residue build up other than sometimes directly in front of the machine. Can iritate throat etc after prolonged breathing of it.
Cracked oil
Use mineral oil which by nature is quite transparent and therefore does not cause much diffusion. So the effect appears invisible at low densities, untill you pass a light beam through it. The low density means it is relatively unaffected by air turbulence or ventilation systems and therefore can build to give a very even haze which will stay for a long time.
Needs compressed air to work to use a compressor which can be a bit noisy. They work by forcing mineral oil through a fine mesh, making particles so small they hang in the air.
Typically fixed output rate, but these machines you typically just run for a period of time to slowly build up the effect in the space.
Outputs particals typically approx 1um in size (machien dependant, but a generic guide).
Mineral oil will condense back to oil and therefore this residue is their main con. It varies by machine but what goes up must come down / build up on surfaces inside your fan cooled equipment!
Water based fluids can be used with some machines, by the hang time is much less. You solve the residue issue but loose the great hang time benefit.
Vaporiser mineral oil machines
Use bottled CO2 so silent, but you need to provide the gas in addition to the fluid. Use a vaporising block like water based machines, but with bottled CO2 to produce a much smaller partical size.
Professional machines to consider
Phantom Hazer
A mineral oil varouriser machine. Produces the finest haze with a partical size of approx 0.2 micron.
Variable output rate.
Maker claims no residue build up due to the very fine parttical size. Whilst this seems counter intuitive because ultimately it is still using mineral oil just like a cracked oil machine, albeit at a lower quantity, it is widely loved by the film industry amongst others with plenty of users who will tell you they have no residue issues in equipment after years of use.
Widely loved by peopel who own them. The effect is increadible due to the tiny paritcal size, it is invisible until you pass a light beam through it. Amazing hang time again due to the tiny partical size.
We have just bought one of these. Too early to comment on the no residue build up claim (which is the primary reason we got it), but one interesting thing is that the really small partical size does mean that you need to get a reasonable density of it, in the small spaces we’ve used it in anyway. It’s brilliant, gives a lovely effect that only reveals its there when you shine a beam through it , but don’t assume you just give it one brief blast and you’re good to go for hours. It needs a bit of density built up and maintained for laser beams to look bright and fantastic.
MDG ATMe
Very similar to the phantom hazer in terms of what the machine does. Same mineral oil based fluid, but with a larger particle size of 0.5-0.7 micron, so sits between it and a typical cracked oil machine like the DF50 in many ways. It is however a lot more expensive than the phantom hazer. Not sure what the benefits are over a phantom hazer, you’d need to ask some users. MDG are a well loved brand for good touring kit though so it may be that its got some advantages for that environment (for instance the Phantom Hazer mustn’t be tipped with fluid in it and must have its gas bottle vertical).
DF50
An industry standard cracked oil machine. Produces a cracked oil effect with approx 1 micron partical size.
Unique 2.1 hazer
Widely used by lighting rental companies to produce haze in large areas.
Uses a water based fluid.
