CHOOSING A LIGHT
The list below breaks down some critical differences between different instrument types, helping you choose the best light for each application.
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Some Factors to Consider When Choosing a Light
Some Factors to Consider When Choosing a Light
Brightness – how bright is the source and how much is that focused by the lens(es)?
Edge – is the beam edge sharp or soft?
Size –how large is the beam and how much area does it cover?
Shape/Shutters –Does it have an oval or round beam? Shutters or barn doors?
Flexibility – how easy is it to change size, shape, color, focus, etc.?
Focus Speed – the more complicated the light the longer it can take to focus.
Cost – if the venue does not own the light what is purchase or rental cost?
Weight – heavier lights make for harder work and more expensive shipping.
SPOTLIGHTS
SPOTLIGHTS
Spotlights use a reflector and one or two lenses to create a concentrated beam of light.
ERS - Ellipsoidal Reflector Spotlight
(AKA Leko, Profile)
ERS - Ellipsoidal Reflector Spotlight
(AKA Leko, Profile)
ERS units come in many varieties, but there are two main types:
Fixed beam: This is the most common type of ERS in the U.S. The distance between the lenses is fixed to create a specific beam size. Often the beam size can be adjusted by changing out the lens tube for another tube with a different lens arrangement.
Zoom: Beam size can be changed within a certain range by adjusting the relationship between the lenses and the lamp. They quality of the beam generally degrades as it moves away from the middle of its range, however.
PROPERTIES:
The only light that will create a sharp-edged beam
The beam can be softened slightly by moving the lens tube in or out. ("running the barrel") If a more diffuse edge is desired, frost can be added in the color slot.
The only light that has shutters, allowing precise shaping of the beam.
Usually equipped with a pattern slot in which templates (gobos) can be inserted to create a pattern or shape in the beam.
Sometimes has the option of adding an iris, an accessory with an adjustable aperture that allows you to reduce the beam to a specific size.
Because these lights have many adjustment options, they generally take longer to focus than simpler lights. This is especially true for zooms, which can require a significant amount of additional time to get the correct beam size during focus.
Because of their relative complexity, these are generally the most expensive spotlights to buy or rent and are also the heaviest for their size.
Fresnel (pronouced fra-NEL)
Fresnel (pronouced fra-NEL)
These lights use a Fresnel lens (named for its inventor, Augustin-Jean Fresnel) which has a series of glass ridges rather than a full lens, making it lighter and cheaper than a full convex lens.
PROPERTIES:
Beam always has a very soft edge.
Beam size can be made larger (flooded) or smaller (spotted) by adjusting the distance between the lens and the lamp.
These lights generally look best in the middle of their range. When made very large, for example, the center of the beam is dark and the outside of the beam brighter. The light will also be much brighter when the beam is spotted than when it is flooded.
Barn doors may be added with two or four panels that can swing in to block light and create soft-edged beam shaping.
Because there aren't many beam adjustment options, these are fairly quick to focus.
ETC Source 4 Parnel
ETC Source 4 Parnel
Uses one wave lens and one stippled lens, along with a parabolic reflector, to create an effect similar to that of a Fresnel spotlight.
PROPERTIES:
Largely similar to those of the Fresnel spotlight, though with a more energy-efficient lamp that is interchangeable with lamps in other ETC fixtures.
Beam size is generally smaller than that of a Fresnel spotlight.
The lensing system makes changing the size of the beam much faster than with a traditional Fresnel.
Barn doors may be added but are less effective than they are with Fresnels.
PC (Plano-Convex Spotlight)
PC (Plano-Convex Spotlight)
These lights are rarely used in the U.S. but are very common in the rest of the world. They are similar to the Fresnel spotlight described above but with a full convex lens instead of a Fresnel lens.
PROPERTIES:
Beam has a soft though distinct edge.
Beam size can be made larger (flooded) or smaller (spotted) by adjusting the distance between the lens and the lamp.
These lights generally look best in the middle of their range. When made very large, for example, the center of the beam is dark and the outside of the beam brighter. The light will also be much brighter when the beam is spotted than when it is flooded.
Barn doors may be added to allow soft-edged beam shaping.
Because there aren't many beam adjustment options, these are fairly quick to focus.
PAR Can (Parabolic Aluminum Reflector)
PAR Can (Parabolic Aluminum Reflector)
Essentially an automotive headlight in a can. These instruments use powerful PAR lamps, in which both the lens and the reflector is built into the lamp itself.
