I have written about this topic before, but let me share a few thoughts for our readers that went to watch this video.
Let met start by saying that you can NOT compare foggers to hazers, they are two entirely different things.
Fog = FX = Use occassionally, relatively short periods of use, highly visable in use
Haze = lighting enhancement = use continously, pretty much have it run all night, barely visible in use.
When it comes to hazers, there is one more thing to consider, some hazers use oil-based fluids, some use different technologies. The oil-based hazers will leave a slighly oily residu on everything (including your gear). Nothing crazy, but enough to be aware of.
Fog machines, at least with my customers, have lost their appeal as an effect, people complain about it, often the smell is less than optimal. It does trigger some smoke alarm systems, so venue owners rather you don’t use it. Also the fog dissipates rather quickly, so the enhancing effects on lighting (both the “aerial glow” and the “visible beams”) last only shortly.
Proper use of haze involves laying a thin and practically invisible layer of haze in the room. Haze has a far longer “hang-time” than fog does. By running your hazer continuously, which is the preferred setting offered by all hazers, you can keep a steady haze up. While invisible by itself, the little haze droplets floating in the air will reflect/defract the light hitting it from your fixtures, thus showing the beams of moonflower and lazers as they travel through the air, rather than only the dots you see when the beams hit a surface like people, wall, floor or ceiling. Also floor and spot lights will color the air, rather than just light up the surfaces in the color projected.
So, I agree with the sentiment in the video that for light enhancement hazers are the way to go. Not as an alternative for fog though, because that has long ago stopped being an effective means to achieve the light enhancement effect.
I would no longer advice (starting) DJs to get a fog machine. I bought one that I got to use at the first 4-5 gigs, with (negative) comments from guests and/or venue managers at all of them. I tossed it in a corner and never looked back. Hazers are never a problem (especially if you have one that leaves no or only minimal oily residu), the effect is lasting, your light show is dramatically better and the cost of use is low. Hazers run forever on a single bottle of fluid, quite unlike foggers that burn through the stuff, considering you don’t have fog running all night long.
Of course there is a slight drawback to hazers and that is the price. While you can get a cheap fogger for 75 euro and an expensive one for maybe 250 euro, hazers don’t go for less than 600 or so. And if you want a really good one, in it’s own flightcase (which the better ones have) and with minimal or no oil residu, the other end of 1000 euro comes first, easily running into the 1500s and higher for pro-grade gear.
Having said that, the investment is well worth it due to the enhancement of how your lighting gear will perform.
Just my two cents, as usual.
.
