Long Live the VL5!
If you are unfamiliar, the Vari-Lite VL5 Wash was a pivotal fixture in the history of automated lighting. It was compact: 25 lbs. and could be hung on 18” centers. It moved well, a bit slower compared to today’s fixtures, but always went back to its focus positions—which was not always guaranteed in the fixtures of the early 1990s. It used dichroic filter flags for color mixing.
It did not have automated zoom, but because its developmental origins were clearly “moving, color-changing PAR can” it had interchangeable front lenses that shaped its beam from Clear (VNSP) to 12-Row (WFL). It also had a variable diffuser. It was convection cooled so it was very quiet, making it usable in theatrical applications.
The OG VL5 had a 1,000-1,200W incandescent source, and was just a lovely, warm, simple wash light. The radial configuration of dichroic flags inside the fixture made it one of the most iconic pieces of “eye candy” in lighting.
Which brings me to another great feature of the VL5. In 1995-96 I had a short stint in the Vari-Lite New York office. We were in the Port Authority building in Chelsea, which is now known for its largest tenant Google. One of the quirks of the building at the time was the heat was often inadequate to combat the cold of NYC winters. Enter the VL5.
We would run a VL5 or two into everyone’s office, turn it on and point it at the floor. Its cooling design vented all of its heat to the butt end of the fixtures and when placed near (or under) a desk made it one of the most effective space heaters ever invented. This technique was also used in cold venues and outdoor FOH positions. Vari-Lite innovated on many levels!
The simplicity, size, and effectiveness of the VL5 made it a workhorse of lighting and its distinct look can be spotted in concert footage, television shows and feature films. I can say unabashedly that I adored the VL5 and miss seeing it.
The Zombie VL5
I watched the Oscars this spring and marveled at how good the VL5-like fixtures on the balcony rail positions were on camera. I read an article about the show and looked at the lighting plot (thanks Full Flood for sharing!). Those lights were PRG 5L Wash fixtures, so I was delighted when I was told one was being sent to me to evaluate for this article.
Shortly after, I received a call from Chris Conti, Chief Innovation Officer at PRG, who I met way back in those VLNY days in the 90’s. He wanted to “manage my expectations” about the fixture. “It is a VL5,” he said. “(We) retrofitted our VL5 fixtures with LED engines.” I suppressed my excitement. Conti continued, “It still just does the things the VL5 did. You know it doesn’t zoom.” He could not kill my giddiness. I was going to be reunited with a long-lost love from several decades ago! Or at least a reanimated version of it.
With my expectations appropriately managed I received my PRG 5L Wash. Opening the case instantly reminded me of one of my other favorite features of the VL5 and now 5L Wash. It was virtually indestructible.
Back in those heady days of the late 1900’s I watched a VL5 fall over 20’ from a truss to the deck. I also watched one get partially run over by a forklift. In both cases the glass lens popped out and shattered. The metal shell dented and I’m sure one or both side flaps dislodged. In both instances the lens was replaced, the appropriate covers were reattached and when tested the fixture calibrated and worked with no additional repair. The one that fell also needed a lamp change.
I literally laughed out loud when I opened the flight case and revealed a dented, paint scraped, janky looking, zombified VL5.
Not “New” but Improved
The PRG 5L Wash is heavier than the original recipe at 40 lbs., but still easily manageable to lift. It has almost the same physical footprint as its predecessor, except for a bit of extra space on its backside for the LED retrofit. The 18” spacing is now 20” so they are still compact.
Gone are the days of the Series 300 Smart Repeaters. (If you are unfamiliar go look them up). The 5L has an upper enclosure with DMX and powerCON True1 input and pass thru. It also has a simple screen menu for addressing and configuration options. Which can also be set with RDM. There is only one control mode (23 channels).
The incandescent source and dichroic color mixing have been replaced by a 340W RGBW LED engine. This, of course, provides much brighter output, particularly in saturated colors. The red and especially the green are punchy. It emulates a wide range of color temperatures including that warm fuzzy 3,200K of the VL5. Note that the built in CTO options in the fixture’s “virtual color wheel” are OK, however mixing warm white with the 16-bit color mixing was more successful to me.
