I don't think I'm exaggerating when I say that the biggest premiere of the year is behind us. The long-awaited fixture which, in name, should take off from the stage the now-desired "Pointciak" . Give freshness to the boring riders, and awaken in the implementers their young ambitious versions, who will want to learn anew another device.
Will LedPointe replace our classic? Is it time to leave the stage unbeaten? Will I want to clone my 10-year-old show onto a new device, and will the notation "NO REPLACEMENTS" disappear in the rider? I will suggest to you the answer to these and other questions in the rudest comparison one should not make, but who will forbid me.
Seven days of watching a 23-second teaser to finally meet the honorable Mr., or Mrs., here. I don't know what kind of name this will be in Czech, but that's the least important thing. What is important is that we got a lamp that Robe should have released at least 3-4 years ago.
Exterior.
We fire up the pics and see the classic worm base and head translated from MegaPointe. What is striking is certainly the much larger lens than in the classic version. The LedPointe is equipped with a 155mm lens, while its predecessor has about 120mm. Quite a difference.
The new brother in the vertical position will take us in height 92mm more than its predecessor. (575mm vs. 667mm) We will consider the width with a difference of 1mm the same (364mm vs. 363mm), while the depth with the head in the vertical position prevails in favor of the new fixture (250mm vs. 240mm).
The highlight, of course, the weight. Because it is essential that you can carry it up a 6m ladder, holding it with one hand, like its predecessor. Here, unfortunately, you'll have to bulk up a bit, because we have 6kg more - that's more than 30%. However, it seems to me that 21kg is still within reasonable limits. (Pointe - 15kg)
The waterproof class is the same as its predecessor, i.e. IP20 - although I'll admit frankly that I happened to spill a bucket of water from the classic and it kept working, I wonder if it will be the same here.
Light source and overall power
The segment that is probably affected by the biggest changes. Even in the name we have that LED... You'll be able to slowly get rid of your old worn out HRI 280W and no more dimming (hehe) that fresh bulbs put in ladies!
LedPointe has a 280W white LED engine that is patented, so I'll quote its full name. The TE™ 280W XP White LED Engine is a replaceable LED module that generates 19,300lm (Pointe 9,870lm). In theory, this is twice as much as the Pointe. I say in theory because something isn't quite right with the specifications here, but I won't cause confusion until the photometric data is available.
I will make an edit to this paragraph as Roba decides to add full documentation to their site. Hopefully they will do it more efficiently than the LedPointe release. (But spiteful I am some today...).
LedPointe is equipped with the L3™ system, which is said to provide super extra smooth dimming in 18-bit, and Cpulse™. This is a frequency management system prepared for HD and UHD cameras, and is said to be ready for 8K and 16K.
Colors, colors.
Let's start with a comparison of C1, the standard color dial. The color order is identical to that of the CW 13+1 TV dial - that is, we have a few differences from the classic one. For fans of using a color dial - like me, the TV one may not suit, but we are compensated by the CMY mixing.
The only question that arises is how much power we will lose to CMY. It is no secret that the loss of output with this color mixing mode for saturated standard colors like blue or red is drastic. Personally, the dream system for me would consist of a classic dial with Pointe (or interchangeable, whoever, what you need) + CMY.
For TV geeks, LedPointe is equipped with ChromaTint™ correction capability, another patented engine - green correction. In addition, you'll also find a virtual CTO dial in the 3000K - 6700K range and a virtual color dial for the LEE palette.
Comparison of gobo dials.
Two dials are available, and here our habits can be given a little breathing room, although not entirely. On the static dial we find this time 5 irises for beam reduction, not like 4 in the standard Pointe. As for the other gobos, all we have left from the classic are the characteristic dashes, and on the rest we get 5 brand new gobos.
As a die-hard fan of "DOTS" I regret their removal from the static shield, but the new proposals look quite interesting. Fortunately, on the second shield (rotating, interchangeable) you will find the iconic "DOTS", but the rest is a set of new gobos.
I definitely already miss Triangles and Bubbles, but to the brave the world belongs.
Prisms
The effect from the 6-arm linear prism with the iris 20 gobo on could not be fooled by anything. Although I personally am bored with these fans. However, for some, this is the most important feature on this device.
To their delight, LedPointe was equipped with classic prisms, namely a 6-arm linear and an 8-arm circular. In addition, we also get an 18-arm circular and the mysterious Spektra Beam.
All nice but a little in the control pore. If you think you will clone yourself just like that and it will work then no. For control we get two prism wheels with separate rotation channels (Total 4 attributes). I'll repost the formula from Prolight's website because why write something that is 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 - the two prisms can be superimposed on each other using MLP™ technology. What this means is that you fasten both prisms together and can control the speed and directionality of rotation separately for each.
Let me return for a moment to the mysterious Spektra Beam, which is an advanced macro for effects created from several parameters*. When selected, it locks the zoom*, focus*, prisms*, gobos* parameters and generates various spins by itself. The perfect item for Sunday lazies. Until I see what they've put in there I'll call it a "useless" option, I distastefully associate it with sound active... (hehe)
Optics
LedPointe on paper behaves better than a regular Pointe. The zoom range for the device is 1.8°-44°, when the 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 features two Frost filters (on one disc). Classic as for the new devices. A soft one as standard, which will blur our edges at 5°, and a hard one at 1°, which will shade our beam tip.
Quick!
The range of motion in the new device is identical to the classic Pointe (Pan 540°, Tilt 270°). The novelty when it comes to movement is definitely the continuous rotation control in the panorama, I don't know if it is needed, but it is there.
In addition, the EMS™ system, which in theory is supposed to stabilize movement. For example, in a situation where the grille will move slightly. - If it doesn't break down, I think it's a cool novelty. About the speed I will comment when I see. Let me leave this paragraph open....
Summary
I purposely omit the issues of art.-nets, super wireless, communication systems of the device because this can be read dryly in the specifications, and anyway, I rushed through the length of this text.
If I'm being honest, the device bit by bit tries to be everything. On the one hand, we get a compact that, let's say, continues to fit within the framework of our favorite. Functionally, we find options similar or even the same as in the original setting.
It has a lot of technology strictly for cameras, we also have a fairly wide range of effects for banquet walls, a cool macro for infinite harvest disco, a final substitute for Father... It is certainly a hybrid. However, will it replace Pointe? At least it will give an alternative?
The determining factors will be several. The price, the real speed of movement, the failure rate, the ease of operation of the basic service, or the actual quality of the beam in the thick of advanced technology. The only thing I would worry about is the issue of operating a simple service. Given the number of patented systems, home service will be impossible. It's unlikely we'll be taking it apart on our knees like a regular Pointe, replacing a broken prism belt with a "stocking", like a cambelt in a Polonez (my father told me :D).
Ultimately, until we touch it, the specification itself does not remove the "no substitutes" notation. After all, it was known from the beginning... So much for me!
More info here: https://prolight.com.pl/product/ledpointe.html
Manufacturer: RobeDistributor: Prolight Sp. z o.o.
