k5600 Blackjack

[hennbot]

I'm debating an HMI purchase and wondered if anyone has any experience with the K5600 Blackjack 400. Other than the ability to go tungsten, how does it compare to the Joker/Bug 400 in terms of punch, beam, versatility etc.

[Andrew Rawson]

I own a Blackjack 400 and it is extremely useful in tight spots and low light conditions. It can give you a nice hard pattern with no lens in it and the huge over sized doors on the unit save flags in tight spots, and you get a nice hard cut. The ability to change to tungsten is pretty cool too.

 

I use it in a daylight situation mostly though and I find I don't use it that much because I can't quite eek enough light of it. I'm usually using 250D and it leaves me lacking a bit in stop so I end up throwing a 1200 Fresnel in instead to give me the nice hard cuts.

 

Lol, if the writers strike continues much longer my Blackjack might be up for sale soon :)

[JD Hartman]

Slightly off topic from this thread, but what is it about K5600 fixtures that inspires such "cult" loyalty? I've worked with DPs that insist on having Joker 400s on the truck, but never use any accessories, just use them as an HMI PAR. It seemed to me a 575 HMI PAR would have worked just as well and been cheaper to rent.

[Marc Galerne]

I'm debating an HMI purchase and wondered if anyone has any experience with the K5600 Blackjack 400. Other than the ability to go tungsten, how does it compare to the Joker/Bug 400 in terms of punch, beam, versatility etc.

Hello,

The Black Jack is a fresnel meaning optimized control of the beam, clean shadow and nice spread. The Joker Bug is a Par so it's very punchy and more difficult to control the beam. I would say the Par is a large paint brush and the Fresnel a fine one. Most of our sales are Joker-Bugs though. I guess users find it more versatile.