Dimming is smooth with a nice curve at its low end. Which is critical for a fixture that is often at its best at a glow pointed straight at a camera.
Returning to expectation management, please note that the 5L Wash compares favorably to other short and medium throw contemporary LED fixtures. It is not a high output long throw fixture, (the VL5 wasn’t either).
The other by-product of LED conversion is speed of color mixing, the dichroic mixing (while innovative for its time) was slow by today’s standards. This is not a problem for the 5L as it responds instantly as an LED source should. The new source also allowed the addition of electronic strobe functions, with the standard unison, random, and pulse options built in.
Variable diffusion/frost is unchanged from the original VL5 and softens the beam but does not expand it. There is an additional function called “Blender” which homogenizes the LED source. With the blender out the pixels of the LED engine are exposed visually. This makes a different shape of eye candy, but as there is no individual pixel control in the fixture, I did not personally find it appealing.
Reunited…
The PRG 5L Wash is not going to elicit such warm fuzzy memories from everyone. Nostalgia aside it has its limitations.
The old VL5 lens options are still the primary beam shaping mechanism. There are seven options from the tight clear to the wide Buxom lens. It’s a throwback to have to think about lens options when we are used to automated zooms, but whether this is barely an inconvenience, or a deal-breaker will depend on your individual needs.
It is still silent at rest, but (much like me 30 years later) creaky when it moves. You can absolutely see the mechanics of the retrofit. The upper enclosure has a mounting plate that makes it a bit difficult to get to the True1 connector releases.
Thanks to the LED engine it no longer makes a good space heater. You can also see history in the fixture, the dents and scratches, decades of gig life. The stories these fixtures could tell would keep us all entertained at the hotel bar.
Many of our modern LED wash fixtures can look like big buckets of colored pixels. It is great to see this familiar classic façade as an alternative. The PRG 5L Wash still looks like a VL5, particularly on camera. With appropriately managed expectations, it is still iconic and beautiful.
At a Glance:
Eye Candy
The PRG 5L Wash is the LED successor to the ever-popular Vari-Lite VL5 of yore. It has a classic look and still is a great on-camera eye candy fixture for television, events, and more, just now with an RGBW LED engine.
PROS
- It’s a VL5!
- Range of colors, soft wash and iconic eye candy
CONS
- It’s a VL5!
- Limited feature set
- Retrofitted 30 year old fixtures
- Interchangeable lens
STATS
- Light Source: 340W RGBW LED Engine, 5,600°K
- Output: 6,000+ lumens, 80+ CRI
- Lens Options: Clear, Stipple, 8-Row, 10-Row, 12-Row Lenticular, Buxom
- Pan & Tilt: Digital servo system with a 0.3° resolution
- Range: Pan – 365°, Tilt – 270°
- Input Range: 95-264V 50/60Hz
- Power Draw: 3.5A at 120V, 2A at 208V; Max. 4 fixtures linked at 120V, 7 at 208V
- Color: Independent RGBW color control
- CTO: Digital color temperature adjustment 3,200K-7,000K
- Beam Diffusion: Textured diffusion panels intercept the beam providing a continuous, time variable diffusion range for each of the available lenses.
- Strobe: Lightning-fast electronic strobe with pulse and random effects.
- Dimming: Electronic dimming for full-field dimming from 0% to 100% with smooth control and no CRI shift.
- Control: Compatible with DMX512-A, RDM; 23 DMX Channels
- On-Board Control: Built-in display allows for on-board fixture control and feedback. On-board battery power allows for the fixture address and configurations to be set without having to apply AC power to the luminaire.
- Connectors: Neutrik® powerCON® TRUE1 In/Thru. XLR5 In/Thru.
- Operating Temp: 14° to 120°F (-10° to 49°C)
- Static Noise: Virtually Silent
- Weight: 40 lbs. w/ slim claws/bracket
MANUFACTURER: PRG
MORE INFO: www.prg.com/technology/innovation/5l-wash
