What type of light questions.

[SketchyCroftPpl]

Hey all

One thing I've always had trouble with is figuring out what a light is. I can tell what a S4 is but I've never seen clearly someone say like this is this kinda like and it looks like this and heres how you can tell by looking at it. I'm basically wonder if someone can sum up the major types of lights there are. Like Source Four, Source Four Par, Par Cans, Ellipsoidals (sp?), and others that arn't listed here. Either some pictures or like someone writing heres how you can tell the differences would be awesome and help alot.

Thanks,
Nick

[Radman]

MTS has a great little guide that explains this near the end:

http://www.mainstage.com/PDFs/mts_lighttheories.pdf

[Kelite]

Hi Nick,

You may find a wealth of lighting information at this link also-
http://www.mts.net/~william5/library1.htm

The amount of knowledge to be gained from several really good websites is amazing....

[Inaki2]

You'll get that from experience. I've come to a point where I can tell you what moving light is in a show because of the gobos, or in the case of Studio Spots because of the beam. Eventually you'll know more than you can handle!

[Les]

first of all, "Source Four" is a name brand. The proper name is Ellipsoidal (USA), ERS or Profile (UK). Leko is a name brand too but is commonly used the same as "Ellipsoidal".

[ship]

Really do have to feel the difference between a PAR, Fresnel, PC, and Ellipsoidal both by feeling what each is like with each of their various beam type, and in watching others lighted from them.

While you can get touchy feely descriptions here and elsewhere as to what the beam is doing, yu must note them yourself.