Astera announced the launch of ProjectionLens, as accessory designed to add capabilities to its battery-powered, LED-based light, allowing to convert quickly into a Profile Spotlight. The lightweight, portable PlutoFresnel — which operates on a completely wireless basis with built-in battery pack — can be “transformed in less than a minute simply by slipping on the ProjectionLens, which then allows the light to become a Profile Spotlight with a range of 16° to 36°.” Projection zoom can be controlled manually by twisting the lens barrel or two Focus Wheels. An E-size Gobo holder also enables custom logo projection. Astera says the Profile Lens allows for close control of the light over any distance, with crystal clear optics and a four-leaf shutter design to facilitate trimming of the beam as needed.

This builds upon the already substantial applications of the PlutoFresnel itself, which harnesses the benefits of LED technology in order to deliver a lighting style that previously could only be achieved with cumbersome and expensive Tungstens. Crucially, it achieves the very specific aesthetic of a Fresnel light with lower power draw, higher output strength, precise colour control, lightweight profile, wireless installation and full creative flexibility. In its Fresnel setup, it maintains a beam angle of 15° to 60°, with an equivalent output of 300W using only 80W.

With its LED core and concentric circle lens design — and weighing just 4.6 Kg, with in-built battery and a multitude of mounting setups — as a Frensel the Pluto focuses light output perfectly, producing a sharp yet soft beam that is perfect for a variety of applications across film, TV and events. Then, a quick and simple lens transition facilitated by this new projection addition provides even more scope for the lighting base, providing a Profile Spotlight that gives definition and focus to any production. Both lights — and indeed the full Astera range — are founded upon the remarkable Titan LED engine, which powers the lights and ensures absolute colour fidelity and lighting consistency, across a 1,750 to 20,000 Kelvin range and with Full Spectrum RGB+Mint+Amber colour. It allows for full coordination of lighting groups, with quick setup and versatile control options, including Wireless DMX, CRMX or BluetoothBridge connectivity to the intuitive Astera App, alongside the addition of new “WhiteRemote” and “FXRemote.”

This new “Fresnel to Profile” technology furthers Astera’s commitment to creating lighting that is versatile and efficient in terms of workflow, energy draw and space/weight concerns. Using Astera equipment, a lighting engineer can achieve far more creative potential in a significantly more efficient way, using a much more compact equipment setup — due to the act that the Astera lighting ecosystem as a whole is designed to increase the versatility of each core light, whilst at the same time reducing the need for auxiliary equipment and wiring.