Field Angle
Ellipsoidals are supplied with a certain size lens or lenses that determines the field angle, anywhere from five to ninety degrees. Field angle is the angle of the beam of light where it reaches 10% of the intensity of the center of the beam. Most manufacturers now use field angle to indicate the fixture's spread typically in this series (5°, 10°, 15°, 26°, 36°, 50°, 75°, 90°). Older fixtures are described by the width of the lens x focal length of the instrument. For example, a 6x9 ellipsoidal would have a 6" diameter lens and a focal length of 9". 6x9 Instruments have a field angle of approximately 37°. 6x12 instruments have a field angle of approximately 27°. As the field angle narrows, the instrument can be used further from the stage. Variable focus (zoom) instruments with two lenses that move in and out from the lamp housing are also available, allowing the user to manually adjust to the desired focal length within a certain range.
Read more about this topic: Ellipsoidal Reflector Spotlight
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