Led Follow Spot Lights
Follow spot lights are an essential tool for any theatre, dance or opera show. They provide an elevated lighting angle to highlight performers – and can help create magic for the audience.
Choosing the right followspot requires evaluating numerous specs. This article will help you understand what makes a good one.
Brightness
Follow spot lights are powerful stage spotlights that use a beam of light to follow actors as they move across the stage. They are often mounted on a tripod and can be adjusted to focus a spotlight in different directions. Some have built-in color gels that can change the color of the light. They are used in theatres, professional lighting productions, and other types of entertainment.
The LED Followspot 75ST is a portable followspot that emits a tight beam using a bright white LED. This unit is easy to set up and tear down, and it features a fast electronic strobe and silent operation. It also has a mechanical iris and shutters for manual framing. Its super smooth LED dimming makes professional fading a breeze, and it includes a CTO filter to lower the color temperature of the beam. It can be operated in either DMX or manual modes and is ideal for theatrical, professional, and athletic settings.
Dimming
There are a number of ways to dim followspots. The most common method is to use a ground control system such as the PRG Bad Boy and PRG Best Boy. These systems allow the operator to operate the spot from a safe position on the floor backstage. Alternatively, many larger followspots have built in mechanical dimming shutters, or Led Follow spot lights can be fitted with an external dimmer pack. For smaller followspots, most LD’s will provide a plot sheet with the exact location of each cue and the size of beam they require. The operators can then use this to fine tune their timings.
If the fixture has a transformer or balest built into it then it should not be hooked up to a dimmer as this will kill the lamp. However, if the fixture is a standard Altman Comet type then it’s possible to crack open the light and wire the fan into a separate lead that can be fed constant power from the dimmer switch, this way the spot can still be dimmed.
A much more advanced method is to use a corridor function on the dimmer switch which will send a digital signal over the power cable to the driver, allowing it to be set at any brightness that the driver can handle. This can be a very effective way to Led Driving Light Bar dim the spot, but it’s important to follow the instructions for your specific LED driver and LED fixture.
Color Temperature
The color temperature of a led follow spot light refers to the relative warmth or coolness of its white light. This feature is important for many applications, including architectural, industrial and retail spaces. For example, a restaurant or hotel will often use warm-colored LEDs to create an atmosphere of comfort and friendliness.
LEDs come in a variety of color temperatures, and each has its own benefits and uses. A low-color-temperature LED has a more reddish glow, while high-color-temperature LEDs have a bluer glow. This difference is mainly due to the spectral output of the LED.
The LED Followspot 120ST is a powerful and portable LED followspot that emits a tight beam to highlight actors at far distances. Its built-in CTO filter lowers color temperature to match tungsten lamps, and control options include DMX and manual modes. The unit offers smooth LED dimming and fast electronic strobe, and can be set up in seconds with the included tripod. It also has mechanical iris and focus controls for a precise spotlight beam, plus a single gobo slot. Adding a DMX connector to the unit lets you control the color, intensity, and onboard strobe from a central console, making it easy for your spotlight operator to stay focused on the action. This makes it easier to keep your spotlights on time, and pull off perfectly-timed transitions.
Distance
The followspot is one of the most important fixtures in any theater or church’s lighting arsenal. Its purpose is to highlight certain characters and actions by emitting a tight beam of light. Followspots were first used with limelight (the ‘lime’ in Abba’s ‘Super Trouper’ song), but today they are very technologically advanced and come with numerous features. They also can be automated, using DMX control to operate the panning, tilting, iris adjustment, and color changes. BulbAmerica’s selection of followspots includes a wide range of options and specifications.
If you are looking for a LED-powered followspot, look at the lumen specs rather than the wattage. Since followspots and other types of lighting system fixtures such as PAR cans, fresnels, and ellipsoidals use different bulb types, comparing the wattage of a single lamp isn’t useful. Look for center beam candle power (CBCP) or foot-candle (lm/ft2) specs instead to get the most accurate and helpful information possible.
If you’re interested in buying a LED-powered followspot, the COYO LIGHTING 75ST is an excellent option. It offers a powerful 120W white LED for a hardedged beam and is easy to set up and tear down with the included tripod. Its DMX and manual modes make controlling this fixture a breeze, while super smooth LED dimming simplifies professional fading. It also has a mechanical iris that allows for manual framing and focus, a single gobo slot, and fast electronic strobe.