In this modern day of pixilation, it’s become so commonplace for the new par fixtures to act like eye candy as opposed to emulating the look of a gelled par 64. While there is nothing particularly wrong with the look of an LED wash light with many cells on its face, some designers as well as artists prefer the look of the older pars and moving wash fixtures of yore. This is where Elation’s series of Fuze fixtures comes in. They have a lens system that turns this line of RGBW COB wash fixtures into one homogenous beam.
Examples are sometimes the best way to explain. I have had two touring artists complain to me about my use of blinking patterns in LED faced lights. One just wants the old-school look of Par 64’s with color changers and doesn’t care for “all the little eyes that look at me when I turn around.” The other said it more simply, “Whenever you start twinkling those LED lights in formations I feel like I’m sitting in a Tokyo storefront window. Can’t I just have one solid light beam?”
Of course you can; now that Elation has given us an option.
The Pars
So as I check out these fixtures and their parameters, I find a pleasant, soothing beam of light that rivals a par 64. Except it has instant color changing, can change beam size through a fast motorized zoom, and strobe like an arc light. The wide aperture of the front of the beam shows the entire lens evenly lit with one homogenous beam as opposed to 7or 19 individual 4-in-1 cells staring at me like a typical pancake fixture.
The Fuze Par Z60 IP is a small waterproof luminaire whose physical footprint takes up less than one square foot including its double yoke which enables it to stand alone. It weighs 10 pounds. The DMX input and output XLR connectors are IP rated, as are the powerCON True 1 AC connectors. It contains a single 60-watt RGBW COB light source.
The fixture is completely silent in operation including the zoom function, which goes from 7° to 39° quickly, or evenly over a time fade. The typical strobe functions from any LED fixture are available here. There are optional gel frames and barn door accessories.
The colors work fairly well and can achieve most saturated colors. A pure 6000K white light is emitted with just the white LED, but of course the all LED-on-white source throws out more lumens. With all RGBW channels at full, the fixture is throwing out 150 foot-candles at 15 feet — comparable to a par 46 tungsten fixture with a narrow 200-watt bulb. The output is flicker-free for camera use. This product is good for a small stage, showroom or house of worship install.
With the Fuze Par Z120 IP, Elation is giving the world the option of a larger par that emulates the brightness of a 575W par. It has a 120-watt COB engine and shines double the foot-candles of its smaller brother. It has the same reflector inside as well as a frosted lens to spread the beam. There is a glass lens on the outside of the fixture to aid in waterproofing.
This fixture does zoom wider — up to 55°. Both pars have the same premixed colors and a variety of macros. They can be controlled by DMX as well as talk RDM and have various dimmer curves one can assign. The outside of the pars is made from a die-cast power coated aluminum with marine grade clear coat to keep them IP-rated.
The Moving Yokes
The Fuze Wash Z120 basically turns the larger par fixture into a moving wash light. While the internal works are the same, these fixtures are not IP-rated. They have a plastic, slightly frosted exterior lens that helps keep the wide aperture (8 inches in diameter) of this lens lit. It adds to the homogenous beam effect by preventing the eye from seeing the light source centered in the interior housing.
The zoom effect is accomplished through the use of a micro lens system (that resembles a Fresnel), moving forwards right in front of the COB light source. The moving light fixtures will zoom out to about 53°. They also offer the user an optional snoot lens (top hat) that can be added to eliminate light spill.
Controlled by 19 DMX channels the lamp only draws 157 watts max. Standing 13 x 9 x 18 inches and weighing in at a mere 22 pounds, it is small enough to tuck in anywhere on a stage. Like all the other Fuze series of fixtures, the self-sensing power supplies can operate between 100 and 240 volts. These COB bulbs have a lifespan of 100,000 hours.
The Fuze Wash Z350 is the largest in the Fuze line. Realizing many designers will want a model that is brighter than a par and can compete with the bright beams in live events these days, they came up with this fixture. While it’s only about 25 percent larger in physical size, it is double the brightness of the Z120. At a 15-foot distance, the 350-watt light source is dishing out 1,000 foot candles in open white. At 44 pounds, it is double the weight of the Z120.
The movers are made from a combo of aluminum alloy and form fitted plastic composite parts. The edges are rounded, and one could easily walk a fixture around one-handed. They moved smoothly with 540° of pan and 270° of tilt reach. They have a quick response to effects commands and move quickly for a fixture of their size.
LED Efficiency, Classic Looks
The series includes Elation’s Fuze Par Z60 IP and Par Z120 IP, both of which are fixed and IP-rated, and Wash Z120 and Wash Z350, which are moving lights and not IP-rated. The pars, with an output that resembles the original parabolic designs with reflectors, promise to be useful for applications where new technology in an old-school fixture is desired, with an IP rating as a bonus. The Wash fixtures also feature one homogenous beam emitted from a relatively compact and efficient light fixture. These fixtures also offer users motorized zoom and color mixing, with barn doors and snoots also available. All bulbs offer COB RGBW LED type light sources.
SPECS
Fuze Par Z60-IP:
- Par 46 type brightness
- 60W
- 10 lbs.
- IP-rated
MSRP: $949.95
Fuze Par Z120-IP
- Brightness of a 575-watt par
- 120W
- 19 lbs.
- IP-rated
MSRP: $1,299.95
Fuze Wash Z120
- Same light source as Z120-IP
- 120W
- Moving yoke
- 22 lbs.
- Not for outdoor use
MSRP: $1,699.95
Fuze Wash Z350
- Output rivals an arc source wash light
- 350W
- Moving yoke
- 44 lbs.
- Not for outdoor use
MSRP: $2,699.95
More details at www.elationlighting.com
