Moving Head Spotlight

Using moving head lights gives you the flexibility to create a dynamic lighting scene. You can use them to highlight key moments or create a specific mood.

The main types of moving heads are the spot, beam and wash. These contain different motors, wheels and gobos to produce the desired looks.

Spot

A moving head spotlight is a lighting fixture used for various effects in venues such as night clubs over the dance floor or concert stages. They are often used in conjunction with a smoke or haze machine to create an eye-catching light show. LED spot moving head lights produce a narrow beam of static white or can be programmed with different gobos to create custom patterns for your light show. Many spots have automated framing systems to shape the beam of light and help reduce unwanted spill. They are also water, dust and sand proof so you don’t have to worry about cleaning them between shows.

Most spot lights come with one or more gobo wheels which allow you to change the pattern that is projected into the air. These can include anything from stars and circles to spirals and polka dots. Many of these lights are also capable of color mixing using pre-programmed light shows or sound-to-light reactivity.

If you want a more precise beam of light and don’t need the added gobo features, you moving head spotlight can opt for a profile moving head. These are typically lighter and less expensive than the spot and can offer similar features like gobos, prisms and CMY color mixing. They will also have wider beam angles compared to the spot. This makes them great for larger areas where you would like to cover more surface space.

Beam

Beam moving head lights are a popular choice for lighting designers working in the music and club industries. These lights offer a wide range of features and can transform the atmosphere of any space into a visually stunning and immersive experience. They are used to create impressive gobo projections and dynamic effects in the air and on a stage. Beam moving heads can also be synchronized via DMX to play out well-choreographed light shows.

Unlike the other types of moving head, beam lights focus on producing a narrow, focused beam of light rather than a wider wash. There are a variety of models to choose from, ranging in size and power. Some are large, powerful models suitable for use in sizeable bars and night clubs, while others are compact units perfect for mobile performers or smaller venues. Many models include gobos, which are slim pieces of plastic that cover the lens of a fixture to produce certain pattern or shape effects.

Unlike spot lights, beam moving head lights are typically used in conjunction with a smoke or haze machine to create dramatic and eye-catching effects. They are commonly used to create impressive midair effects, such as a wedding couple’s grand entrance or first dance. They are also used by larger bands and live performers to project GOBO patterns on backdrops or stages, or to add interest in between songs during a performance.

Wash

Moving head wash lights produce a large area of static color washes with smooth edges, ideal for lighting stage lighting supplies up larger surface areas compared to spot or beam units. They’re used at weddings, party events and stage shows for this reason, and are also popular in bars and clubs where they’re often mounted on truss or stands.

LED moving head wash lights are incredibly versatile, with the ability to produce different colors and effects using LED color mixing. The more advanced models can even be set to sound responsive, which means they’ll pulse and change color based on the beat of the music for a synchronized light show.

Washer lights can also be fitted with gobos and prisms to produce different shapes or textures, while many feature internal lenses for varying the size of the beam. They’re also available in hybrid designs, which can switch between wash, beam or spot mode.

In addition to these features, the wide selection of different sizes and power of LED moving head wash lights ensures there’s something for everyone. You can find high-powered, professional lights for spacious venues as well as compact and portable units for use at home or when traveling to gigs. Some models also include pre-programmed light shows, sound-to-light reactivity and DMX channels for use with a DMX controller.

Color Change

Whether used in nightclubs over the dance floor, concerts for dramatic lighting effects or theaters for stage lighting, moving head spotlights are a popular choice among professional lighting designers. They provide an eye-catching display that can be controlled by a central system using either a DMX controller or other advanced lighting software. These automated lights come in a variety of sizes and styles to suit different venues and production requirements, including LED, halogen and discharge options.

While all moving heads cast impressive beams of light around a venue, the visual effect produced varies significantly between types. For example, a wash moving head creates a wide spread of light, ideal for washing up an entire room or audience. In contrast, a beam moving head produces a tighter cone of light, perfect for creating spot effects on specific people or objects.

Both models can feature a range of useful features such as LED colour mixing, pre-programmed light shows and sound-to-light reactivity. They can also be used in conjunction with other lighting fixtures for a truly spectacular show.

Depending on the model, a moving head spotlight may also have built-in effects such as gobos, prisms, spinning color wheels and other features worthy of a discotheque. They can also be used with gels or filters to alter the color of the light output.