FlashPointTech Posted August 23, 2014 Share Posted August 23, 2014 Hi There, Kind of an odd question, but what is the beam intensity of a Clay paky Sharpy like in a small venue with no smoke in the air. Think that explains it... Thanks in advance, Tim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonathanhill Posted August 23, 2014 Share Posted August 23, 2014 Very bright. You will need to be very careful with where you point the light when it is struck, as they do have a nasty habit of making things go on fire at short throws. IMO these sorts of lights are suitable for larger stages only, and mainly for telly as camera candy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
top-cat Posted August 23, 2014 Share Posted August 23, 2014 Contrary to popular belief, there is no real 'habit' of Sharpy's setting fire to things. They are proper bright, no doubt. If left pointing at combustible material for a long time, you could potentially set fire to it. But for shining it around there is not really a fire risk. If you are a small venue, bear in mind some brands are producing beam lights with the smaller platinum lamps. Things like the Elation Beam 2R. Same effect, less intensity. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WiLL Posted August 23, 2014 Share Posted August 23, 2014 Unless you have a very specific effect in mind A sharpie will probably be FAR too intense for a small venue. Of course that depends what you term as 'small'. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shez Posted August 23, 2014 Share Posted August 23, 2014 Tim, I presume you're asking about the beam itself, rather than the dot at the end when it hits something? It rather depends on how much dust is in the air - in an old venue with lots of people jumping around, it'll be more visible than in a new concert hall with seated audience. Whilst it'll be a brighter beam than many other fixtures, I'd be inclined to not bother if haze isn't available - these fixtures are all about the beam and aren't really much point if you can't get a good solid look to it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
niclights Posted August 23, 2014 Share Posted August 23, 2014 Technically speaking if there is nothing in the air then it doesn't matter how powerful a light is, you won't see it. Of course in reality there are lots of particles and so the intensity and focus of a sharpy does help. Still, I'm with Shez. It may be a bit pointless. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FlashPointTech Posted August 23, 2014 Author Share Posted August 23, 2014 Thanks everyone for the replies! All very helpful, although unfortunately much what I was expecting. It rather depends on how much dust is in the air - in an old venue with lots of people jumping around, it'll be more visible than in a new concert hall with seated audience. I was kind of making the assumption of an average amount of dust. I'd be inclined to not bother if haze isn't available - these fixtures are all about the beam and aren't really much point if you can't get a good solid look to it. I had a feeling this might be the case, I got offered some for hire at a very cheap price and was wondering if it was worth it. I personally think the fixtures are very much one trick ponies but the price offered was very good indeed! Anyway thanks everyone! Tim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
top-cat Posted August 23, 2014 Share Posted August 23, 2014 I personally think the fixtures are very much one trick ponies but the price offered was very good indeed! Not quite a one trick pony. They make a nice wash when used with the frost in. Not very economic, the same money will get you an actual wash with variable beam angle and CMY mixing (the Sharpy+frost does neither). But if you have them already it's a very decent second use for them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonathanhill Posted August 23, 2014 Share Posted August 23, 2014 I personally think the fixtures are very much one trick ponies but the price offered was very good indeed! Not quite a one trick pony. Maybe, but it is just that (almost) everyone uses them for the same waggly beam effect. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
top-cat Posted August 23, 2014 Share Posted August 23, 2014 I personally think the fixtures are very much one trick ponies but the price offered was very good indeed! Not quite a one trick pony. Maybe, but it is just that (almost) everyone uses them for the same waggly beam effect. I'm not sure that's true. It's just the only effect they have where you KNOW it's a Sharpy not something else. I use mine with frost in far more often than out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RBPaul Posted September 9, 2014 Share Posted September 9, 2014 When the sharpy came out a few years ago everyone said they will only last a year before everyone gets bored, however every lighting designer used to use Macs with gobo's to try get a sharp beam and now the sharpy is around its possible and with only 1.5amps! Basically they are bright and have many looks due to a decent gobo range and brilliant Prism effect! I have used them plenty in a non-haze situation and they still work nicely due to dust and general crap in the air, of course haze makes them stand out 10 times more. Have you look at the Pointe? same idea but with CMY and the frost is 10 times better than the original sharpy, also they are lighter and smaller and about £10K for 4 in a case! although Clay Paky have become a lot more solid and are in my opinion a better manufacture than ROBE. Again we now have the super sharpy which is CMY mix, brighter and a few other things. Get a trial of one, most suppliers should bring one to let you try, we always ask to see kit before purchase. Good luck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grandMA_the_2nd Posted September 10, 2014 Share Posted September 10, 2014 Have you look at the Pointe? same idea but with CMY and the frost is 10 times better than the original sharpy, also they are lighter and smaller and about £10K for 4 in a case! Im not sure what fixture you have been looking at but the Pointe is certainly not CMY, its bigger than a shapry by a fair bit also.... but its a feckin great light... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
top-cat Posted September 10, 2014 Share Posted September 10, 2014 Not one to normally promote 'copies' but we have some of the Elation Platinum Beam 5Rs which for the money are really nice Sharpy-like products. Very bright (same lamp) and very tight beams... plus the same nice prism and frost effects mentioned before, and unlike a lot of cheaper beam lights, the colour filters are nice deep saturated colours that you would expect from the real deal. I haven't A/B'd them but my suspicion is there main fall-behind is the P/T not being so fast. I am still very impressed. And Elation have upgraded it to the 'Extreme' version now with a scheme of upgrades. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris.Morris Posted September 10, 2014 Share Posted September 10, 2014 Not one to normally promote 'copies' but we have some of the Elation Platinum Beam 5Rs which for the money are really nice Sharpy-like products. Very bright (same lamp) and very tight beams... plus the same nice prism and frost effects mentioned before, and unlike a lot of cheaper beam lights, the colour filters are nice deep saturated colours that you would expect from the real deal. ...and also out before the sharpy. It's more that the first thing manufacturers thought to do with that lamp with put it in a fast moving beam, rather than copying in this instance. I concur though. Useful fixtures. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
top-cat Posted September 10, 2014 Share Posted September 10, 2014 Not one to normally promote 'copies' but we have some of the Elation Platinum Beam 5Rs which for the money are really nice Sharpy-like products. Very bright (same lamp) and very tight beams... plus the same nice prism and frost effects mentioned before, and unlike a lot of cheaper beam lights, the colour filters are nice deep saturated colours that you would expect from the real deal. ...and also out before the sharpy. It's more that the first thing manufacturers thought to do with that lamp with put it in a fast moving beam, rather than copying in this instance. I concur though. Useful fixtures. I know the ADJ 5R fixture preceeds the Sharpy but I'm not sure it's true of the Elation? But I do get slightly funny about CP's crusade to stop copies... certainly they developed the concept a lot but the 5R-based moving head beam was not their idea. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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