This month’s Buyer’s Guide looks at the various Blinder Lights. In the past, these lights were typically tungsten-based, many with the venerable DWE PAR36 lamp to blast the audience with warm, white light. If you wanted color, you’d need to have a large format color scroller. They drew a lot of power, were hot, and the lamps didn’t last long. The lights in this guide are all LED-based which allow white light along with many color options, some with tungsten emulation for that warm, white light if needed. Compare specs on these units and be sure to arrange a demonstration of the units you’re considering. Go to the manufacturer’s websites for more information.
ACME Lighting: Blinder Line 10 IP
- Light Source: 10 150W RGBAW LED
- Color Temperature: 2,500K to 8,000K
- Number of Cells: 10
- Beam Angle: Variable
- Motorized Pan/Tilt: N/A
- Pixel Mappable: Yes
- Total Power Consumption: 600W
- IP Rating: IP66
- Weight: 30 lbs.
- Dimensions (in): 43.5 x 7.9 x 11.2
- More Details: ACME’s patented Smart Glass Technology (frost). The beam angle is variable 23°, 31°, 54° (W); 24°, 32°, 54° (RGBA). Tungsten emulation in dimming. Interlocking connectors. Multi mounting options.
ADJ Lighting: Jolt Panel FXIP
- Light Source: RGB-CW SMD LEDs
- Color Temperature: 6,900K – 7,400K
- Number of Cells: 848
- Beam Angle: 73°
- Motorized Pan/Tilt: N/A
- Pixel Mappable: Yes
- Total Power Consumption: 214W
- IP Rating: IP65
- Weight: 13.67 lbs.
- Dimensions (in): 6 x 16.4 x 10.4
- More Details: Includes a removable frost filter
Blizzard: Nexys™ Flux
- Light Source: RGBW LED
- Color Temperature: 2,000K
- Number of Cells: 1
- Beam Angle: 120°
- Motorized Pan/Tilt: N/A
- Pixel Mappable: N/A
- Total Power Consumption: 83W, 1.1A, PF: 0.63
- IP Rating: IP20
- Weight: 5.6 lbs.
- Dimensions (in): 17.9 x 4.9 x 6.8
- More Details: Modular fixture with 2,000K WW strobe (80W) and 24 SMD 5050 RGB 0.5W LEDs (backlight). Features 4-button LCD menu, 5-pin DMX, and powerCON-TRUE1 compatible connections.
Cameo: OTOS® W12
- Light Source: RGBL LED
- Color Temperature: 1,800K-10,000K
- Number of Cells: 32
- Beam Angle: 4°
- Motorized Pan/Tilt: Y
- Pixel Mappable: Y
- Total Power Consumption: 1,400W
- IP Rating: IP65
- Weight: 68 lbs.
- Dimensions (in): 14.08 x 21.02 x 22.95
- More Details: Controllable FX LED effect ring; Multi-zoom enables three individually controllable zoom levels; Single pixel control; 32 50W LEDs / 96 SMD ring segments.
Chauvet Professional: STRIKE Array 4C
- Light Source: RGBA-WW LED
- Color Temperature: 2,800 – 6,500K
- Number of Cells: 4
- Beam Angle: 59.6°
- Motorized Pan/Tilt: N/A
- Pixel Mappable: Yes
- Total Power Consumption: 1,180W
- IP Rating: IP65
- Weight: 34.4 lbs.
- Dimensions (in): 19.7 x 16.70 x 6.45
- More Details: STRIKE Array 4C is an IP65 RGBA-WW LED blinder that delivers a full range of colors, high CRI white color temperature, and exceptional dimming performance in a tool-free interlocking design.
Claypaky – an ARRI Company: Tambora Flash
- Light Source: RGBWW + Cold White Strobe LEDs
- Color Temperature: 2,500K – 8,000K Blinder / 6,000K Strobes
- Number of Cells: 4 Blinders / 16 Strobes
- Beam Angle: 31° Blinders / 120° Strobes
- Motorized Pan/Tilt: N/A
- Pixel Mappable: Yes
- Total Power Consumption: 1,150W
- IP Rating: IP66
- Weight: 22.9 lbs.
- Dimensions (in): 19.56 x 7.08 x 9.60
- More Details: Compact, powerful, eminently configurable, and IP66 rated, Tambora Flash offers designers power and fully mappable control options with the option to hang and arrange the fixtures in a multitude of ways.
Elation: SŌL Blinder
- Light Source: RGBLAW LED
- Color Temperature: 1,800K-8,500K
- Number of Cells: 1-, 2-, or 4-Cells
- Beam Angle: 46°
- Motorized Pan/Tilt: N/A
- Pixel Mappable: Y
- Total Power Consumption: 285W (SŌL-I)
- IP Rating: IP65
- Weight: 5.5 lbs.
