I guess I'm not exaggerating when I say that the biggest premiere of this year is behind us. A long-awaited setting that should take the worn-out "Pointciak" off the stage. Give freshness to boring riders, and awaken young, ambitious versions of them in the producers, who will want to learn another device anew.
Will LedPointe replace the classic? Is it time to leave the stage undefeated? Will I feel like cloning my 10-year-old show onto a new device and will the note "NO SUBSTITUTIONS" disappear from the rider? I will suggest you the answer to these and other questions in the most vulgar comparison, which should not be made, but who will stop me.
Seven days of watching a 23 second trailer to finally meet the esteemed Mr. or Mrs. I don't know what kind of name it will be in Czech, but that's the least important. What matters is that we got a lamp that Robe should have released at least 3-4 years ago.
From the outside.
We start the photos and we see a classic worm base and a head transferred from MegaPointe. What catches the eye is definitely a much larger lens than in the classic version. LedPointe is equipped with a 155mm lens, while its predecessor has about 120mm. Quite a big difference.
The new brother in a vertical position will take us 92mm more in height than its predecessor. (575mm vs 667mm) The width with a difference of 1mm will be considered the same (364mm vs 363mm), while the depth with the head in a vertical position outweighs the advantage of the new frame (250mm vs 240mm).
The highlight is of course the weight. Because it is important that it can be carried up a 6m ladder, holding it with one hand, like its predecessor. Here, unfortunately, you have to bulk up a bit, because we have 6kg more - that is over 30%. However, it seems to me that 21kg is still within the limits of reason. (Pointe - 15kg)
The tightness class is the same as in its predecessor, i.e. IP20 – although I must admit that I have poured a bucket of water out of the classic and it still worked, I wonder if it will be the same here.
Light source and overall power
The segment that probably has the biggest changes. Even in the name we have that LED… You will be able to slowly get rid of your old worn out HRI 280W and you will no longer have to dim (hehe), that fresh bulbs are in, Sir!
LedPointe has a patented 280W white LED engine, so I'll give you the full name. The TE™ 280W XP White LED Engine is a replaceable LED module that generates 19,300lm (Pointe 9,870lm). In theory, that's twice as much as the Pointe. I say in theory because I'm a bit confused about the specs here, but I won't confuse you until I have photometric data.
I'll edit this paragraph when Robe decides to add full documentation to their site. Let's hope they do it more efficiently than the LedPointe release. (I'm being mean today...)
LedPointe is equipped with L3™, which is supposed to provide super extra smooth 18-bit dimming and Cpulse™, a frequency management system prepared for HD and UHD cameras, supposedly ready for 8K and 16K.
Colors, colors.
Let's start by comparing C1, the standard color wheel. The color order is identical to the CW 13+1 TV wheel - so there are a few differences from the classic one. For fans of using a color wheel - like me, the TV one may not suit you, but the CMY mixing is supposed to compensate for this.
The only question is how much power we will lose on CMY. It is no secret that the loss of output in this color mixing mode for saturated standard colors like blue or red is drastic. Personally, my dream system would consist of a classic Pointe wheel (or a replaceable one, who needs what) + CMY.
For TV geeks, LedPointe is equipped with ChromaTint™ correction, another patented engine – green correction. Additionally, we find a virtual CTO wheel in the range of 3000K – 6700K and a virtual color wheel for the LEE palette.
Comparison of gobo wheels.
We have two discs available and here we can give our habits a little rest, although not completely. On the static disc we will find 5 irises for beam reduction this time, not like 4 in the standard Pointe. As for the remaining gobos, only characteristic lines remain from the classic, and on the rest we get 5 completely new gobos.
As a die-hard fan of the "Dots", I regret removing them from the static dial, but the new offerings look quite interesting. Fortunately, the second dial (rotating, interchangeable) features the iconic "DOTS", but the rest is a set of new gobos.
I definitely miss the Triangles and Bubbles already, but the world belongs to the brave.
Prisms
The effect of the 6-arm linear prism with the iris 20 gobo turned on could not be faked. Although I personally find these fans boring. However, for some it is the most important function in this device.
To their delight, the LedPointe has been equipped with classic prisms, namely a 6-arm linear and an 8-arm circular. Additionally, we also get an 18-arm circular and the mysterious Spektra Beam.
Everything is fine but the control is a bit messed up. If you think you'll just clone it and it'll work, don't. We get two prism wheels with separate rotation channels (4 attributes in total) to control it. I'll copy the formula from the Prolight website because why write something that's already written.
Koło pryzmatów 1 (ch: E + E<>): Niezależny 6-fasetowy liniowy pryzmat obracający się w obu kierunkach z różną prędkością oraz niezależny 18-fasetowy okrągły pryzmat obracający się w obu kierunkach z różną prędkością
Koło pryzmatów 2 (ch: E2 + E2 <>): efekt SpektraBeam obracający się w obu kierunkach z różną prędkością oraz niezależny 8-fasetowy okrągły pryzmat obracający się w obu kierunkach z różną prędkością
So they separated our romantic pair of classic prisms. As it turns out, for good reason – both prisms can be stacked on top of each other in MLP™ technology. This means that you clip both prisms and can control the speed and direction of rotation of each separately.
I'll go back to the mysterious Spektra Beam for a moment, an advanced macro for effects created from several parameters*. After selecting the option, it blocks the zoom*, focus*, prisms*, gobos* parameters and generates various spinners. An ideal option for Sunday lazy people. Until I see what they put there, I'll call it a "useless" option, it disgustingly reminds me of sound active... (hehe)
Optics
LedPointe on paper behaves better than regular Pointe. The zoom range for the device is 1.8°–44°, while regular Pointe has a range of 2.5°–10° in beam mode and 5°–20° in spot mode. That is, narrower and wider.
The new device also has two Frost filters (on one disc). Classic as for new devices. The standard is soft, which will blur the edges by 5°, and hard 1°, which will shade the end of the beam.
Quick!
The range of movement in the new device is identical to the classic Pointe (Pan 540°, Tilt 270°). A novelty in terms of movement is definitely the continuous control of rotation in the panorama, I don't know if it's needed, but it's there.
Additionally, the EMS™ system, which in theory is supposed to stabilize movement. For example, in a situation where the grate moves slightly. – if it doesn’t break down, I think it’s a cool novelty. I’ll comment on the speed when I see it. I’ll allow myself to leave this paragraph open…
Summary
I am deliberately omitting the issues of art.nets, super wireless, and device communication systems because they can be read dryly in the specification, and I have already sped up due to the length of this text.
To be honest, this device tries to be a bit of everything. On the one hand, we get a compact that, let's say, still fits within the framework of our favorite. Functionally, we will find options similar or even the same as in the original frame.
There is a lot of technology strictly for cameras, we also have a fairly wide range of effects for banquet walls, a nice macro for an endless harvest disco, finally a substitute for a father... It is definitely a hybrid. But will it replace Pointe? At least it will provide an alternative?
There will be several decisive factors. Price, real speed of movement, failure rate, ease of basic service, or the actual quality of the beam in the thicket of advanced technology. I would only worry about the issue of simple service. Considering the number of patented systems, home service will be impossible. We probably won't be taking it apart on our knees like an ordinary Pointe, replacing a broken prism belt with a "stocking", like a V-belt in a Polonez (my father told me :D).
Finally, until we touch the specification itself, I will not remove the "no substitutes" provision. After all, it was known from the beginning... That's all from me!
More info here: https://prolight.com.pl/product/ledpointe.html
Producer: RobeDistributor: Prolight Sp. z o. o.
