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[James Douglas]

I am producing a small-scale (~100 guests) stage show with acoustic music and a one act play. The venue has some old mounted floodlights which I can use for general lighting, but I would like to get some kind of (affordable ~ < $100) portable spotlight which I can handle manually to focus light on subjects as needed. Ideally it wold be something which could mount to a sturdy video tripod that I have, but I'll take what I can get. Most of what I've seen on amazon and elsewhere is for dj/disco shows which is not what I want... I don't beed color, patterns of programmable actions. I just need good full-spectrum light (or close to it for reasonable $) that I can easily move around and aim manually without fixed rigging.

Sorry if I'm posting incomplete or redundant info. This is all pretty new to me so I'm just trying to get a handle on what my options are. I'll check back often to fill in missing info gaps, etc. as needed.

[David Allred]

I am producing a small-scale (~100 guests) stage show with acoustic music and a one act play. The venue has some old mounted floodlights which I can use for general lighting, but I would like to get some kind of (affordable ~ < $100) portable spotlight which I can handle manually to focus light on subjects as needed. Ideally it wold be something which could mount to a sturdy video tripod that I have, but I'll take what I can get. Most of what I've seen on amazon and elsewhere is for dj/disco shows which is not what I want... I don't beed color, patterns of programmable actions. I just need good full-spectrum light (or close to it for reasonable $) that I can easily move around and aim manually without fixed rigging.

Sorry if I'm posting incomplete or redundant info. This is all pretty new to me so I'm just trying to get a handle on what my options are. I'll check back often to fill in missing info gaps, etc. as needed.

At what distance and what diameter?

[James Douglas]

At what distance and what diameter?

Maybe... Distance ~ 25 ft / Diameter ~ 6 ft
But it doesn't really need to be a real, hard spotlight, just something that I can point to light a subject when the main lights are off. And without colored patterns or un-needed features like this:http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/IntSpot100IRC?adpos=1o1&creative=55686349801&device=c&matchtype=&network=g&gclid=Cj0KEQjwoYi4BRDF_PHHu6rI7NMBEiQAKZ-JuNpmrTsci9CZqhxu4mOzkgNV3GRxl_NcboGshfUsu8MaAuDo8P8HAQ.

[Don T. Williams]

Look for a used older leko, probably a 10 or 19 degree, and a heavy pair of gloves.  You won't find a new (or good used) follow spot with that budget.  A narrow lamped PAR can (you'll still need the gloves) could also work, although the light field will not be as smooth.  Used PAR's are very cheap because LED's are replacing many of them.

[Mark Cadwallader]

A used Altman "Comet" follow spot would be an option, too. You will want to be approximately 30 + degrees above the plane of the stage for the light. Too flat an angle (a) blinds the performer and (b) washes out features of the performer due to the head-on lighting. A used leko is going to need a dimmer to control the intensity of the light, since it does not have a dowser.  A snap (instant change) from 0 to 100% intensity looks really bad (almost always).  100% to 0 in a snap can be dramatic, but it is a one-trick pony.

[James Douglas]

Thanks for the replies! I don't see a rep button on here... (??)

[Rob Spence]

You might just be able to rent one.

If this is a one time event, no sense in buying. Even if you need it more, renting can tell you if you want to buy one.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

[Mark Cadwallader]

Regardless of what light source you use, a pink gel (even a no-color pink like Roscoe 33) will look better/be kinder to most light-skinned folks. Try R99 for darker skinned performers. Using "frost" gel can "soften" the light, too, which can be a more flattering look as well. Un-gelled white is not at all intimate.

[David Allred]

At 25' this little light has a 5ft spot.   It has a 12 deg beam angle, with a 6 deg alternate lens. $40 MAP.  There is also an RGB version for more money.  $100 MAP.  Chauvet also has a similar light.
Cheap Chinese versions are probably in the $20 - $30 range,  with color and DMX .

[David Allred]

At 25' this little light has a 5ft spot.   It has a 12 deg beam angle, with a 6 deg alternate lens. $40 MAP.  There is also an RGB version for more money.  $100 MAP.  Chauvet also has a similar light.
Cheap Chinese versions are probably in the $20 - $30 range,  with color and DMX .

Sorry.
http://www.adj.com/pinspot-led-ii

[James Douglas]

http://www.adj.com/pinspot-led-ii

Thanks David! That's exactly the kind of thing I've been looking at, that model (and similar ones) even have little gel inserts you can put on them (because I really like Mark Cadwallader's suggestion about the pink). It's just hard to commit when I can't see how much light it actually puts out. The big benefit to this kind of light is that at that price I can by more than one and combine it with other handy thing like this... http://www.amazon.com/Coidak-CO804-DMX512-Stage-Light/dp/B012IDO3VS
That's definitely a top contender though and will welcome any other finds like that with maybe just a bit more power.

