We had the chance to test two products from Cameo Light, an Adam Hall brand, the FLAT PAR 18 and FLAT PAR 18 IP65.
The tests were carried out almost exclusively empirically with analysis of the functions of the product with regards to aesthetics, luminosity, colour management, dimmer and visual test.
FLAT PAR 18 at a glance:
The pars are both compact (28x28x13 cm for the base model and 28x28x16 cm for the IP65 model) model and therefore ideal in situations with reduced space, and weighing about 7.5 kg, which may not seem so practical but which, in any case, gives an idea of reliability, solidity and strength, also thanks to the case entirely in metal. Instead of a double bracket, the par has a single bracket with a wide base that enables the projector to be stationary without unbalancing during tilting. The tightening devices of the tilt are reliable and precise with a good level of tightening.
The flat back panel is well organized, with a central retro-illuminated, easy to read display, and quite precise selection buttons, four 3 and 5 pole in/out DMX at the bottom, and Neutrik PowerCon in and out on both sides of the display. The best position for these last results is hanging, while at ground level the results are a little less good. It would be useful to have all cabling at the bottom of the projector, as for the IP65 model, where the 5 pole In/Out DMX allows for cleaner and tidier cabling. Flat Par 18 IP65 has particular cabling with sealed screws, both for power and for the DMX, thus guaranteeing functions also in critical weather conditions.
Test:
When switched on we immediately noticed the very low noise level, thanks to the passive cooling system and therefore the total lack of fans, which therefore makes the fixture also suitable for use in theatres and other applications where minimum noise level is essential. With regards to luminosity, the two products are very similar, and the very small difference is probably due to the protective glass cover of the IP65.
Both have 10 watt 18 LED 5-in-1 RGBWA with projection angle of 30°, able to produce about 28,000 lux and 25,000 lux @ 1m respectively, respecting the indications in the technical sheet. Total power consumption is about 200W and we could see during recordings that there is almost no flicking, thanks to repeating frequency of 3000 Hz, another fundamental aspect for its use in TV studios and theatres. Both devices can function as master/slave or as stand alone with pre-set programmes and sound-to- light function.
The two FLAT PAR models have 5 DMX modes:
2-channel with dimmer and macro colours
3-channel 1 with dimmer, strobe and macro colours
3-channel 2 with red, green and blue
5-channel with red, green, blue, white and amber
8-channel with dimmer, strobo, red, green, blue, white, amber and macro colours
With regards to tests on the colours, the two fixtures were connected to a light console able to emit DMX values as per LEE standards. The following photo shows the result of different combinations from the console, activating macro cold and hot light, using only white and activating all the colours R+G+B+W+A.
CTO – CTB test
The combination of the RGBWA colours enables, in any case, to achieve the colour or the conversion required with a minimum number of adjustments, compared to the percentage of colour suggested by standards.
Conclusions:
It is a fixture that could, thanks to its quality/price ratio, find its place in a medium/small market which is that of the majority of services in Italy. The LED RGBWA can also be used where higher precision in colour management is needed, while the dimmer curve has quite good response without problematic swings.
The metal shell and the particular protection system of the IP65 give the idea of long-term reliability and safety.
A last interesting comment regards the indications on the cover of the user book, where the “master-slave” and “stand alone mode” are shown in a really original way.
Info: www.adamhall.com
Info: www.cameolight.com
Walter Lutzu
ZioGiorgio Staff
