Altman 1K

[carsonld]

We recently received a bunch of altman 1K and 4.5 for our high school theatre. This is a blessing considering they had 25 ellipsoidals in a 600 seat space... Question is- why does everyone hate the 1K? Is the 4.5 750w anything comparable brightness wise to a575 source four? And lamps for an altman 360 the same as a 1K and 4.5?

 

[tarnation]

I love the 1k in small houses because I can put a 500w lamp in and it works great. At 1000w the fixture is just too small to dissipate heat, sort of like 1000 watts in a 6x9, the fixture just seems too hot, difficult to adjust (safety, also materials expand with heat). Gels burn out quickly, the bases develop arcing problems, etc.. Think people "hate" the 1k because they are used to finding it working too hard in spaces where it lacks the power or punch to really be effective. Also it has the Toyota problem, where a well-made product endures long enough to still work even though most of its original functionality is severely impaired. Coming up to an unfamiliar 1k it is typical for the focus shaft to have deep scars from people moving the unit without loosening the focus bolt, the zoom/spot lever is often sticky or broken entirely, the tilt clutch is loose, etc.. Few of these are actually the instrument's fault.

Your other questions can be roughly answered by researching product data sheets: "Altman 360q Lumens" would be your first google search, then find the specs on the other fixtures. BTL is the code for 500w Fresnel lamp, EHG is code for 750w 6x9 style. Double check on extant lamps, data sheets. Anecdotally on brightness, yes and no, the Source Four has a clarity and precision to its optics that makes it seems "brighter". Their "black body curve" is more even, with greater transmission across all frequencies. With limited fixtures I would reserve the Source Fours for more saturated gels, gels tend to expose the flaws in the older ellipsoidals' optics.

 

[gafftapegreenia]

Are we talking about the 1K Fresnel (which I don't hate) or the 1K ellipsoidal.

 

[carsonld]

Ellipsoidal

 

[Les]

why does everyone hate the 1K?

Because the 1KL is heavy, clunky, usually pretty old when seen in the wild (thus has maintenance issues), and the optics are not the best; especially for gobo projection. For general front light and things like that, they're fine. Just hope you don't have to lug them around very often.

And lamps for an altman 360 the same as a 1K and 4.5?

Altman 360? No. The 360 is a radial ellipsoidal and uses a lamp with a medium prefocus base (for example, the EGG or EGE) while the 1KL, 4.5, and 360Q (axial) use a bi-pin lamp such as GLA, GLC, etc...

 

[ship]

so you have Altman Ellipsoidal Leko's with 4.5" lenses... zoom or fixed focus? (Model nubers are useful) Yes in general it's the same lamp as a 360Q and HPL (with upgrade) or GLA/GLC series lamps will work properly as the best options for any 360Q / 1KAL Leko series.. These Leko's were designed for the 1Kw lamp but can be lamped dowin for better performance in a smaller space or a space not used to using bulk output but wide filament 1Kw FEL lamps into the more modern above series of smaller filament GLA series lamps.

It's not a S-4 lighting fixture, it's a 1980's fixture ten years earlier in concept. If you have a stock of HPR lamps, they can compete with output. Not bad for a find, and if restored should work well. I suspect if the fixtures are of your beam angle needs, don't need restoration to be able to use them, you can make art with them. Otherwise, I wouldn't find them a boat anchor in restoring and making them useful.