Thoughts on a Fixture Shoot Out

[JChenault]

I am looking to replace side light units in my theatre. Currently we are using S4 fixtures with Apollo color scrollers.

I am looking at either Ovation or ETC Coloursource profiles.

I have one each coming into the space tomorrow to do a side by side comparison.

I want to see if the hive mind can see anything I am missing in my comparison process.

• Look at the dimming curve between an incandescent , and each LED unit.
• Do the same with the Ovation set to 16 bit
• Bring up all three units and look at the uniformity / spikiness of the beam. How hard will it be to blend.
• Look at the LED units with the ETC and Ovation lens tubes. Swap them out with a non HiDef tube for grins.
• Put a gobo in each fixture. Look for sharpness and fringing.
• Bring the units up to full and compare color and intensity to my Incandescent units with scrollers
• On each unit - take a look at skin color / fabric swatches to see what seems more real.
• Play with the spectrum color control on the ION. See if the extra emitter on the Ovation gives better / easier color control.

Any other suggestions folks can come up with?
Thanks in advance

 

[JohnD]

There are some people who judge a sound system with their eyes, this might be a case in which you should judge new lights with your ears. Can you hear them? Many people worry about LED fixtures with fans being too loud.

 

[ACTSTech]

See if the colors match what you think the colors should look like. I’m still used to 3200K, so when I see L106 or R80 or R02 from a different source, it doesn’t look the same. I haven’t played with LED fixtures myself, but everything still looks blue. If you’re going to mix incandescent and LED, see if the match is a happy match.

 

[cbrandt]

See if the colors match what you think the colors should look like. I’m still used to 3200K, so when I see L106 or R80 or R02 from a different source, it doesn’t look the same. I haven’t played with LED fixtures myself, but everything still looks blue. If you’re going to mix incandescent and LED, see if the match is a happy match.

While doing this, don't rely on a "gel color picker" from your console. Match them by eye. You'll rarely get consistent results across fixtures by using the built in colors.

 

[STEVETERRY]

I am looking to replace side light units in my theatre. Currently we are using S4 fixtures with Apollo color scrollers.

I am looking at either Ovation or ETC Coloursource profiles.

I have one each coming into the space tomorrow to do a side by side comparison.

I want to see if the hive mind can see anything I am missing in my comparison process.

• Look at the dimming curve between an incandescent , and each LED unit.
• Do the same with the Ovation set to 16 bit
• Bring up all three units and look at the uniformity / spikiness of the beam. How hard will it be to blend.
• Look at the LED units with the ETC and Ovation lens tubes. Swap them out with a non HiDef tube for grins.
• Put a gobo in each fixture. Look for sharpness and fringing.
• Bring the units up to full and compare color and intensity to my Incandescent units with scrollers
• On each unit - take a look at skin color / fabric swatches to see what seems more real.
• Play with the spectrum color control on the ION. See if the extra emitter on the Ovation gives better / easier color control.

Any other suggestions folks can come up with?
Thanks in advance

• Do mixed colors drift over time as the fixture heats up?
• Does the brightness drift over time as the fixture heats up?

ST

 

[JChenault]

• Do mixed colors drift over time as the fixture heats up?
• Does the brightness drift over time as the fixture heats up?

ST

Steve
For testing - how long does it take for the fixture to heat up - or how do I tell when it is hot?

 

[Ford]

For the comparison to Gelled color, I'd suggest that you use the Virtual Color Wheel on the Ovation Fixture.
There is a "Translation" chart in the manual that lists the Gel equivalent to the Colors as listed on-board.

 

[MRW Lights]

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE look at them on people and stuff... unless of course you're running an art installation of light in a void on a solid presumably black semi gloss surface... see what they look like on people.

 

[STEVETERRY]

Steve
For testing - how long does it take for the fixture to heat up - or how do I tell when it is hot?

It will depend on the fixture and the ambient temperature--but I would start with 15-30 minutes.

 

[NateTheRiddler]

I don’t know if this is particularly useful for your purposes, but:

• Compare dim sin and color sin effects on your console.
  • Do the fixtures dim up and down smoothly over multiple iterations controlled by the console?
  • How do the fixtures fade from color to color? Straight linear? Do they ease in/out on any one color set? Do they consistently take the same interpolation path from color to color?

I’ve had fixtures behave differently when under an effects engine’s control vs. a manual fader.

 

[macsound]

Definetly look at them on people's skin. Also take a bunch of photos when you're testing the colors, including of the people's faces.
Even though you'll probably just be using an iPhone, it's important that your PR photographer doesn't have a hell of a time trying to white balance the fake colors that comes out of some of these fixtures. Blue is sometimes so far outside the visible spectrum that it appears inverted when photographed.

 

[jcslighting]

For what it's worth ETC fixtures and consoles work pretty well when it comes to the 'color picker' or 'gel match' features. That being said if you typically don't select color that way then it is a moot point. From my experience using ETC desks the color picker results do vary greatly from fixture manufacturer to fixture manufacturer and most non-ETC fixtures tend to be off quite a bit.

 

[BenH]

The ETC Colorsource units do not have an amber LED emitter. It looks like the Ovation series does. The Spot does come with an indigo (deep blue) emitter option.

Depending upon what you want in the amber spectrum or deep blue, this might push you towards one or other other.

I wish the Spot had an amber option, I think then it would be a great acting light for cost conscientious customers because then you could do warm or cool or lavender with the same light.

 

[LukeDelwiche]

I wrote an article a few years ago that might be of some use. There is a little checklist at the end that helps summarize. Indeed - the most important thing is seeing them on whatever they are meant to light. Cycs are different than people!

Luke

 

[jaz1416]

Make sure to look at support and warranty options as well. Knowing you have a good warranty on a fixture you expect to have for a number of years is important.