In late 2012, Elation Lighting introduced a new fixture in their LED product line, the Rayzor Q7. It is a wash/beam moving head that produces a 7° beam angle.
Baby-Sized
Although I had read up on the Rayzor Q7’s attributes on Elations website, I was still unprepared at just how small this fixture actually turned out to be. When I first saw it after removing the unit from its shipping case, I was able to easily cradle it in the crook of my arm, just like holding a baby. It’s that compact and lightweight. My second reaction was that there is no way a fixture this small could pack the power and speed Elation promises.
Man, was I ever wrong. Engineered with a new high-speed, three-phase motor enhancement, its tilt and pan action speeds far exceeded my expectations. With a pan range of 630° in less than two seconds and tilt capabilities of 265°, the Rayzor can provide eye candy movement that parlays flicker-free background for camera shots or simply pumps up the mix in a club.
Like the ZFX Pro
Elation had previously nailed down great saturated colors and true whites with the 19 Osram Quad-Color RGBW LEDs featured in the Platinum Wash ZFX Pro. (See PLSN, July 2012, “Road Test,” page 34.) The Rayzor comes with seven of these 15W LEDs with a high output (HO) optical lens design. They can be isolated into three separate zones of two each, with the center LED as a fourth zone. Control of these individual zones allows for programmable chases, or for those without the time or inclination to program from scratch, the folks at Elation offer macros for chase effects, which also can benefit from the rapid movement and response of the fixture. Likewise, the strobes, which can do between one and 18 flashes a second, add to the roster of lightning-fast effects options.
Along with mobility and speed, I was impressed by the compact Rayzor’s brightness. At 26 feet, output is approximately 1,700 lux, more than adequate for typical TV studio lighting. When all seven LEDs are in use, the fixture works well in a full rig. The single LED in the middle produces a fairly hard edge when programmed by itself, creating an almost laser-like effect at slow strobe.
Shades of White
The Rayzor offers macros to mix six shades of white, ranging in color temperature from 2700°K to 8000°K, with no hint of that blue tint common to other LED no-color whites. Access to these preprogrammed color temperatures is available in all three modes; basic, standard, and extended. The modes use 15, 17 and 29 DMX channels respectively.
Small enough to fit inside a stick of 20-inch medium duty truss, the Rayzor would make a great toner. It would also work well illuminating silks wrapped around upright towers as set pieces, animating with movement rather than a static color change.
Speaking of color change, I found the color mixing and roll on this unit to be smooth, with no shadowing — fulfilling another promise made in the literature. Snapping colors in was seamless as well.
User-Friendly Menu
The Rayzor Q7 comes with onboard standalone programming capabilities via a multicolor LCD control menu, along with a microphone setting, for use with the fixture’s standalone Sound Active mode. You can also power up the LCD menu panel alone without having to turn the whole fixture on.
The LCD menu itself is very easy to navigate, and lets you edit macros, create scenes, and get a variety of feedback data, including head temperature, hours on cumulative run times and the status of each of the parameters of the current effect you are programming or running. This menu display can be flipped for easier reading, whether the fixture is hung or mounted upright.
The Rayzor comes with a power-con in and out pass thru connection, as well as 5-pin DMX pass thru. The variable AC power supply can run from 110V to 240V. The fixture’s single Omega bracket can be used with a single clamp for truss mounting (not included).
Additional accessories include a snoot lens cover and a separate diffusion filter, which fits over the face of the unit.
Elation Rayzor Q7
Pros: Small, Lightweight, Compact, LED zone control, RDMX
Cons: ?No wireless solution
Size: 9.25” x 5.5” x 12.5”
Weight: ?11 lbs.
LED Count: ?Seven 15W Osram RGBW Quad Color LEDs
Channel Count: 15, 17, 29
Power Draw: ?140W (maximum)
Cerifications: CE, ELT approved
Ports: 3pin & 5pin XLR in and out, RJ45
Price: $2,399.95