@ Rob Spence --> good suggestion about renting, I hadn't actually though of that. I live pretty far from a real city though, so I'll probably avoid renting unless it turns out I needs something more high end. Beside, I'd like to have more shows in the future so it makes sense to invest at the right price.

[David Allred]

Regardless of what light source you use, a pink gel (even a no-color pink like Roscoe 33) will look better/be kinder to most light-skinned folks. Try R99 for darker skinned performers. Using "frost" gel can "soften" the light, too, which can be a more flattering look as well. Un-gelled white is not at all intimate.

No green lighting on albinos.  Edgar Winter specifies NO GREEN GELS.

[Len Zenith Jr]

It's just hard to commit when I can't see how much light it actually puts out.

Less than an LED pocket flashlight. That pinspot II is designed to highlight a cake or a floral arrangement at a wedding.

[James Douglas]

Less than an LED pocket flashlight. That pinspot II is designed to highlight a cake or a floral arrangement at a wedding.

Thanks for the insight, do you know of any alternatives that put out more light for maybe x2 or x3 the cost but not x10?

[Scott Hofmann]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/American-DJ-FS1000-Follow-Spot-Light-For-Parts-or-Repair-/201546918752?hash=item2eed21eb60:g:3rAAAOSwAuNW8YIx

[David Allred]

Less than an LED pocket flashlight. That pinspot II is designed to highlight a cake or a floral arrangement at a wedding.

I have a Chinese version of the RGBW model.  10w LED (but I suppose it could be a sum of the 4)
However, based on your described need, and at the distance you stated it would be bright enough.  Assuming that they are in a dark or poorly lit area. 

[James Douglas]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/American-DJ-FS1000-Follow-Spot-Light-For-Parts-or-Repair-/201546918752?hash=item2eed21eb60:g:3rAAAOSwAuNW8YIx

From the description for that item: "Fan comes on but the light does not come on. " -- so yeah if I get hot it could be useful. Just kidding, I won't have time (not to mention knowledge) to get it working in time. I have been lookign at thos and they're reasonably priced, but probably way overpowering for my little venue.

@ David A. -- do you have a link to that higher-wattage portable light you have? I think I may go for that plus a couple of those portable LED Par's I saw in the $50 range.

[Mark Cadwallader]

James, please note that if you use gels for color, you lose some (or a lot) of usable light on stage. The more saturated the color, the lower the amount of light is transmitted. Roscoe and Lee (and probably GAM, too) publish those specs.  You should keep that in mind when thinking about the actual luminous intensity reaching the stage.  If you are using an LED source, you might not (probably won't) have all of the different emitters at full in order to get the right color on stage.

I'd rather have more lumens available than "just enough" neccessary to do the job, but YMMV.

[David Allred]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/161993445450?_trksid=p2060353.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT
This is the one I got.  You can get cheaper, direct from China, but shipping time is considerably longer.  FYI, the bracket is made improperly (too wide) and one of the threaded insert on the housing is not deep enough to allow the adjuster to tighten.  The seller sent some plastic washers to fill the space when I told them of these problems.  You should request them up front.
 

[James Douglas]

Thanks very much to everyone for their helpful insights. I think I know what to get now. This thread can be closed now if needed, or continue for others, etc. Thanks again.

[David Allred]

Thanks very much to everyone for their helpful insights. I think I know what to get now. This thread can be closed now if needed, or continue for others, etc. Thanks again.

It will be a benefit to others if you report your success or failure when you reach that conclusion.

[James Douglas]

It will be a benefit to others if you report your success or failure when you reach that conclusion.

x 2 of: http://www.amazon.com/Coidak-CO804-DMX512-Stage-Light/dp/B012IDO3VS?ie=UTF8&psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00

x 1 of: http://www.amazon.com/DMX-512-Pinspot-Lighting-Sound-activated-Machine/dp/B00X3JWIA0?ie=UTF8&psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00

[James Douglas]

x 2 of: http://www.amazon.com/Coidak-CO804-DMX512-Stage-Light/dp/B012IDO3VS?ie=UTF8&psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00

x 1 of: http://www.amazon.com/DMX-512-Pinspot-Lighting-Sound-activated-Machine/dp/B00X3JWIA0?ie=UTF8&psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00

The three lights weren't lighting the stage quite as brightly as I'd hoped but you could see it ok and for the price I'm not sure I could have done much better. Unfortunately we ran out of extension cords with all the other equipment so I could not move the spotlight forward very far and the light got pretty diffused by the time it reached the stage.The par lights worked quite well but I needed more of them and I really wish I had a way to dim them with a switch or a knob from one master control. It's ok though, we all had a ton of fun and now I have a good little setup to add on to over the years as I do more shows in the future (hopefully).

[ProSoundWeb Community]