LITTLE LEDS GEAR
Astera’s FP6 Hydrapanel kit is a full, production-ready unit that comes with four separate LED panels, fitted neatly into a custom-made hard case that includes charging contacts. Pop the lights in, plug in the charger and all four lights will be juiced up at the same time. Also supplied is a cable so they can be daisy-chained together and powered by an external AC source or battery. Doing this doesn’t affect the IP65 rating as it’s all so well sealed. These cables not only supply power but also data, so they can be controlled here via various remote systems. This is an impressive set-up, made for professional use. The kit comes with three connector plates, so up to four of the lights may be joined together to create a larger, softer panel. These can even go inside a custom-made softbox from DoPchoice. IT’S HYDRAMATIC!
Infrared connectivity lets them all sync together, so you can make changes on just one light and the rest follow suit. Put them near each other and they flash blue, showing the Bluetooth is ready for pairing. All clever stuff. For remote control, there’s infrared, wired DMX or wireless CRMX, and app control via Bluetooth. Each panel can also be controlled via its integrated display. This lets you navigate through the main menu for colour adjustments, brightness and runtime settings. You need the app for advanced controls. The charging kit comes with four baby-pin mounts, gel holders, 60° and 40° honeycomb grids, small softboxes, 80° intensifiers and diffusion sheets. And you get a full set of four for each. So essentially, that’s 28 accessories all thrown in. These fix to the front of the LED using small magnets, and you can combine them. The kit also comes with four small stands that can be mounted to the base of the units to angle them when they are on a flat surface. There are standard 1/4in-20 mount holes and each light has a magnet on the back, too. There are even holes for security wires to make sure the lamps don’t fall off. If someone moves your light, an anti-theft feature kicks in where the panel produces visual and audible alarms and sends a notification to the app. And if AC power is cut, the light switches to battery and puts out bright white light as a safety feature. In use, the Hydrapanels deliver consistent, flicker-free performance at all settings. Astera’s Trucolor technology calibrates the beam for consistency and exact reproduction of colour temperature and filter gels.
REAR GUARD The LCD screen is the easiest way to change settings but there are remote options
You can dial in CCT with a green/ magenta tint, HSI numbers or a range of gels such as Rosco. The app lets you make the lights change colours with full control over each of the six LED arrays per lamp. The lights are silent, quite powerful – they combine to put out 1300 lumens – and the included extras make all the difference, especially the charging case. The £1824/$1810 Astera FP6 Hydrapanel system is professional-grade gear that simply works. astera-led.com
“The kit comes with three connector plates, so that up to four of the lights may be joined together”
AWESOME FOURSOME Astera’s Hydrapanel kit comes with four lights and plenty of accessories
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PRO MOVIEMAKER
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