X-Color LED Plus - blurry gobo

Not sure what the issue is. First: Are you perpendicular to the surface you're projecting on? Is that surface straight?

I somewhat doubt the gobo, but it could be possible if you can't get the whole thing into focus. Seems like you got the rest down so no sense in talking to you about focus issues and other "more obvious" things.

Can you double-check your installation of the custom gobo? Maybe it's not in there quite right? I myself haven't done anything with custom gobos so I'm at a loss to advise better.

Hi Chris. Yes, the photo was taken with the light about 20 feet from the wall. The light was aimed straight at the wall. I don't think it's the gobo either, because I can get the "n" and "d" in focus, but then the rest of it goes out of focus. The gobo also seems to be properly installed, as it's sitting flat in the metal casing and clamped in with the clip that comes with the light.

I appreciate your insight!

To me, it looks as if the "und" side may not be flush with the housing. I don't have that fixture, but have seen that in my PR1 when the gobo is not installed correctly. If I understand you correctly, you can focus to the right side or the left side, but you can't get the entire image to focus the same....correct?

Part of me thinks it is the glass from the gobo itself. Perhaps the glass messes with the optics. It really is a bad day for service type questions, The winter NAMM show started today in CA.
Sincerely,

Hi, Casey. I did tinker around with the gobo and housing to make sure it was installed flush. As far as I could tell, it was. To answer your question, though, I cannot get the entire image to focus. I even tried turning the gobo 45 degrees in the housing so that it projected sideways, but it's always the outer letters that are out of focus. The "u" and "p" are slightly out of focus, too, but it's not as bad, and because those letters are thin, it's not as noticeable.

Jingles, is that a common problem with glass gobos? I'm new to custom gobos and projectors, so I'm still learning. Also, I definitely can get the "und" in focus, but not without putting everything else out of focus.

Unfortunately, because my bridal show is only 6 weeks away, I ended up returning the light today and bought a PR1. The bad part is that I have to order another custom glass gobo. (By the way, the company I ordered the gobo from is GoboSource.com. They seem reputable and they have been very courteous over the phone.)

I've always been a fan of American DJ lights. I've purchased several in the past 15 years, including two Mighty Scans that are still going strong. This one just didn't seem to work for me. Thanks for all your feedback and tips, though!

I'll need something to support my half-baked theory, but is it a possibility that this could be due to using an LED element instead of a incadescent or halogen bulb?

It's too bad you have to order another custom gobo to deal with this situation. If you could stick that gobo in another fixture could rule out if it's the glass or not.

I don't even know how the gobo is shaped. Are they flat? Could I stick it on my light table and could I go over it with my magnifying glass and see any warping or distortion? I just don't know where and how to begin testing.

What are the other gobos like? Stamped metal?

My Q-Spot 150's have I think 1 or 2 glass gobos and I don't have any issues with those. They did come with the fixture and I can't figure out how to dismantle the fixture to change gobos out, much less examine the glass gobos.

CMBDJ seems to think it's the mounting. Jingles thinks it's the gobo itself. And here I am throwing out it might be the LED technology... Chances are my idea can be thrown out as it doesn't make a whole lot of sense. CMBDJ's past experience sounds logical to me. Jingle's idea also has merit.

I don't think its so much a common problem as much as its an LED problem. To get LEDs to focus, they have to do some things optically to them. LEDs have there point source right on top of the LED its self, so I imagine the focus range isn't great. Since glass gobos, comparatively speaking, are much thicker then metal, I imagine it is possible for them to throw off the LED optically.

It sounds like you are getting the fish eye effect, which happens when the light gets too large because the point source is spread too much. Happens to me a lot of times when I use my 70 degrees, even with a straight shot. Also happens sometimes with my 50 degrees though less often. It can also happen in wide angle movers, Mac 2ks and VL3500s come to mind with the wide angle lenses. This is what is leading me to believe it is do to the nature of the LED and not the glass gobo itself and/or how it is sitting in the gobo wheel.

quote:

It sounds like you are getting the fish eye effect...

That's what my first thoughts were when I was having trouble focusing it. I figured this might be because of the curvature of the lens. That's also interesting info about the LED focus range; however, it was still blurry even when the light was only 5 or 6 feet away from the wall.

Yes, I wish I could've reused the gobo for a different light, too. Aside from the fact that it's not a standard gobo size, it's also pretty small---only a 17mm viewable area. Correct me if I'm wrong, but that essentially means I can't get the image very large unless I'm really far away from the surface.

If you're getting a pr-1 you should not have any problems. Let me know if you have any questions about it. It's heavier than other gobo projectors, but a very good fixture.

Thanks, Casey! I appreciate your help.

Without knowing HOW your logo must be(yes, the photo helped), perhaps a simple Over/Under of the two words would have worked out for you.

You could also shrink down the image size, but you're right in the fact you need more throw to get a bigger logo. But that's just common sense stuff.

I wonder, did the place that made the gobo ask what light it was going into? I'm only asking to see if they had experience with LED fixtures in the past to warn of potential problems.

Another issue since you mainly just need the light to shine through(and may need a tiny bit of compromise to make it work) is just go with a metal gobo?

As for me, I'm sticking with the default gobos for the time being.

At least you've already been directed to a suitable replacement with 2 people reporting success with doing exactly what you want to do.

When ordering custom gobo's a lot of places SHOULD ask you the lamp source in the projector. I agree with Chris, did you tell them it was a LED powered fixture?
Sincerely,

Pleading the case of ignorance, I was guessing "perhaps it's the LED element". It's still not clear if I am right, but Serra Ava seems to post that I could be.

Gobo makers should be aware of LED issues with their gobos at this point in the game. I did some research and not to knock the ADJ or Elation line, I'm now looking at the PR-1 myself for the same application. Sometimes you have to jump brand a bit to get the job done.

Note I'm not knocking ADJ or Elation in the least. I think this discussion of the PR-1 might prompt them to offer us a similar type fixture.

I'm in no hurry to get a PR-1. I have other lighting fixtures in my sights from the Elation line. By the time I NEED something like this, I'll have the money available and so will ADJ. Elation already has a good option but it's expensive. I also have my Projector 150 fixture(Discontinued). That gets me by with no complaints. Cheap, reliable, and I can print my own gobos, which really keeps operational costs down.

I've seen custom glass gobos. If one has the right fixture and can afford to do that, I HIGHLY recommend that option. While I can get GOOD results with my Projector 150, custom glass gobos or even metal ones, will SMOKE the results I'm getting.

Aaron K is smart to go this route, because it's good passive marketting and promotional, which is exactly what I am using the Projector 150 for. Where I have the advantage is that I can cheaply make custom gobos which are good one-offs for small events. The costs are less than $3/sheet.

I am spoiled since I have a bunch of S4 lekos, with 70, 50, 36, 26, 19, 14, and 10 degree lenses. Also have some EDT lenses as well. Very rarely do I get gobos for movers, only if I need them to rotate will I.

Aaron, since the LED's point source is so small, that small curve might be enough to throw it off. My 70 degrees won't focus completely at all, no matter the distance to the target. The 50s, it depends on the size of the gobo. If its A size, forget it. B size, as long as it isn't the whole gobo, its generally fine. The glass gobo is acting like another lens basically, spreading the light out too much.

Also, when I say focus range, I mean the range in which the gobo can sit with regards to the light source, not the distance to the target. Should have clarified more, sorry. However, most lights have a minimum focus range and generally go to infinity with regards to distance to the target. So if it can't focus at a certain range, chances are moving closer to the target won't help, just make it worse and the image smaller.