Johnno Posted September 8, 2006 Share Posted September 8, 2006 :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tomo Posted September 8, 2006 Share Posted September 8, 2006 I usually use Fixture, but Light, Lantern and Luminaire are in common use. Unit is more general in my opinion - could refer to a smoke machine or other non-illuminating device. A Lamp is the bubble inside that contains the filament / arc gap / semiconductor. Instrument is American. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mumbles Posted September 8, 2006 Share Posted September 8, 2006 Ah, now my answer would vary, depending on whether it was an intelligent fixture, generic or theatre lantern, TV luminaire, or household light. :D I'm assuming you mean a generic lantern, so have voted for that Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyJones Posted September 8, 2006 Share Posted September 8, 2006 fixture= any moving or DMX addressable lightlight = any light!lantern = a particular instrument "go fetch that lantern over there"luminaire=dont useunit when referring to a singular for example if there is a whole truss of mac 500's then on of them is a unit. thats what I use anyway! HTH AndyJones Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr.Si Posted September 8, 2006 Share Posted September 8, 2006 I went for lamp, since that's the light emitting part. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dwh Posted September 8, 2006 Share Posted September 8, 2006 Fixture for anything light producing and DMXable, light for general purpose use, or the specific kind of light if I'm referring to something (if I point at a Fresnel, or a Cantata, or something, I'll say "Chuck me that Cantata", not "chuck me that light") Lamp refers to a bulb, in my mind, or maybe a desk-lamp, lantern is generally a prop light (a hand held lantern, something that's part of the scenery, etc) for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gareth Posted September 8, 2006 Share Posted September 8, 2006 Does it matter? With the exception, in some contexts, of "lamp", they're all pretty much interchangeable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Just Some Bloke Posted September 8, 2006 Share Posted September 8, 2006 I'm with Andy J and I'm not quite sure which one you mean. The light comes from the lamp whatever it's contained within! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johnno Posted September 8, 2006 Author Share Posted September 8, 2006 I started this poll because in his book Stage Lighting Design Neil Fraser says "luminaire" is a more proper term than "lantern" for describing a thingy that lets light out one end. Luminaire seems an awfully long word to me. I've got some teenage volunteers coming to help me starting next week and was wondering whether to prefer one term with them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woody74 Posted September 8, 2006 Share Posted September 8, 2006 I've got some teenage volunteers coming to help me starting next week and was wondering whether to prefer one term with them. Why not call them by their names proper, that way the kids learn the name? And as for me, I either go with fixture of instrument for "conventional" lighting, and moving-lights, fixture, head or by its name for DMXable movers. -w edit: :D I got a blue dot! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gareth Posted September 9, 2006 Share Posted September 9, 2006 I started this poll because in his book Stage Lighting Design Neil Fraser says "luminaire" is a more proper term than "lantern" for describing a thingy that lets light out one end.In all seriousness, when's the last time you heard anyone in the real world (i.e. actually working in a theatre and not just writing about it) refer to a lantern as a "luminaire"? I suspect that in most theatres, using the word "luminaire" would earn you the Pretentious Winker[*] Of The Week award. [*] - apologies to Ivor Biggun! :) (Come to think of it, the kind of people who refer to lanterns as "luninaires" are quite possibly also the kind of people who wear their blacks to visit trade shows! :D) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick S Posted September 9, 2006 Share Posted September 9, 2006 As Tomo says, Instrument is mainly American - although they also use fixture quite a bit. I prefer lantern. Unit seems to be the phrase of choice for movers, at least where I work in the States. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Posted September 9, 2006 Share Posted September 9, 2006 ..."luminaire" is a more proper term than "lantern" for describing a thingy that lets light out one end. ...Indeed it is. It's the word you'll find used all over the place in formal documents like British Standards. However, that doesn't mean we have to use it in day-to-day work. They are plenty of semi-legal words which never see the light of day off the page. In your situation, pick a word and stick to it. I'd probably take woody74's suggestion and call them by their proper name. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mac.calder Posted September 9, 2006 Share Posted September 9, 2006 Does it really matter? as long as your message is recieved by the other people correctly, the terms do not matter. Hell, I have lost count of the number of times I have said something along the lines of "Can you get me that coconut shaped thing over there?" when talking to the lighting uninitiated (refering of course to the Patt 123). In formal documents - ie writing up a venue specification or risk assessments, the term luminaire is probably the most 'proper' term when generically refering to devices which give light, however when refering to a specific object, naming the product is probably the clearest way. As a general rule though, I also tend to follow the "Generics = Lantern, Movers = Fixtures and a Lamp is a bubble not a theatrical luminaire" school of thought. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonythetechie Posted September 9, 2006 Share Posted September 9, 2006 As a general rule though, I also tend to follow the "Generics = Lantern, Movers = Fixtures and a Lamp is a bubble not a theatrical luminaire" school of thought. And don't forget that a bulb grows in the ground!!! :D Tony Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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