Which moonflower light?

[DJ Jules]

I've been looking at buying a pair of DMX moonflower lights - I've got fed up with all of these little dots on the dance floor so I hired a pair of Acme Puma's (250w Halogen) at the weekend and I've been pretty impressed with the effects that they produce. Unfortunately you can't buy them any more so I'm looking at either a pair of NJD Datamoons, a pair of Acme Falcons, a pair of iShow 4's, or if anyone else has any recommendations, possibly something else? Failing that I could probably get a second hand set of the Puma's.

My budget is about £200-£300, though as usual, the less spent the better!

My criteria are:

1. Brightness (I think I've ruled out 100w fixtures)
2. DMX controllable (though decent built in sound to light programs are essential)
3. Seperate Colour/Gobo wheels
4. Flight cases must be easily available

Julian

[OllieJames]

Seperate Colour/Gobo Wheels?

Well, the magic gobos meet your criteria bar the above. Although they're 100w they're very bright. Check out the gallery on my site, you can see them in action there.

[Dynamic Entertainment]

You like the Pumas, but want seperate Colour/gobo wheel. the pumas dont? :confused:


You can still buy the pumas. A friend bought a pair last week, from here (im sure it was): http://www.bluearan.co.uk/index.php?id=ACMPUMA02&browsemode=category

Also get the case, from here: http://www.djanddiscostuff.com/prodpage.asp?prodid=1806

I use the Pumas (got four, and they are fantastic for the price) :)

[DJ Jules]

Seperate Colour/Gobo Wheels?

Well, the magic gobos meet your criteria bar the above. Although they're 100w they're very bright. Check out the gallery on my site, you can see them in action there.

Yup, I've been looking at those as well - at £165 a pair or thereabouts they're nicely priced too. I've seen them up against the Puma's and I think I'm really after a brighter 250w fixture this time (and the extra features you get with the more expensive units are nice as well, like Gobo Shake or the Falcon's pinch).

I won't tell you what the guy in the shop said about the Magic Gobo's either ;) Strictly speaking I can't anyway - it went something like this: "They're :Censored: :Censored: :Censored: ". But then he would say that - I'm sure he'd prefer me to buy the more expensive fixtures ;)

Julian

[DJ Jules]

You like the Pumas, but want seperate Colour/gobo wheel. the pumas dont? :confused:


Oops - didn't realise that - ok, maybe it's not so important :)

Julian

[OllieJames]

Yup, I've been looking at those as well - at £165 a pair or thereabouts they're nicely priced too. I've seen them up against the Puma's and I think I'm really after a brighter 250w fixture this time (and the extra features you get with the more expensive units are nice as well, like Gobo Shake or the Falcon's pinch).

I won't tell you what the guy in the shop said about the Magic Gobo's either ;) Strictly speaking I can't anyway - it went something like this: "They're :Censored: :Censored: :Censored: ". But then he would say that - I'm sure he'd prefer me to buy the more expensive fixtures ;)

Julian

1) They do have gobo shake.
2) I've never found them to be ':Censored: :Censored: :Censored:'

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

I had a pair of Magic Gobos a few years ago and they are great little effects and very bright.

If you had the budget, then Twister 4HPs are good or even Datamoons.

[WWDJ]

Seperate Gobos / Colours?
- Acme Puma - Nope
- Acme Falcon - Nope

as you've already mentioned the Ishow4-HID has this, and if you can still get them Abstract XP5.

Interesting that you've moved away from coloured dots (LED I presume). I have done the same. I am just going to use LED for colour wash and UV going forward.

[DJ Jules]

1) They do have gobo shake.
2) I've never found them to be ':Censored: :Censored: :Censored:'

Yeah I thought he was a bit harsh myself, I thought they were plenty bright, but you really can see the difference between them and the 250w Puma's - mainly in that the Puma's cover a much wider area and are that little bit brighter. For the £40 or so each I'd prefer to spend a little bit extra and get the brighter/larger fixture at this point.

I'd better do a bit more research on the features :o

I haven't come across the Twisters yet - I'll do some more digging...

Julian

[Dynamic Entertainment]

Twister 4s are great lights. However ive had them side by side and (not just my opinion here but that of a friend who dies big installs) if you can stretch to them then great. If yyou cant, dont worry because the Pumas are right up their backside :D

[DJ Jules]

Seperate Gobos / Colours?
- Acme Puma - Nope
- Acme Falcon - Nope

Yeah, maybe scratch that one as a requirement ;)


as you've already mentioned the Ishow4-HID has this, and if you can still get them Abstract XP5.

More for the list...


Interesting that you've moved away from coloured dots (LED I presume).

Yup, LED - I've watched a lot of videos, seen a lot of photos and been to a lot of events where they've been used and I've just started finding them a bit... hard[/QUOTE]


I have done the same. I am just going to use LED for colour wash.

Ditto - I didn't see the attraction when I started up last year, but now I like the versatility of the LED wash panels, you can use them as chase/colour sequencers, fade them slowly between softer colours for slow dances and use them as strobes as well.

Julian

[Daryll]

It just so happens I have a pair of datamoons.

First the bad news:

I had to swipe the lamp as my falcon decided to blow its own , so one has no lamp:

The second one has a bent pin on the male dmx connector, I haven't tried to straighten it just in case it snaps off.
However I have two of the 5 pin to 3 pin converters . If using dmx , if the unit is the last effect , then no problems.
Good condition , apart from a few marks where the clamp bolts to

Approx 20 hours use for each one.

Open to offers :D


Daryll

[DJ Jules]

I had to swipe the lamp as my falcon decided to blow its own , so one has no lamp:

What do you reckon to the Falcon's?

PM sent...

Julian

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

This is an old lighting vid from a few years ago. The Twister 4HPs are the 2 effects twisting round (funnily enough!) on the floor infront of the rig.

YouTube - Lighting Video

[Need4Sound]

Datamoons are great value. I've used them since 1999.

The Chinese made ones aren't quite as good as the British built ones but still great value for ~£100 each.

I have a colleague using 2 x Pumas, not much in it compared to the Datamoons but outright brightness I think the Datamoon just edges it.

Richie D
Need4Sound