Skip to content

High End Systems SolaFrame 750

Share this Post:

Automated framing shutters on moving lights were once not as common as they are today. The most popular framing-shutter fixture in existence is probably the venerable ellipsoidal reflector spotlight, but motorized framing shutters remained a somewhat uncommon feature on automated lights for many years. A few reviews ago (PLSN, Sept. 2017, page 72), I looked at the SolaFrame Theatre from High End Systems, whose engineers have wholeheartedly embraced LED technology as the lighting source behind all their fixture lines. This time around, I’m looking at the newest member of the SolaFrame family, the SolaFrame 750, to see how its feature set stacks up in the world of framing shutter moving lights.

‡‡         The Light Source

The source for this light is a sealed 270W white engine from Appotronics, with an output color temperature of 7,000 Kelvin. A linear CTO flag in the color mixing module smoothly adjusts this down to 2,910 Kelvin. Dimming is extremely smooth, even down to the last few clicks before blackout. Like the other fixtures in this line, the SolaFrame 750 exhibits a very brief but still noticeable “fade” on zero-time dimmer channel blackouts, to emulate the look of a real mechanical dimmer. Conversely, the shutter channel snaps the output to black instantly. The shutter channel includes strobe functions, including synchronous and random functions.

The dimmer curve follows an ideal square law curve nearly perfectly, and the output field is very even and flat. I measured an initial output of 3,350 lux at five meters with the fixture at 50 percent zoom. After allowing the fixture to warm up and run for 20 minutes, this value dropped to 3,040 (±5 lux), an output de-rating of around 10 percent. A “studio” option in the menu system allows the user to reduce the speed of the fans for sound-sensitive applications, which throttles back the light’s output accordingly.

The LEDs on the module are further broken up into “sections,” which allows the user to create some interesting animation effects by switching different sections on and off, changing the apparent position of the light source within the optical train. This function has several macros the user can choose from, as well as varying speeds and a cross-fade function. Pan and tilts were smooth even in long moves, with pan taking 3 seconds for a full-distance move, and tilt taking 1.5 seconds. Ranges for pan and tilt are 540° and 265°, respectively.

‡‡         Colors and Gobos

The first module after the LED module is the color mix system. For easy servicing, the entire rear of the light with the LED engine comes off with the color mix system attached to it for cleaning and maintenance. The SolaFrame 750 uses a flag system, which like all systems of this sort has an optimal location for the focus elements to be in if you want an evenly-colored midair beam. The color-mix of the projected field was smooth and even, with no noticeable fringing or patterning. Red was the weakest mixed color, as is often the case for lights with blue-pumped phosphor-converted LEDs — there just isn’t much red energy in the spectrum to begin with. The yellow is a bit too green for my personal taste, but this is merely my preference and the shade can be adjusted to be warmer with the aforementioned variable CTO. A fixed color wheel with seven filters plus open helps to fill in the gaps left by the color mixing; a deeper red and Congo blue among the included slots. Filters are replaceable, attached to metal carriers held on the wheel with small clips. Acceptable half-colors are produced with this system, and all changes were not only snappy, but indexed smoothly as well.

This fixture has just one rotating and indexing gobo wheel with seven positions plus open. High End has gone with a mix of breakups and aerial patterns; all are black and white glass. The motors that rotate the gobos on this wheel are extremely fast; a zero-second gobo index move from one position to 180° rotated was nearly impossible to see. These are user-replaceable, and work on the familiar carriage system wherein the gobos ride in carriers that pull out and snap in for easy replacement. Rotation was smooth down to the slowest speeds, and the fixture also includes an effect that mimics an almost “8-bit” steppy motion, with the gobos stepping forward like the second hand on a clock at varying intervals. An animation wheel is also included. This has ripple-like lines extending from the center, which made good fire and water effects. Wheel insertion and removal from the beam was acceptably speedy. The fixture also features an iris for beam size reduction.

‡‡         Shutters, Prism and Frost

Next in line is the framing shutter system, with four blades like those of any ellipsoidal fixture. Each blade is able to completely cover the beam like a curtain, and can do so very quickly, fast enough to use an effect. This fixture has a short focal plane where effects in the optical train can be in focus; the framing shutter blades all sit in very slightly different focal planes, though this is not objectionable in most real-world scenarios. Positioning was precise and repeatable, and the entire module can rotate ±45° either direction, with a full-distance rotation taking 0.72 seconds.

The final effects before output are the prism and frost, which ride on two opposing armatures across the optical path. They are the same plane, perpendicular to the source; they cannot both be in the beam at the same time. The frost is a medium strength, which softens the edges of gobos slowly as it comes into the beam, and leaves little pattern definition once fully inserted. Finally, the three-facet prism can be indexed and rotated smoothly, or can move with the same “steppy” motion option that the rotating gobos have. Zoom adjusts smoothly from 6° to 50° in 0.4 seconds.

The fixture was well-behaved during resets, snapping to black before resetting, then moving into position before beginning to output again. A cold reset took 1:05 to final output look. Power input is via Neutrik PowerCON True1 ins and pass-throughs. Data in and pass-through is provided via 5-pin DMX XLR connectors, with EtherCON in and passive pass-throughs for Art-Net and sACN fixture control. The fixture weighs 28.6kg (63 pounds) and stands 66.5cm (26.2 inches) tall, with a base 42.3cm (16.7 inches) by 32cm (12.6 inches) wide with the built-in handles. Rigging is via two familiar Omega-style brackets on the base of the fixture.

 

At A Glance:

A Frame-Worthy Addition

The SolaFrame 750 joins a growing line of fixtures from High End Systems, and brings a solid feature set to compete. With an excellent quality of light and fast framing shutters as standout features, it also features a compact footprint and an effects set normally found on larger luminaires.

 

SolaFrame 750

 

PROS: Strong feature set, compact size

 

CONS: None

 

FEATURES

270W Appotronics White LED Light Source

Color Mixing with Variable CTO

Rotating/Indexing Color Wheel (7+ Open)

Animation Wheel

Rotating Gobo Wheel

Full Wipe Framing Shutters

Prism, Iris, Frost

 

STATS

Output: 11,300 lumens

Zoom Range: 6-50°

Dimensions: 16.7” x 12.6” x 26.2”

Weight: 63 lbs.

MSRP: $8,250

Manufacturer: High End Systems

More Info: www.highend.com