Media Pro Group invests in Ayrton Cobra
- Details
Media Pro Group ordered a total of 226 compact Cobra laser-sourced fixtures which were used at sporting events, music festivals, award ceremonies and other events. Cobra is Ayrton’s first laser-sourced, IP65 rated fixture. It is designed for rendering a D65 white point that allows perfect colour reproduction, with an output of 386,000 lux at 20m, 38x zoom ratio and a zoom range of 0.6° to 23°. Cobra is capable of illuminating an object several kilometres away, it also has the famous Ayrton continuous pan and tilt, a highly innovative colour section and unrivalled graphics capability (including 92 gobos, four prisms and an extreme range of focus (XT-Focus) which permits the beam shape to be adjusted according to the operating distance.
Some of Cobra’s key features include, an optical design that creates laser-like beams which can be controlled and manipulated in a wide variety of ways; it has high output RGB laser modules that provide bright intense colours and sharp beams, making it ideal in large venues and at outdoor events. The zoom range enables lighting designers to create a variety of beam shapes, from sharp beams to soft washes; the built-in-effects generator allows for the creation of complex and dynamic effects.
Cobra fixtures can be controlled using DMX or Art-Net protocols making them easy to integrate into existing lighting systems and simplifying the set-up process. It is designed to be low maintenance with long-lasting laser modules and minimal upkeep required.
Head of Lighting division at Media Pro Group, Christopher Dawson, states: “We needed a fixture that had an IP rating and was weatherproof, that can be used during sandstorms, rainfall and diverse weather conditions. It also needed to be capable of long throw distances, with lots of gobo effects and everything else we would expect from a luminaire. We are familiar with Ayrton products and decided to trial Cobra to see if it met our expectations.
“Cobra was all the above and more. It combined the power of a sky tracking unit with all the extra features: gobos, colours, prisms. The fact that it was a laser source was very helpful because the power consumption is much lower than other sources. The fixture weight makes Cobra easy to use at events and is a definite advantage. We took time to familiarise ourselves with the new safety regulations concerning the laser source, trained the team on the new features and capabilities of Cobra, and once we were up to speed found it easy to install and maintain.”
Technical director for lighting, Semynov Dsouza (Sam) at Media Pro Group also mentions: “We were extremely happy with the performance of the Ayrton Cobras - for all the days that it was flown on the structures we never once had to replace any fixtures, and that makes us extremely satisfied. We were very impressed with the beam production and quality - the Cobras added a perfect look to all the scenes they were used in. The IP65 rating is a bonus, we look forward to using it in our future productions.”
Technical director, Harold Fernandes says: “Cobra fixtures are unique as they have diverse features that can be used during events and its IP rating helps in large outdoor productions.”
Head of lighting department, Christopher Dawson concludes: “When purchasing a new product, part of our stipulation is that technical and service support should always be available to us. In the events world we can run into problems at any time of the day or night. I am pleased to say, we always enjoy good service from Ayrton whether it is in the quick provision of spare parts or technical assistance over the phone. Ayrton has given us great support and continues to do so.”
