Mac's

[nick]

In your own opinion which mac is the best one?? for its value, capabilities and general looks??

[peter]

Surely that depends on your specific requirements. If your rig is 1k parcans, there is little point in having Mac 250 or 300s, as they will not be bright enough to cut through the rig for effects, but will work perfectly well as an additional part of the main wash. Conversely if you've got a rig of 500w fresnels, a Mac 2000 (series) will be incredibly bright and look very out of place. (Apart from that, if you're using a 500w rig, you probably don't have physically enough space to make a Mac 2000 look "suitable" - they look big and chunky in the We Will Rock You rig!)

 

What your main consideration should be, apart from the power of the lamp, is whether you want a moving Profile (250, 500, 2000 profile/performance) or moving Wash (300,600,2000 wash) light. Do you want rotating and indexing gobos (500, 2000 performance / profile)? How many do you want? What beam angle do you require - do you need zoom (2000 profile/performance)? Do you need shutters (2000 performance) or barndoors (2000 wash)? Iris' (500, 2000 performance, 2000 profile)? Its also worth considering the Colour Temperature Correction (CTC) filters - Mac 250, 300, 500 and 600 do not have variable CTC, whereas 600NT and 2000 series all have variable CTC - if you're using a mainly tungsten rig, you may want CTC filters to make the Macs look like tungsten.

 

Whilst on the subject of colours, its worth bearing in mind that if you want colour mixing, you either have to go for Mac 300, 600, or the 2000 series - none of the lower rated profile fixtures (250, 250+ or 500) have colour mixing. Instead, they have fixed colour wheels, which must rotate through different colours to achieve the colour you desire.

 

Of course, there are many other manufacturers out there other than Martin (who make the macs) - vari*lite, robe, clay paky, coemar, high end....the list could go on for days.

 

In short, there is no one answer to your question. Instead, you should think about your requirements and choose whichever is most suited. And also think: Do I REALLY need a moving light for that? For £110 a week, you could hire 10 or more Source 4's, or 6 scrollers and parcans....just because it moves, doesn't mean its the best solution.

 

 

 

Hope the above helps - feel free to ask more

[mac500]

Another consideration is the amount of time you've got 2 programme etc. I disagree about the 250's/300's not being bright enough to cut through 1kw parcans as I've used them on a show with 1kw parcans and they were fine. The size of auditorium (sp?) effects which one you use if its only a 100 seater then having the 500s/600s or the 2000s is a very big overkill because the 250's/300s would be fine for that situatuion. Another factor is the actual space for the fixtures to go into because the 500s/600s and the 2000s are quite large and also if your flying them how much weight you've got on the counterweights etc.

[nick]

I agree with mac 500 they are bright enough!! but counter weighting is very simple and only takes a short time

[Prox]

Mac 600 Is The Dogs ...! Movment slightly drag. Apart from that im very much a Vari-Lite VL7b Fan.

 

 

Try them!

[gareth]

You can't really ask "Which is the best Mac" - you're asking us to put a MiniMac up against a Mac2000 Performace, and that's just not a fair comparison.

 

They're all fine in their own way - they're relatively cheap to rent, in plentiful supply (with the possible exception of 2000s), reasonably robust (as long as you follow a few simple guidelines!), and easy to use. The 500s and 600s are as popular as they are for good reasons - all the ones stated above, really, and the fact that you get a decent amount of light out of them and that they're reasonably easy to deal with if they do go wrong.

 

They're very much the Ford Mondeo of the moving light world, though - they do the job perfectly well, but there are better and more exciting options. If the budget was there, I'd go for VL2000s over Macs every time.

[owen_mcauley]

Does anyone actually use any other fixture than Martin? There are some stunningly good fixtures out there that most people don't consider. You should check them out.

 

Owen

[gareth]

Does anyone actually use any other fixture than Martin? There are some stunningly good fixtures out there that most people don't consider. You should check them out.

 

Owen

Read the last sentence of my post again ... :o

 

Yes, there are better fixtures than Macs. There are also worse. But Macs are what most rental companies carry, it's what there's most of available in hire stock in the UK, they tend to be the cheapest option for this very reason, so it's what people tend to use. I wish it wasn't the case, but it is.

[Ben]

I have use macs, vari lights and Coemar and find that each is good for different uses, however in my opinion the top of the range VLs out shine the top macs not sure about all the coemar but I have a chance to have a good play with them coming up so ill let you al knwo what I think of them too.

 

but I think people tend to use macs as they are what you can get hold of and know, as hire companys get more stock of other fixtures, hopefully people will experement more, I know I will

[nick]

Coukd someonr tell me vl's website please???

[Shaun Foster]

I think it's www.vari-lite.com but I'm not sure about an english site?

[Ben]

VLPS this is the english site, for Vari Light Production Services, or vari-light to most of us, a bunch of really nice people who are always happy to help

[timmath]

I agree with mac 500 they are bright enough!!

Mac 500's are as dim as a dim thing in a dark room! - it comes to somthing when as mac 250 set to the same bam angle is visibly brighter them a mac 500!

 

Without starting a flame war it's true... the 2000 series lamps have a lot more poke than there predecessors, maybe the mac 500 would have been great if I'd had a 700w lamp,

 

Reason for market domination? COST - what other mid range moving light can you take out for £60 per week?

 

Regards

 

Tim

[mac500]

Yeah the 2000 series are v.bright the 2000 wash is amazing! Im sure Martin are planning 2 realise a new 500 head. They've just released a new 250 the Mac 250 Krypton which looks like a Mini Mac 2000. It looks really cute hehe. It is also very fast over double the speed of the 250 now. So based on that im sure they're bound 2 release a new one.

[mark b]

All this talk of macs and no mention of the studio beam or studio spot (high end) only five quid a week more and alot quiter, quicker and in my opinion with better optics. Have not had a chance to play with the xspot or the new brighter version. off for a demo of catalyst on thurs that will be interesting.