A narrow spot needed...

[Pete Alcock]

I'm looking for an effective (and low-cost) way of really lighting a mirror ball. Don't snigger, it's helping a local school out for a forthcoming "Joseph".

 

Normal pinspots are really feeble in anything more than nightclub darkness, so I've experimented in the past with shop display lamps that are the same size as a Par36 lamp, but are 100W. Not quite as narrow (8 deg.), but certainly better. Now, given that you can get those blinder lamps (DWE is it?) in 650W, I figured there must be still further alternatives.

 

Anyone know of a Par36 -sized bubble that's maybe 200W or more, and really narrow? Not worried about voltage especially - I'll do whatever's necessary.

 

(It goes without saying I haven't got a xenon followspot to hand, nor the budget to hire one.)

 

Cheers,

 

Pete.

[Stu]

Hi Pete

 

I've used Source Four 19º (or similar) to good effect before. An iris is often useful so you can spot right down on the ball to just leave a little 'halo' round it.

 

If you peak the lamp right up to the middle you should get a nice look going on.

 

HTH

 

Stu

(PS. Yup the 650w lamps for Par 36s are DWEs)

[Jivemaster]

Aircraft landing lights come to mind, tend to be 28v and 250 to 450 watts and par 36 0r 46

 

or a disco 500w wagly mirror light

[Stu]

The problem with ACLs is you'd have to run x amount of others (It's normally 8 together I think) in order to be working at 240v!

 

Stu

[smeggie]

hmmm, that could be interesting to try - focus on a 4ft ball with twin bars of 6 acls... :) :D

must try that one out sometime.

 

prehaps birdies could be of use close in, with focussed s4 jrs further out?

:D

[Brian]

I've just made myself some specials for mirror balls using PAR56 marine searchlights, 12 volt 100W very narrow beam lamp. I bought some cheap PAR56 cans and bolted them to the top of a metal box containing a 12v transformer. Mains enters the box on a standard 15A plug.

[robloxley]

Or an R&V Beamlight (or Strand equivalent). Or a pair of 1200W Goldenscans on open white cuts through nicely.

[ianl]

an abstract colour flood with the optional spot lense

[Guest lightnix]

Or just one or two 650W Minuette profiles, spotted and irised down. About all they're good for, really.

 

PS - Multiple sources onto mirror balls ROCK, IMHO; multiple mirror balls even more so.

[Brian]

Or just one or two 650W Minuette profiles, spotted and irised down. About all they're good for, really.

The problem with irising (is that a real verb?) down a spot is that you are throwing away light. Close the iris to half the open diameter and you waste 75% of the light so you may as well use a 150W lamp the right size.

[Guest lightnix]

Or just one or two 650W Minuette profiles, spotted and irised down.  About all they're good for, really.

The problem with irising (is that a real verb?) down a spot is that you are throwing away light...

That's very true, although it's surely better than having loads of spill splashing about and the problem can be minimised by rigging the spot as close to the ball as possible.

[Stu]

Of course if you wanted to be really fancy you could do it with some Martin Robocolor Pro 400s - multi coloured mirror ball!

 

Not a cheap option, but I think it'd be pretty cool all the same :)

 

Stu

[gareth]

'Nix has hit the nail on the head. Multiple sources are more effective than one single powerful source. (Although the brighter the sources are, the better it looks!)

 

I've found that one of the most effective sources of light for a m/ball is a very narrow angle profile, not too far away from the ball (but far enough that you can get a reasonable edge), irised or shuttered in to the ball. Three or four of these work just fine.

[ianl]

personnaly I would avoid pinspots and profiles as I feel the effect looks very yellow and gives the impresion that you havnt dusted the ball lately , the abilaty to adjust the focus is also important, fillament lamps can leave you with lots of filament effects floating round the room

 

, I would always aim for something giving a much whiter light such as a discharge lamp, goldenscans, miniscans, scans without the mirror or pro 400s are all excellent but expensive

 

the abstract colour flood I suggested earlier is a cheap version (£100ish)of a pro 400 and gives a nice white (or coloured) even spot and can be run off a stand alone controller

 

I would use a minimum of 2 if the audience only see one side of the ball or 4 if they see all round

[gareth]

personnaly I would avoid pinspots and profiles as I feel the effect looks very yellow and gives the impresion that you havnt dusted the ball lately , the abilaty to adjust the focus is also important, fillament lamps can leave you with lots of filament effects floating round the room

 

, I would always aim for something giving a much whiter light such as a discharge lamp, goldenscans, miniscans, scans without the mirror or pro 400s are all excellent but expensive

 

the abstract colour flood I suggested earlier is a cheap version (£100ish)of a pro 400 and gives a nice white (or coloured) even spot and can be run off a stand alone controller

 

I would use a minimum of 2 if the audience only see one side of the ball or 4 if they see all round

That's all well and good, but don't forget what Pete originally posted ...

I'm looking for an effective (and low-cost) way of really lighting a mirror ball.

Suggestions of multiple fixtures costing £100 each, or Golden Scans, Robocolours, etc. are hardly low-cost ...