Best manual follow spot for our theatre?

[JLNorthGA]

Proscenium opening is 30' x 16'. It is about 50-60' to the front of the proscenium from the light booth. It it another 20' or so to the back of the stage.

Obviously we don't need a larger spotlight. I am considering the follow spots listed below.

Altman Comet
Lycian Midget II with 575 W bulb
Lycian Midget II with 750 W bulb
Lycian Midget with 1000 W bulb

Maybe $400 difference in price between them. What would give the best bang for the buck?

[danTt]

How much other light is on when you try and use these? What kind of shows are you doing? I'd avoid the altman comet, because the dowser is in such an awkward spot compared to most every other followspot out there. You probably want to go for the brightest you can in follow spots, so that you have the ability to make it pop out above other lights.

[icewolf08]

If you really want bang for your buck I would suggest you look at the Lycian Midget HP (1209) or something like the Robert Juliat Buxie. Going with the HMI/MSD arc lamp fixture is really going to give you the punch you want and expect from a followspot. Yes, the lamps are more expensive, but you typically get a longer life from them, and as with incandesent lamps, you can get long life arc lamps with the same trade-offs, warmer color temp and slightly lower lumens.

If you want to stick with incandesent fixtures I would definately pick the Midget 1K from your list, but I would also consider the Robert Juliat Cricket.

I suggest the RJ fixtures, not because I work for them, but because I have worked with both RJ and Lycian sid-by-side, and hands down the RJ fixture is easier to operate and my followspot operators prefer them to the Lycian.

[Sony]

If you really want bang for your buck I would suggest you look at the Lycian Midget HP (1209) or something like the Robert Juliat Buxie. Going with the HMI/MSD arc lamp fixture is really going to give you the punch you want and expect from a followspot. Yes, the lamps are more expensive, but you typically get a longer life from them, and as with incandesent lamps, you can get long life arc lamps with the same trade-offs, warmer color temp and slightly lower lumens.

If you want to stick with incandesent fixtures I would definately pick the Midget 1K from your list, but I would also consider the Robert Juliat Cricket.

I suggest the RJ fixtures, not because I work for them, but because I have worked with both RJ and Lycian sid-by-side, and hands down the RJ fixture is easier to operate and my followspot operators prefer them to the Lycian.

+1

Like Icewolf I have used RJ's and Lycian's side by side, if given the choice...if would be no contest, I would pick the RJ every time in every test. We have two RJ Topaze units on a 100ft throw at the school, and the 1200w Topaze's punch through the stage lights with ease. You definitely get what you pay for, I would also recommend getting a HMI/MSD type fixture, they just give so much more punch. The RJ Buxie seems like a good choice for you.

[danTt]

I thought about mentioning the hmi fixtures, but the price jumps so much at that point (about 5x) that it's a whole different beast. If the moneys there, definitely do it, because at some point you will want that upgrade anyways.

RE: Juliat vs. Lycian... The buxie's controls are much more like the lycians anyways, so theres not much point in that debate. I recently ran a cyrano, and can't say the control placement impressed me, Both hands had to be way too close to the fulcrum to make it easy to run. That being said, some of their spots have controls in excelent places. YMMV

[derekleffew]

Consider also the Lycian 1233 Mini Arc Followspot.


If you want to stay with incandescent, the Strong Trouperette IV.

[JLNorthGA]

If you really want bang for your buck I would suggest you look at the Lycian Midget HP (1209) or something like the Robert Juliat Buxie. Going with the HMI/MSD arc lamp fixture is really going to give you the punch you want and expect from a followspot. Yes, the lamps are more expensive, but you typically get a longer life from them, and as with incandesent lamps, you can get long life arc lamps with the same trade-offs, warmer color temp and slightly lower lumens.

If you want to stick with incandesent fixtures I would definately pick the Midget 1K from your list, but I would also consider the Robert Juliat Cricket.

I suggest the RJ fixtures, not because I work for them, but because I have worked with both RJ and Lycian sid-by-side, and hands down the RJ fixture is easier to operate and my followspot operators prefer them to the Lycian.

Thanks for the reply. Okay - I can go for the Midget. I can afford to go for that (~$1500). The Cricket is out of my price range - I want to afford other lights after all.

[icewolf08]

Thanks for the reply. Okay - I can go for the Midget. I can afford to go for that (~$1500). The Cricket is out of my price range - I want to afford other lights after all.

Out of curiosity, where are you getting your prices?

[JD]

Was not aware of the Lycian 1233 mini! Cute little thing. Don't know the photometrics on it but would not be surprised if it blew away the 1k incandescent units. With followspots, everything is about how close to an optical point the light source is. That is one of the reasons (beside general bulb efficiency) arc lights do so much better than tungsten filament based units.

I have a 1209 Midget (HMI) and am very happy with it. (Yea, I know, not a Trouper!) Small little thing with the same punch as the Satellites had/have. (Also HMI.)

For the extra $500, go with the 1233.

[JLNorthGA]

Out of curiosity, where are you getting your prices?

I was quoted a price of $1465 for a Lycian Midget 1K Follow spot with a 1000 W bulb. Is that too high?? Norcostco had it listed at $1844, so I figured it was a reasonable deal.

[derekleffew]

Was not aware of the Lycian 1233 mini! Cute little thing. Don't know the photometrics on it but would not be surprised if it blew away the 1k incandescent units. ...

Even though the fixture has been out for a couple of years now, it still hasn't made it onto Lycian's website. I have to say, Lycian may have the worst online presence of any of the major lighting manufacturers (save for the luddites at Lite-Trol).
Lycian 1233 Mini_Arc.pdf, but you know what I think of spec sheets re: photometric data--THEY ALL LIE!

I was quoted a price of $1465 for a Lycian Midget 1K Follow spot with a 1000W bulb. Is that too high?? ...

Based on a cursory Internet search for Lycian Midget 1K 1206, $1465 seems like a very good price, MSRP is $2000.
I wonder though, if the 1206 is a significantly better unit than the Lycian Midget II Quartz 1212, MSRP $1500, street ~$1000.
I think someone on here has posted that they have both? (And I still prefer the Trouperette III/IV.)

[JD]

Even though the fixture has been out for a couple of years now, it still hasn't made it onto Lycian's website. I have to say, Lycian may have the worst online presence of any of the major lighting manufacturers (save for the luddites at Lite-Trol).
Lycian 1233 Mini_Arc.pdf, but you know what I think of spec sheets re: photometric data--THEY ALL LIE!

Odd they use that cheap cartoon image on their sales cut sheet. They need an upgrade in their promotional department. Comes in a tad less then 1/2 the output of the 1209 which really does fill a nitch that has been wide open. Yea, they lie, but by about the same amount, so it works for comparison

At around $2k, it's also priced in that "missing" zone between the 1k gang and the lower end of the big spots.

[porkchop]

We spec and need 2k's but I've gotten Midget 1k's more than a few times. They're one of the only 1k's that show up in the performance area, I'd recommend them. The one piece boomerang with no removable gels frames has it's ups and downs, but that's more of a pain for touring than stationary shows.