Martin by HARMAN announces ERA 500 Hybrid IP outdoor fixture

Martin by HARMAN and UK distributor Sound Technology Ltd are pleased to announce the new Martin ERA 500 Hybrid IP outdoor fixture.

Martin’s true IP65-rated, all-in-one outdoor moving head fixture combines a powerful 1:20 zoom range and robust optics performance, including beam, spot, and wash modes, with high output, a wide zoom range, CMY color mixing and prism effects, all in a compact design. As a versatile fixture that offers renowned Martin user experience and IP65 protection, the ERA 500 is a durable and effective workhorse for any outdoor production, including concert tours, festivals, and other outdoor events.

“Reliability and performance are paramount for lighting professionals when selecting fixtures for concert tours and other outdoor events,” said Mark Buss, Martin Lighting Product Manager, HARMAN Professional Solutions. “With the introduction of the ERA 500, the Martin engineering team has designed a fixture that is IP65-rated for outdoor protection, while still maintaining the acclaimed performance and ease-of-use that lighting professionals demand. Combining powerful output, multiple optics modes, full color mixing and dynamic effects, the ERA 500 provides a suite of features that is unmatched by other fixtures in its class.”

The ERA 500 Hybrid IP fixture includes a highly efficient 370W Philips lamp that delivers 16,000 lumens of output. Combined with a color temperature of 7800K, the ERA 500 boasts higher perceived brightness, which is crucial for creating striking mid-air effects. With an impressive 6,000 hours of lamp life, the ERA 500 is ideal for users who require a true “beam” hybrid for outdoor use but want to avoid the additional cost and inconvenience of frequent lamp replacement. The all-in-one optics design provides multiple projection modes, including “beam” for tight or wide coverage, “spot” for projection of gobos, or “wash” for a softened light effect.

In addition to class-leading brightness and optics performance, the ERA 500 delivers an exceptional color palette, typically reserved for more expensive fixtures. Integrated CMY color mixing ranges from deep, saturated colors to pleasing pastels, in addition to fast transitions and seamless fades. The ERA 500 makes use of a flexible color wheel, including CTO, 1/2 CTO, and 1/4 CTO, which allows not only for split colors, but helps produce warmer colors that might be needed to balance incandescent lighting from other fixtures in the rig.

The ERA 500 features class-leading dynamic effects, including smooth dimming and multiple dimmer profile curves that produce very little impact on color temperature. Lighting directors can achieve instant and complete blackouts, or choose slow, seamless dimming to suit their needs. By including multiple dimmer curves, the ERA 500 can be programmed to match the dimming characteristics of other lights, which makes integration into existing rigs easy and seamless. With nine rotating gobos and 15 static gobos, lighting designers have a myriad of options to achieve any combination of mid-air effects, pattern projections, and prisms, which are all original Martin designs. The ERA 500 also features two prisms which can be individually rotated and overlaid, which provides practically unlimited combinations of effects, from the industry standard multi-facet circular projection to overlays of linear and circular shapes.

The ERA 500 packs a suite of class-leading features into a compact design, which makes it easier to handle and rig and takes up less space on a truck or storage shelf. Thanks to its IP65 rating, which offers the highest level of dust protection and protection from splashing water, the ERA 500 is a perfectly suited as a reliable workhorse fixture for concert tours, festivals, and outdoor events, even in inclement weather.