Beyond Eye Candy: Portman Lighting That Works Harder

Decorative lighting has always been easy to look at. Increasingly, we think it needs to do more.

That philosophy is a big part of why we continue to back Portman in Australia. The distinctive look is still there, but products like OMNIRAY and the new HEXY are increasingly designed to earn their place in the rig through genuine functionality.

OMNIRAY is the clearest example already on the ground. Its 4-in-1 design combines a wide high-CRI wash, narrow beam, blinder and decorative effect in a single IP65 fixture. High colour rendering, flicker-free operation, silent modes and interchangeable magnetic optics extend that usefulness across touring, corporate, broadcast, theatre and outdoor production.

That ability to move between applications is exactly why we invested heavily in the fixture, with hundreds of OMNIRAY units currently held in Australian stock.

“We committed to a full shipment of OMNIRAY because it isn’t a one-application fixture,” says Showtools CEO Rob Runko. “It can move between touring, corporate, broadcast and live production, which makes it a much easier investment to justify.”

Now Portman is taking the same thinking in a more modular and scenic direction with HEXY.

Behind the familiar hexagonal form is a tungsten-emulated full-colour blinder and 13-zone RGB matrix, allowing HEXY to move between usable light, programmable visual content and scenic design. Portman’s fastLINK system also allows individual fixtures to become larger rows, clusters and structures, while IP65 construction expands those possibilities into outdoor production.

For designers, that means more options from the same fixture. For rental fleets, it means more potential applications and more opportunities for equipment to stay in use.

OMNIRAY is in stock now through Showtools International, with HEXY to follow.

HEXY Gallery