Colour vs Brightness

[ghance]

Hi,

 

Have 5m x 3m outdoor stage with spoken word content at dusk, not full blackout. Single downstage lighting bar at 3m above deck top.

 

I have a choice of two LEDJ Spectra Par futures: 15Q8 PRO or 12HEX10 PRO.

 

Similar price. Same build quality. Similar beam angle. Same power consumption. True1 & 5-pin.

 

The difference:

 

12HEX10 is RGB + W + A + UV and 3200 lux at 2m

 

12Q8 is RGB + W and 6,450 lux at 2m

 

 

 

Appreciate lux numbers don't necessarily translate to perception.

 

Which one should I deploy & why?

 

 

Thanks in advance!

 

Best

 

Gareth

[Don Allen]

What are you controlling them with ?

 

If you want a white wash on stage, will your controller just use the W emitter, or will your controller use all of the colour emitters to make a "brighter" white. If White only, then you may be disappointed with the final result, as a 120W rated fixture will only give you 30W!

 

Using the Spectra PAR 15Q8 PRO as an example, W only is 30W, RGB+W is 120W. Note data sheet states 15 x 8W quad-colour LEDs (RGBW) so I am assuming each colour emitter is 2W !

 

Harder to do a comparison with Spectra Par 12HEX10 PRO as data sheet states 12 x 10W six-colour LEDs (RGBWAUV), so it is not likely to have a 2W W emitter and the power used for the UV emitter will not contribute significantly to a white wash.

 

So on paper the RGBW would appear to be brighter, much simpler to just get a side by side comparison, even use a cheap light meter. But make sure there is no other light source on when doing the comparison.

 

For spoken word I would choose the Spectra PAR 15Q8 PRO as Amber and UV are not needed at dusk. You may not see too much lighting from the LEDs at dusk, they will be more effective when it gets darker.

[timsabre]

Agree with Don. Also have some diffusion gel handy as you will struggle to cover the stage due to the relatively narrow beam angle at that distance.

[kgallen]

Subjective and possibly out of date, I’ve had big reliability issues with the LEDJ HEX LED products failing, but not so with the Quad emitters.

[Don Allen]

If you compare Lee Diffusion Gels I use Lee 228 Brushed Silk to push the beam outwards for a wider beam angle. You lose 40% of your intensity in the filter.

[timsabre]

Yeah with 3m bar height there isn't going to be a lack of intensity though. He does not say how many fixtures will be used but covering the stage evenly from that distance will be just about impossible. I often rig at head height on the front pillars of the roof and light sideways across the stage because at least you cover the full width and right to the front edge that way. Can't beat a few old fashioned fresnels for this sort of situation.

 

To get a nice white with RGBW, mix a warm yellow using R+G then add in white to taste. As Don said earlier some controllers will do this for you but on simpler controllers people just bang up all 4 sliders which usually ends up pinky.

 

Edited May 6, 2021 by timsabre