Color mixing vs. non, features, etc. – Torrent IP, ADJ Vizi RXOne, GAMMA Nano Beam / Eliminator Stealth Beam – Description: Moving head beam lights can be an interesting addition to your event. They’re also often the cheapest lights of a manufacturer’s range, why is it? In this video, we’ll show you that and help you choose the right beam light for your needs!
When it comes to beam fixtures there are a couple things in common across the board. The first being that they shoot a super defined beam of light through the air. The second is that they are often a little shorter on features in comparison to other types of fixtures. These couple commonalities positively affect a lower price when it comes to purchase time.
GAMMA Nano Beam
With these fantastically bright beams you get an RGBW LED. The big benefit there is that you can color mix with this unit. It has a 2-degree beam which allows it to shine quite far. Even if you have this beam outside without atmosphere you will find that it will still pick up really nicely through the air. The downside with this particular beam is that there are no gobos, no prisms, no zoom, or any other fancy “extra”. It is a great for the price, but basic beam.
More Conventional Beams
There are several different beams available that you will find to be more widely used. One being a 250 watt 11-R unit from GAMMA. There are a few different models depending on your exact specifications. It is a lamp-based beam which gives the benefit of a really bright beam. This beam is incredibly sharp with a hot spot in the center which ultimately is what makes it pop so well.
Lamp-based beams are fairly inexpensive in comparison to other fixtures out there. Depending on what you go with the lamps will range anywhere from 2000-6000 hours of use and typically are a couple hundred dollars to replace, so this is something to consider if you happen to be using this light a lot.
GAMMA Torrent
This fixture will have a very similar beam to the 250-watt lamp fixture, but you will find that it gives a little bit tighter of a beam with a 300 LED watt source. Both are great buys, but of course the LED will cost more. This evens out a bit because you will not need to replace the lamp as you would in the lamp-based fixture. The Torrent is also IP65 rated.
Color
You will find that both lights have color wheels with a number of colors to switch through and both have gobos. They both also have prisms which go well with the gobos. The prism really breaks up the light beam so that as it shoots across the air you get a really interesting look.
Another feature that this Dominar fixture has is frost. You can take the frost and point it towards the audience for a blinder look. It’s not really great for lighting signs or set pieces but in a pinch, it can get the job done.
One fixture, the Olympa, has a double prism that can be put in with the color to give 48 facets of prism to make things really pop.
What to Look For
First and foremost, if you head over to learnstagelighting.com and let us know what you are looking for, we can recommend some great products that will suit your specific needs perfectly. These fixtures are all fantastic buys and determining which is best for you just depends on your personal needs and preference.
One thing to note when you are looking at beam lights is that you are going to get more fan noise than you would a spot or wash light. Beams get really hot and so need the extra power in the fan to keep things running smoothly. Both units mentioned above have variable speed fans so if you aren’t using them, they will quiet down to a minimum.