PROPERTIES:
Come in a range of sizes from the tiny PAR 16 to the large PAR 64. PAR 64s are the most commonly used for live events.
Beam size depends on the type of lamp used. Common U.S. lamps are Wide Flood (WFL), Medium Flood (MFL), Narrow Spot (NSP) and Very Narrow Spot (VNSP)
WFL and MFL lamps have beams that are elliptical (oval) rather than conical (circular) in shape. PAR lamps can be rotated to adjust the angle of this ellipse.
Beam always has a soft edge, with a very bright center surrounded by a large area of much less intense light
Barn doors may be added to allow soft-edged beam shaping.
Units are very lightweight and rugged, making them relatively inexpensive.
Because theses are lightweight and have few adjustment options, they are very fast to focus.
ETC Source 4 PAR
ETC Source 4 PAR
Made to emulate a PAR Can, this unit has an actual reflector and a set of interchangeable ridged lenses.
PROPERTIES:
Beam size depends on the type of lens used. The five lenses are Extra Wide Flood (xWFL), Wide Flood (WFL), Medium Flood (MFL), Narrow Spot (NSP) and Very Narrow Spot (VNSP) These beams are generally smaller than those of the corresponding PAR 64 lamps.
WFL and MFL lenses create beams that are elliptical (oval) rather than conical (circular) in shape. These lenses can be rotated to make this ellipse more vertical or more horizontal.
Beam always has a soft edge, with a very bright center surrounded by an area of much less intense light.
Barn doors may be added to allow soft-edged beam shaping, though they are not as effective as with PAR 64s.
Lamps are more efficient than PAR lamps, though not as bright, and are interchangeable with lamps in other ETC fixtures.
Because theses are lightweight and have few adjustment options, they are very fast to focus.
CYC LIGHTS
CYC LIGHTS
Cyc lights throw a large soft wash of light. They are traditionally used to light a cyclorama backdrop (cyc) or painted soft goods, either from an overhead pipe or from the floor. Most cyc lights in the U.S. are asymmetric, using a a "J" shaped reflector that helps distribute light more evenly.
Far Cyc (aka Sky Cyc)
Far Cyc (aka Sky Cyc)
PROPERTIES:
Have between one and four sections ("cells) which can be controlled separately.
All units have ability to tilt. Many units are be able to pan from side to side as well.
Usually need to be placed between 4' and 12' from the surface being lit for best coverage. Exact distance depends on the kind of light and the height of the surface.
The near edge of the light creates a sharp line with no visible scallops.
Ground Cyc (aka T3)
Ground Cyc (aka T3)
Similar to Far Cycs, these units are designed to be mounted on the ground in order to light the bottom of a drop or cyclorama.
PROPERTIES:
Most properties are the same as that of a Far Cyc. Because these units are placed on the floor, however, great care must be placed into how they will be masked (hidden) if they are lighting a drop or cyclorama from the front.
STRIPLIGHTS
STRIPLIGHTS
Striplights contain multiple sections ("cells") of individual lamps. In incandescent lights, these are generally sealed beam lamps that contain their own lens and/or reflector. They can be used to light backdrops as well, particularly when there is little space for lights, though they tend to have smaller, less even beams.
MR-16 STRIP (aka Mini-Strip, Zip Strip)
MR-16 STRIP (aka Mini-Strip, Zip Strip)
Low-profile striplights that use arrays of bright MR-16 lamps.
PROPERTIES:
Up to four sets of lamps, each of which can be controlled and colored separately.
Can be hung in the air or placed on the ground.
Have the ability to tilt but not to pan..
Different lamps can be used to get a wider or narrower swath of light.
Their small profile makes them useful for doing wash lighting in tight quarters. Their beams are fairly focused, however, and several rows of MR-16 strips may be required to cleanly light a large drop or cyclorama.
The lamps create multiple, uneven scallops that often require masking or diffusion.
PAR Strips
PAR Strips
These striplights are made to hold either PAR 56 or PAR64 lamps.
PROPERTIES:
Creates a very bright swath of light that is often used to light drops and cycloramas or as backlight in a repertory situation where multiple colors and fast focus are desired.
Between three and four sets of lamps, each of which can be controlled and colored separately.
Can be hung in the air or placed on the ground.
Have the ability to tilt but not to pan..
Different lamps can be used to get a wider or narrower swath of light.
Multiple rows may be required to light a drop or cyclorama.
