In these days of financial restraint and our ever-increasing concern for energy conservation, the development of LED theatrical lighting fixtures is a welcome development. LEDs have transformed lighting systems from small churches to large arena rock concerts. This technology is especially important for houses of worship where a lighting plot is usually hung, focused, and untouched for many months (if not years).
The advantages of LED technology are well known. Not only do LED fixtures consume less energy and last longer, the color changing capabilities of RGB (Red/Green/Blue) LEDs cut down on the number of lighting fixtures needed to light the space. Instead of multiple systems of lights needed to create color mixing, with RGB LEDs you only need one system of lights as you can change the color with the LEDs.
It seems that lighting manufacturers are releasing new LED fixtures every day. Although most of these new fixtures are uniquely designed for the LED sources, some of the designs are based on conventional theatrical fixtures with LEDs replacing incandescent or arc lamps. The new Elation Design LED Par Zoom uses the tried-and-true modern PAR fixture design with an exciting new feature-a motorized 10- to 60-degree zoom.
Looks Deceive, in a Good Way
The LED Par Zoom looks very much like an ETC Source Four Par. The size and shape of the housing is similar. It also uses a die-cast aluminum housing. However, upon closer inspection you will find that these two lights only share one common feature: the C-Clamp.
The LED Par Zoom uses 36 (10 red, 10 blue, and 16 green) three-watt LED lamps. These LEDs are truly state-of-the-art with a high lumen output, consistent color and a 50,000-hour lamp life.
The rear of the fixture has an LED display with switches to set the DMX channels to control the fixture. In addition, demo and test functions are accessible through this display. Many other features like strobe, color mixing, zoom, and other modes are also available. If you just need to turn the light on and off, manual mode allows you to use the light without a DMX controller.
The fixture is controlled by eight DMX channels; red intensity, green intensity, blue intensity, color macros, chase programs, shutter/strobe, dimming, and zoom. There are eight built-in chases with variable fade, speed, and strobe functions that can be accessed via DMX. There is also a sound-active mode with an internal microphone, which allows the fixture to respond to sound and music (a popular feature of Elation fixtures).
The front of the fixture features an accessory holder that will hold a gel frame, barn door, or egg-crate. The LEDs are mounted on a moveable barrel that is powered by a nearly silent motor. This barrel slides in and out about an inch, controlling the 10- to 60-degree zoom ratio.
And what a zoom it is! This feature allows you to change the beam/field spread remotely via your DMX controller. In a modern conventional Par fixture, to change the beam/field, you have to climb a ladder and manually change the lens on the fixture. The motorized zoom on the LED Par Zoom quickly changes the beam/field spread remotely from your controller-a very useful feature indeed.
Variable zooms usually force the manufacturer to make optical compromises. These compromises are found in certain zoom points where the field of light is not entirely smooth. However, Elation seems to have conquered this. I must admit that we were surprised with the consistency of the field during the entire zoom range. Even at 60 degrees the field is a beautifully even wash of soft light. Very impressive.
Dimming tests of the LEDs were even and flicker-free. Even at low intensities we were able to smoothly dim out the fixture. Unlike conventional incandescent Pars that suffer from amber-drift when lowering the intensity, dimming the Design LED Par Zoom does not change the color.
Although LED's have not yet reached the point of being as bright as conventional light sources, the LED Par Zoom's intensity is impressive. The fixture's intensity is much more comparable to a conventional Par when comparing saturated colors. This is mostly due to the different color mixing systems utilized in the two fixtures (additive vs. subtractive). Considering the LED Par Zoom consumes about 108 watts vs. 575 watts for a conventional Par, the intensity difference is a fair trade-off.
More Bright Spots
One of the great features of modern LED fixtures is the ability to fade from color to color via the RGB LEDs. We found the color range wide and quite useful for most theatrical applications. The color mixing created smooth shades of color throughout the whole field and zoom range of the light.
The strobe feature is quite useful for flash effects. It has variable speed and duration controls, along with random pulses that create fantastic lightning effects. The fixture can strobe in multiple colors as well.
The internal electronics and the thermal nature of LEDs require a small fan in the fixture. There are two fan speeds (the faster fan kicks in when the fixture uses all the LEDs to mix to white light). We found the cooling fan to be quiet and unobtrusive.
An issue inherent to RGB LED designs that has yet to be solved is multiple colored shadows. The placement of the RGB LED sources in the housing creates colored halos around the shadows created by the mixed white light. This can be smoothed somewhat by placing a light frost filter in the color holder of the fixture.
To Sum Up
So the big consideration is price vs. performance. The MAP price of the Elation Design LED Par Zoom is $899.99. If you purchased a conventional 575-watt Par plus an external color changer you would be close to that price. You would also be consuming 575 watts with a conventional Par vs. 108 watts for the LED Par Zoom. A conventional Par lamp life is around 2,000 hours, while LEDs have a lamp life of 50,000 hours. In addition, a conventional Par lamp requires an external dimmer to control the intensity, where the LED Par does not. Yes, conventional Pars are brighter, but for smaller houses of worship that added brightness might not be necessary.
So, if you are looking to replace your conventional lighting fixtures, now may be the time to consider LEDs. The Elation Design LED Par Zoom is an ideal solution for small- to medium-sized houses of worship. Along with achieving a technological upgrade of your lighting system, you will be doing your part in helping to conserve energy. Plus, think of how many times you had to climb a ladder to change a blown out lamp. Could those days finally be over?
