Source Four LED Cyc???

[techieman33]

$315 is a little on the expensive side.

 

[JohnD]

Rumor has it that these may be shipping. Has anyone got a demo yet? It would really be great if someone could arrange a shootout with this, the Altman Spectra Cyc and the Phillips PLCyc.

 

[DuckJordan]

We had a couple in for our cycle replacement. They put out some decent color but don't do some colors well... They suffer from the same issue that other leds do.

That said they filled our cycle pretty well shooting out against our strand conventionals. 35'~ feet...from light to floor. We only had two in so could do our full 60 ish feet of cycle would require 6-8 units...

 

[sk8rsdad]

I saw them at CUE and was impressed by the coverage and how easy they are to focus. No fiddling with lenses and eyeballing or using a protractor is likely close enough on the first attempt. We're currently lighting our cyc with Desires. If the Desires are analogous to a PAR, the Source Four LED Cyc would be more like a conventional cyc cell but with less scalloping.

The optics are designed for a 2:1 spacing (2 feet separation for every 1 foot away) so these are a good choice for a retrofit where the cyc light batten is already positioned about 4 feet downstage of the cyclorama. A facility on a budget with a 36 x 24 cyc could get adequate coverage with 4 fixtures although I would probably spec 6 to 8.

 

[Dionysus]

Necropost? Perhaps.

I was wondering if anyone had any further feedback or comparisons on this unit yet? anyone end up buying them or checking them out more?

There are two community theatres I am involved with who would like some cyc lights, one is actively seeking pricing etc, and the other is more tentatively thinking about it. The first has already thought about the Source-4 LED Cyc adapter (does not currently have any LEDs, but suffers from a lack of dimmers, and may eventually expand into more LEDs). They have also tried various other options, including one of the local rental/sales places rented them some microh LED strips that they thought could do the trick (no!! absolutely not, could of told them that!) for a recent show. They have a few lighting people, but most have little outside experience.
Let me tell you, it is a beautiful theatre and I'd really like to see some positive change there.

Good/bad revues or experiences? Cost effective?

 

[sk8rsdad]

I had a demo last week. The adapter is a nice bit of optics work. It provides a nice even coverage on our 24 ft cyc. It was really easy to focus and orders of magnitude easier to focus than our current D40 cyc lights.

I think it is a good choice for a long term investment in the S4 LED engine. For a relatively small incremental cost the fixture can be used as a profile or a cyc. It would come as no surprise to learn that a Fresnel attachment were in development.

 

[JohnD]

But wait, there's more, has anyone been able to try it out with the Series 2?

 

[sk8rsdad]

Yes. Side by side with the S4 LED Lustr

 

[Dionysus]

Found an article on Stage Directions talking about the Source-4 LED Cyc, Chauvet Professional C-640FC LED Cyc & Enttec Aleph2 ET

Wasn't too informative, but much more so than ETC's website which really says next to nothing.

Great to hear that you liked the Source-4 cyc.

With the LED Cyc light ETC has set out to change the way we think about cyc lighting.

“Accessorize to maximize” is an often quoted slogan of retail sales and ETC has followed this maxim with the introduction of its LED Cyc light. This ingenious unit is offered as an accessory to ETC’s very popular line of Source Four LED fixtures or “engines” as they are often dubbed. ETC proclaims, “It’s like having a paintbrush right on stage.”

The ETC LED Cyc Light replaces the lens tube on the Source Four LED luminaire. As you would expect from ETC’s x7 color system, the color rendition of this unit is excellent. A 40-foot-wide-by-20-foot-high cyclorama or backdrop requires only six or seven Cyc Lights at a setback of three feet to produce even coverage. Operating at a 65° throw angle, units can be placed in accordance with the 2:1 spacing formula (for every one foot back there can be two feet between luminaires). While this is the spacing of traditional fixtures, it is almost impossible to produce a direct comparison with incandescent single-cell or three-cell unit. The richness and range of color is simply not achievable by conventional means.

Size and Shape

Based on an optically precise mirror and diffuser, the ETC Cyc attachment creates a footprint somewhat larger than a traditional cyc light, but is lightweight and rugged. The units cannot be nested but could travel in a slotted flight case. Including the floor mount stand, the entire fixture is a bit taller than its strip light counterpart so would need to be snuck in behind set pieces or soft goods in practice. It should be noted that this unit only attaches to the Source Four LED fixture bodies, not to the Selador range also marketed by ETC.

If you already own ETC Source Four LEDs, then at $395 list price the LED Cyc offers terrific value for money. The savings in labor, power and gel will over time offset the higher initial purchase price of the fixture. It’s the hybrid car of the lighting industry. The LED Cyc is sure to appeal to rental companies who make up the core of ETC’s customer base. Dual-purpose fixtures are a winner for the purchasing department and the designer.

In our testing process we kept thinking of additional applications for this versatile unit. It would work well inside tents, atriums or as set fill light for TV. On film they could provide a quick additional soft light. If lighting techs were to make all purchasing decisions these units would be everywhere. The ease of set up, cabling and focus is perhaps their finest quality. The extra programming time to manipulate the seven colors is cut down by assigning each fixture a “personality” on the lighting console.

LED’s offer designers a great chance to re-think how they approach their lighting. The ETC LED Cyc is a handy example of adapting new thinking to an oft-overlooked tool, beautifully.

ETC LED Cyc Light

Pros:

• Great richness and variety of color

• Big savings in labor, power and gel over time

• Good field of light

Cons:

• Somewhat larger footprint than traditional cyc light

List Price:

$395

[TBODY] [/TBODY]

 

[sk8rsdad]

Back at a keyboard instead of typing with my thumbs.

I am not sure I would purchase the S4 LED Cyc if all I ever wanted to do was light a cyc. It certainly works for the purpose but there are other more cost effective solutions. OTOH, as a facility manager, having a single fixture in inventory that can serve multiple roles is a game changer. It extends the useful life of the fixture. It may also enhance the value of older S4 LED engines on the used market since the pool of likely buyers increases.

FWIW, the information about the S4 LED II on ETC's website is very honest with respect to relative brightness vis-a-vis an incandescent S4 575 and a S4 LED Lustr. Mixing to yellow is downright painful to look upon. The variable colour temperature can make it feel much brighter than the classic Source Four.

 

[JChenault]

At USITT this year they used the fixture to light a number of drops showcasing work by a number of schools. Seemed to do a good job, but they were positioned pretty far from the drop 6 to 8 feet or so.

If space is an issue take a look at the Altman spectra cyc. Colors are not as intense ( the S4 indigo color cannot be achieved for example ) but for the price a good unit. It also can work well within 3 feet of the cyc.

 

[TheTheaterGeek]

I understand it was at USITT (though, unfortunately, I was not). One of the ETC folks I chatted with after commented on how little attention it received at the show; I guess everyone was more interested in the Source Four Mini...

Best,
John

It was at USITT(as was I),
It was featured as the lighting source for all of the student designed drops and cyc paintings, alas, those were at the far side of the expo and did not receive the attention they deserved.

I just thought it was a barrel package that affixed to a S4 LED. Is it sold as a stand alone fixture?

 

[SteveB]

It needs an LED light engine, Or "Array" as it states on the website. It mounts to the front of the array.


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