AUTOMATED FIXTURES
(aka Moving Lights, Wiggle Lights, Movers)
AUTOMATED FIXTURES
(aka Moving Lights, Wiggle Lights, Movers)
These lights can be focused remotely from the lighting console and often have other remotely-controlled features, such as color changing and internal template wheels. This flexibility means that one light can serve multiple purposes, saving space on lighting positions. On the other hand, the programming can be very time-intensive, making automated fixtures a mixed blessing in a short tech period and potentially disastrous in the hands of an inexperienced programmer. Another drawback to consider is the amount of noise made by these fixtures. The movement of the light and its effects mechanisms can make noise and there will most likely be noise from the fan or fans used to cool off the lamp as well.
Automated Fixtures come in hundreds of varieties, but here are some major divisions to consider:
MOVEMENT SYSTEM
Moving Head: This is the most common type of automated fixture. The entire mechanism of the instrument moves around a fixed base. These units have more movement range but also require more space around the fixture to accommodate this movement..
Moving Mirror: Unit is fixed but it s beam can be redirected by adjusting the pan and/or tilt of the built-in mirror. More limited range of motion but often require less space.
BEAM TYPE
Spot: Lens system can create a sharp-edged beam. Usually there will be an internal system for softening the beam as well. These lights will often have various template and effect wheels as well as an iris. Some of them even have internal shuttering mechanisms that allow you to shape the beam.
Profile: These are essentially the same as a Spot fixture with the addition of an internal shuttering mechanism that allows hard-edged beam shaping.
Wash: Beam always has a soft edge. These units do not have the range of functionality possessed by their profile counterparts but their relative simplicity means they are generally lighter, cheaper, quicker to program and have fewer moving parts to repair. Some wash units will have an elliptical beam option in addition to the standard zoom.
LAMP TYPE
Arc Source: Use extremely bright HID lamps. The bluish quality of these lamps means that they render cooler colors much better than warmer ones. The cannot make a color that matches an incandescent source. These lamps can only be turned on and off, never dimmed. Instead, units are built with internal dowsing systems. These vary in quality but are never as smooth as conventional dimming. On the other hand, the color doesn't change when the light dims. As these lamps age the color of the light changes, generally becoming greener. This makes it very difficult to match lights with differing lamp vintages.
LED Source: Typically these will use a white LED cluster. High quality LED fixtures tend to be cooler than arc sources, allowing for a reduction in cooling fans and the accompanying fan noise. Color does not change noticeably over time but because LED technology changes frequently, there may be color differences between different batches of lights.
COLOR CHANGING
Color Wheel: Solid color filters that can be rotated into beam path. These provide very clean colors but with only a few set options and no fading between different colors.
CMY Mixing: Allows you to add variable amount of Cyan, Magenta and Yellow to create an enormous variety of colors. This method also allows you to fade between colors. The color is not always even across the field of the beam, however, and because it is a subtractive color mixing system, mixing multiple colors can cut down quite a bit on intensity.
OTHER FIXTURES
OTHER FIXTURES
There is a huge range of lighting fixtures available of which a few of the more common types are described below.
Followspot
Followspot
Lights that are operated manually, typically to keep a tight focus on performers as they move around the stage.
PROPERTIES:
Generally divided into short-throw, medium-throw and long-through units. This refers to the distance from the followspot's position to the stage.
May come with either an arc lamp or an incandescent lamp. Depending on the model, it may be possible to control the intensity from the lighting console.
Operator controls pan, tilt and iris functions. Operator can also control brightness by means of a dowser.
Usually comes with a system of levers that can put different gel colors in front of the light. This system of levers is called a boomerang.
Because each followspot requires a person to operate it throughout technical rehearsals, the labor costs can be quite expensive.
MR-16 Birdie
MR-16 Birdie
Like PAR cans, these instruments are shells designed to hold specific lamps. In this case the lamps are MR-16 lamps. These lamps have reflectors but no lenses.
PROPERTIES:
Beam is very soft and somewhat irregular due to the lack of any kind of lens.
Very small size means they can be easily concealed or used on the front of the stage where an instrument with a larger profile would be too distracting.
MR-16 lamps can be extremely bright. They also get extremely hot.
Has optional barn doors which allow limited beam shaping.
Altman Q-Lite (aka Mini-10)
Altman Q-Lite (aka Mini-10)
Small halogen floodlight.
PROPERTIES:
Throws a large, unfocused wash of light.
Has a very small profile, making it useful in tight spaces.
Can get very hot and tends to burn through color very quickly.
Has optional barn doors which allow limited beam shaping.
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