FOH profiles

[chris512]

was just wondering what your thoughts were.....

 

we're just moving into our new building (which is tres nice, with all the usual small niggles with any building project it seems :) ) and we have (as spec'd) two FOH bars. at the moment we don't have enough laterns to populate the FOH furthest away from stage (given we have 2 booms FOH, 3 bars of lx on stage and 2 drama studios to do ** laughs out loud **) but in the future would like to get some "beefy" profiles for it.

 

does any one have any suggestions on which to look at? I'm thinking of getting some zoom's to give more options with smallish beam angles (15-30ish). been looking at source 4's, strand sl's and selecon pacifics....anyone got any thoughts on these or any others I haven't looked at ?

 

 

cheers!

[P. Funk]

how big is the stage / building?

[Stu]

If your thinking of Zooms I wouldn't go for the S4 15/30º zoom, as they are possibly the worse lantern I've ever used! They are incredibly front heavy which means they are very difficult to focus... There is quite a large thread on this topic, which you can find if you do a search. The only bonus about the S4 Zooms is that they have gorgeous optics... But if your trying to focus one handed, you can forget it!

 

I think in that thread we kind of went down the line of discussing what we did or didn't like instead of the S4 Zoom. I'd personally go for Strand SL 15/32s - I love em, even if they do have minor niggles. The Selecon Pacifics are highly rated by some members, but I'm not such a fan - but they are very good :)

 

There is also the Altman Shakespeare that use the same principles of the S4/SL/Pacifics, but I've not got any experience with them.

 

In the fixed profile market you can't do better than the Source Four's - wonderful optics ;)

 

HTH,

Stu

[robloxley]

For zoom profiles, I much prefer the SL to the S4 too - but would take a Juliat over either of those for permanent install if I had the money!

 

Anyway, why not go for second-hand Strand Cantatas 18/32 (or whatever angle range you calculate) - which are going for about 1/3 the price of a new SL or S4 - it's where I'd spend my money unless I was short of power or regularly wanted to move the lanterns.

[chris512]

kewl thanks stu

 

I would say (without checking any plans which I can look at tomorrow) that the bar is about 10 metres or so back from the front of the stage with the height of about 7 metres or so.....but thats off the top of my head at 11pm after a long week ** laughs out loud ** :)

[Stu]

Found the thread I was talking about - it's http://www.blue-room.org.uk/index.php?show...t=0entry10052

 

As Rob says, Robert Juilat make nice stuff, but it's a bit pricey!

 

A LX bar 10m from the stage and 7m high would give you a throw off 12.2m. A 15º lantern (as in the SL 15/32) would give you a beam of 3.21m x 5.81m - long time since I've used LD Calculator, but I think my maths is right... Using the same principle, the 32º beam angle would give you 7m x 14.6m.

 

So if you know how big your pros arch is, you'll be able to work out what kind of coverage you need to light the whole stage. Probably 3 or 4 if the FOH bar is parralell to the stage.

 

HTH

Stu

[chris512]

thanks again stu for the calcuations - which I dont think I could have performed this late ** laughs out loud **....I'll try and nab some plans/measurements tomorrow (wheres that tape measure :) )

 

and robloxley I'll bear the cantata thought in mind! hadn't thought of that one!

 

 

cheers all, nite!

 

 

p.s - whoo 50th post ** laughs out loud ** (had to be done)

[James C]

Sort of On-topic - Just a possible caveat about buying SL's:

 

In the course of PAT "esting" this week, I found that 2 of my SL's had poorly bubbles. On one all the ceramic inside the top of the metal enclosure had cracked and come away (though lamp still working), and in the other one of the pins had the tip sheared off (and not working). Anyone else found that SL's seem to overheat their bubbles? I'm using the Philips "Hollywood" lamps.

[Stu]

Just been discussing the ADB Warp with Peter, and they look very, very nice. Wether you could afford them I do not know - can't find a price anyway.

 

Anyone used these BTW?

 

James, I've not experienced these problems with the SL - had my fair share of other funnies but not this one. Could just be a couple of dodgy lamps?!

 

Stu

[gareth]

I can't say much that hasn't already been said, but I'd definitely concur that Source4's are a taste sensation if you're looking for a fixed-angle profile, whereas the SL is the better zoom.

 

Shakespeares are OK, but they're physically larger than an SL, and the lenses are a bugger to clean unless you've got hands like a Geisha girl's.

 

Never used Selecon Pacifics personally, so I can't really comment - but I've heard a lot of very favourable reports.

 

I don't like CCT Freedoms at all ... :)

[Ike]

I do like the pacifics however they do have a few fiddly bits and I always manage to burn myself when ajusting the shutters. :)

 

All in all from my experiance I would say go with SL.

[richard_cooper]

Sort of On-topic - Just a possible caveat about buying SL's:

 

In the course of PAT "esting" this week, I found that 2 of my SL's had poorly bubbles. On one all the ceramic inside the top of the metal enclosure had cracked and come away (though lamp still working), and in the other one of the pins had the tip sheared off (and not working). Anyone else found that SL's seem to overheat their bubbles? I'm using the Philips "Hollywood" lamps.

I've never found this but I'm having a real nightmare at the moment with a bunch of SL's. Basically they all need re-wiring as the outer layer of insulation has pulled through the cord grip. This seems to be because too much was stripped of and the excess length forced into the tiny space inside. The problem I am having is that the three screws that hold the burner assembly together are virtually impossible to remove on most of the lamps. Has anyone else come accross this? On the occasion I have managed to remove the screws, they come out with a good proportion of the thread from the tapped hole.

 

Any tips anyone can give?

[robloxley]

Have come across this as the SL cable restraint doesn't seem to grip silicon cable very well. Not had a problem with the screws - just don't use an electric screwdriver for them or you really risk stripping the thread if you set the torque to high. Can you retap the holes and put machine screws in if it's all gone wrong?

[richard_cooper]

Have come across this as the SL cable restraint doesn't seem to grip silicon cable very well. Not had a problem with the screws - just don't use an electric screwdriver for them or you really risk stripping the thread if you set the torque to high. Can you retap the holes and put machine screws in if it's all gone wrong?

I'm not using an electric screw driver, I just cannot get the screws to budge in the slightest! I've tried everything I can think of, short of destructive methods, of drilling, and re-tapping. I've got 24 to do and it's taking me forever :) this was one of those jobs I thought would take a few hours but..... I've checked and it seems the problem SL's are all from one older batch, another newer lot come apart fine, however they don't need re-wiring!

 

We maybe buying some more profiles soon and this is definitely putting me off SL's

[Andrew C]

I've got Pacifics and like them, but...

 

The students can't resist fiddling with the lamp peaking; then never get it right again.

 

The lamptray doesn't lock to the body particularly easily.

 

As a plus, you can use OHP transparencies as gobos.