When you think about how much time a gaffer or cinematographer takes to set up lights and adjust them for the right look of the scene, having the ability to readjust the color and temperature of the lights remotely via smartphone is now a must for any content creator. The ETC fos/4 fixtures, along with the new line of Source Four Series 3 lights, not only eliminate that wasted time, but solve the complicated problem of fixing it in post, by giving you tools directly on set.
Source Four LED Series 3
If you've never heard of ETC, you're in for a treat. They've been around since the 1950s, and their Source Four fixtures are absolutely iconic. If you've worked or been in a studio or amphitheater, you most have likely seen a Source Four light among the rigging. The company has introduced Source Four LED Series 3, which combines the profile and light quality of Source Four with the in-demand features of fos/4 fixtures like wireless control, effects, an intuitive user interface, and more.
The Source Four LED Series 3 is available in a Lustr X8 array or Daylight HDR array. The Lustr X8 is going to provide 10,889 max lumens while the Daylight HDR version offers 14,214 lumens. You can also increase the brightness of either version with XDLT lens tubes.
But what stands out about the Source Four is their deep red. The full-color Lustr X8 array includes a mix of green, lime, blue, indigo, cyan, amber, red, and deep red LEDs. The deep red captures the subtle colors at the far edge of the visual spectrum to enhance skin tone, sunsets, and firelight with vivid detail. The Daylight HDR array includes the same deep red while offering the best white light.
As we've grown to expect from modern light fixtures, Source Four LED Series 3 supports wireless control through DMX/RDM via City Theatrical’s Multiverse and contactless programming and control using NFS and their free ETC's Set Light app, which is available for Android or Apple devices.
The fixtures themselves are compact and lightweight, making them easy to rig. Better yet, they have a voltage range of 100-240V.
You can find more about Source Four Series 3 here.
fos/4 Panels
Credit: ETC
Designed for filmmakers and creators, the fos/4 panels carry over features of the Source Four LED Series 3 and add 12 pre-programmed effects in a compact design.
There are three panels to choose from: an 8x24", a 16x24", and a 24x24" version. All three are available in the Lustr X8 or Daylight HDR array. ETC’s dedicated R&D department has managed to provide a high level of lumens through precise color control, via remote, for nuanced colors no matter the production location. The wireless control uses near field communications (NFC) to manage the fixtures' complex information and setup data using an intuitive interface and their Set Light mobile app.
By harnessing the NFC band, productions don’t have to deal with overcrowded WiFi or cellular bandwidth and are not limited by the range of Bluetooth. Like the Source Four Series, the fos/4 panels support wireless DMX/RDM control. This not only gives a lighting director plenty of bandwidth for the most complex of lighting designs, but the built-in quiver of twelve different lighting effects means a scene can have everything from a multi-alarm first response to a compelling fireworks display.
fos/4 Fresnel
Credit: ETC
You can find out more about ETC fixtures over on their website.
Have you used ETC lights in the past? Let the community know what you think of them in the comments below.