- Dimensions (in): 7.28 x 4.48 x 4.48
- More Details: Available in single-cell, 2- or 4-cell arrays. Multiple lens options and accessories available. Optional Bowens mount adaptor ring. Incorporates ColourTune technology.
elektraLite: Audience Blinder
- Light Source: WW or CW LED
- Color Temperature: 3,200K or 6,500K
- Number of Cells: 144 5W LEDs
- Beam Angle: 15°, 25°, 40°, or 60°
- Motorized Pan/Tilt: N/A
- Pixel Mappable: N/A
- Total Power Consumption: 950W
- IP Rating: IP20
- Weight: 27.2 lbs.
- Dimensions (in): 22 x 18 x 4
Martin by Harman: VDO Atomic Dot
- Light Source: CW or WW LEDs
- Color Temperature: 5,700K or 2,700K
- Number of Cells: 1
- Beam Angle: 11°
- Motorized Pan/Tilt: N/A
- Pixel Mappable: Y
- Total Power Consumption: 55W
- IP Rating: IP65
- Weight: 4.4 lbs.
- Dimensions (in): 6.9 x 9.5 x 5.7
- More Details: A high-power, white beam combined with a pixel-controllable RGB Aura backlight enables truly unique effects. The smart interlocking mechanics allow fixtures to be combined into battens, arrays or creative shapes.
MEGA Lite: Piccolo Blinder 120
- Light Source: WW LED
- Color Temperature: 3,073K
- Number of Cells: 1
- Beam Angle: 60°
- Motorized Pan/Tilt: N/A
- Pixel Mappable: N/A
- Total Power Consumption: 108W
- IP Rating: IP65
- Weight: 7.5 lbs.
- Dimensions (in): 7.6 X 4.7 X 9.5
- More Details: The Piccolo Blinder is a compact, 120W LED blinder with a 3,000K color temperature, IP65 rating for outdoor use, and can be easily positioned or grouped with a 7-unit frame.
Portman: EVO Element
- Light Source: haloLED + RGBW Glow LED
- Color Temperature: 1,600K – 3,200K; up to 6,000K
- Number of Cells: 3 + 3
- Beam Angle: 94°
- Motorized Pan/Tilt: N/A
- Pixel Mappable: Yes
- Total Power Consumption: 240W
- IP Rating: IP20
- Weight: 11.46 lbs.
- Dimensions (in): 34.09 x 8.07 x 7.44
- More Details: Offers a combination of tungsten-emulated main LED sources (Portman haloLED™) and RGBW glow. Six DMX modes, RDM, W-DMX option. Optional 4-way ECONN accessory for connection of multiple units.
ROXX: Cluster B2 FC
- Light Source: RGBA + WW LEDs
- Color Temperature: 2,900K-5,600K
- Number of Cells: 2
- Beam Angle: 50°
- Motorized Pan/Tilt: N/A
- Pixel Mappable: Y
- Total Power Consumption: 620W
- IP Rating: IP65
- Weight: 23.15 lbs.
- Dimensions (in): 15.75 x 7.87 x 7.52
- More Details: All Cluster products connect both horizontally and vertically, using the integrated toolless ROXX C-Lok system. 4-lite version also available.
SGM: Q-8
- Light Source: DualSource LED
- Color Temperature: 2,000K – 10,000K
- Number of Cells: 4 RGBW / 4 Strobe
- Beam Angle: 110°
- Motorized Pan/Tilt: N/A
- Pixel Mappable: N/A
- Total Power Consumption: 630W
- IP Rating: IP66
- Weight: 29.8 lbs.
- Dimensions (in): 20.5 x 12.6 x 6.5
- More Details: Q-8 has DualSource LED—RGBW LED for Wash / 7,000K LED for Dedicated Strobe. Included items: 2 Omega brackets with quarter-turn fasteners, IP66 power cable pigtail. Available Accessories Include: 4- and 8-way Barndoors, Diffusion Filters, and Vacuum Test Kit.
TMB: Solaris Flare XL36 Light Line Array
- Light Source: Osram OSTAR RGBW LED
- Color Temperature: Varies
- Number of Cells: 36
- Beam Angle: User Changeable 9°, 26°, 36°, or 50°
- Motorized Pan/Tilt: N/A
- Pixel Mappable: Yes
- Total Power Consumption: 1,200W
- IP Rating: IP65
- Weight: 33.2 lbs.
- Dimensions (in): 26.1 x 8.1 x 9.8
- More Details: Innovative support system for flying multiple Solaris Flare XLLED fixtures. Mix optics for close to far spread. Ideal audience lighting for festivals and stadiums, with fewer seat kills.
