Flashlight Ltd

16/10/2026

This week’s Flashlight Friday Focus is on the City Theatrical DMXcat family, compact tools designed to help plan, install, operate and maintain lighting systems.

For 40 years, City Theatrical has been developing solutions for the entertainment lighting industry, creating products that address real-world challenges faced by lighting professionals across theatre, film, television, live events and architectural applications.

City Theatrical developed DMXcat as a portable interface that combines DMX and RDM control and testing with lighting equipment. The DMXcat can send and receive DMX, test and control individual fixtures, identify and configure RDM devices and calculate DIP-switch addresses. On Android devices, it also provides a light meter and RF spectrum analyser for scanning the 2.4GHz Wi-Fi band. The DMXcat connects to both iPhone and Android devices via Bluetooth, with the functions accessed through the DMXcat app.

The newer DMXcat-E expands the system to include Ethernet-based lighting control. Alongside the original DMXcat functions, it can view and send Art-Net and sACN, test 5-pin XLR and RJ45 cables, and measure and display PoE voltages. It also supports SMPTE LTC and MIDI timecode, with bookmarking and file-saving functions. The hardware includes DMX connectors, an EtherCon connection, USB-C charging, a built-in flashlight and Bluetooth connectivity with a range of up to 30m.

For lighting professionals, having these functions in one portable device can be useful when commissioning equipment or investigating problems on site. DMXcat-E is particularly relevant as lighting systems increasingly combine traditional DMX with network protocols such as Art-Net and sACN, allowing users to test both sides of the system from one tool.

At Flashlight, we’re seeing continued interest from customers across theatres, television studios, live events and touring in practical tools that make commissioning and fault-finding easier. The DMXcat family is a good example of a compact tool that can do considerably more than its size suggests.

If you’d like to find out more about the City Theatrical DMXcat or DMXcat-E, or discuss other City Theatrical products with the team, please contact the Flashlight team.

15/10/2026

David, Andy and Ged had a great time with ARRI yesterday in Manchester!

Thanks to everyone who joined us at MetFilm School for a hands-on look at the latest technology from ARRI, including the ALEXA 35 Xtreme, Ensō lenses and the Omnibar.
The Omnibar is a really versatile, battery-powered, IP65 rated LED fixture with ARRI’s RGBMA colour engine, offering plenty of creative flexibility for studio and location work.

A big thank you to Benjamin Starkin and the ARRI team for putting on the event and to MetFilm School for hosting us so well. It was great to get everyone together, use the products and catch up with people from across the industry.

If you didn’t make it but would like more information on the Omnibar or other ARRI products, please contact the Flashlight team

09/10/2026

Flashlight Friday Focus - Martin MAC Encore family

This week's Flashlight Friday Focus is on the Martin Professional MAC Encore family, a range of LED moving heads designed for profile and wash applications, with warm and cold white options alongside the newer MAC Encore Two.

Martin Professional has a strong track record of producing moving heads that deliver excellent optical performance along with the practical features needed in theatres, studios and touring productions. The MAC Encore family continues that tradition, bringing LED technology to profile and wash fixtures without losing the quality Martin is known for.

The original MAC Encore Performance is available in WRM (3000K) and CLD (6000K) versions, using a white LED engine with CMY colour mixing and CTB (WRM) or CTO (CLD) colour control. A 12°–48° (1:4) zoom, four individually controllable framing shutters, five gobos, animation wheel, iris and frost give designers precise control over the beam as well as the ability to project and animate effects. The WRM produces 9,200 lumens, while the CLD produces 11,600 lumens and both offer high colour rendering and flicker-free operation for camera applications.

The MAC Encore Wash WRM and CLD uses a Fresnel-based soft-edge optical system with a 12°–48° (1:4) zoom for smooth, even coverage. The WRM uses a 3000K white LED engine and produces 8,500 lumens, while the CLD uses a 6000K engine and produces 11,000 lumens with the standard Fresnel lens. Both combine white light with CMY colour mixing, CTB (WRM) or CTO (CLD) colour control and internal barndoors, giving users control over both the quality and shape of the wash.

The newest addition, MAC Encore Two, brings the Encore concept into a high-output fixture with a 760W white LED engine producing up to 21,000 lumens at 5600K. Its 5°–54° (1:10) zoom, two gobo wheels, dual frost system and framing make it suitable for a wide range of profile applications, while native CRI, TM-30 and TLCI of 90, boosted to 95 with the Spectrum Enhancement Filter, help deliver strong colour reproduction where it matters most.

At Flashlight, we're seeing continued interest from customers across theatres, television studios, live events and houses of worship in fixtures that combine excellent light quality with flexibility and a strong feature set. The Martin MAC Encore family is a great example of that approach.

If you'd like to find out more about the Martin MAC Encore family, discuss the wider Martin Professional range or to find out what’s available from stock, please contact the Flashlight team.

07/10/2026

We always ask for a quote to go with our Flashlight Friday Focus posts and Mark Buss from Professional was kind enough to reciprocate. We thought the full quote deserved it's own post.

“Flashlight have been instrumental in establishing the Martin MAC Viper XIP and the Mac One as key work horse fixtures for the UK market, with a highly refined feature set, class leading performance & Martin’s XIP smart outdoor weather protection system the MAC Viper XIP delivers the full tool box supporting the demands of any show, the MAC One in contrast has unlocked lighting designers creativity by offering the ability to deliver a beautiful soft edge wash through to tight mid-air beam looks and a host of in-lens “eye candy” effects all from the smallest & lightest fixture Martin has launched to date”

Thanks Mark, very kind words.

Can you guess which brand will be part of our Flashlight Friday Focus this week?



https://www.facebook.com/flashlightltd/posts/pfbid0357UbrBun5dXDBqaKoakcUGCRTuGdDMwrM1pG6jVvi4wTt9nBQsuf6YCBaNx9gGdFl

02/10/2026

This week’s Flashlight Friday Focus takes us into the theatre, with a look at a recent Robert Juliat Tristan followspot supplied by Flashlight to one of our customers. Theatre lighting has always been an important part of Flashlight’s business, from complete refits and individual fixtures to lamps and consumables.

We work closely with venues to understand their needs, including any specific brand or product requirements. We are able to arrange product demos, so customers can be confident the equipment is right for them before a purchase. We also work closely with our manufacturing partners to provide the technical support needed throughout the process. And we deliver it all with our usual highest level of service, speed and accuracy.

This project involved a new Robert Juliat Tristan followspot. We love to see equipment arrive at its new home, so when the theatre shared this video with us, we thought it was worth sharing. The original is available on TikTok at

At Flashlight, we’re proud to work with theatres across the UK, supplying products from manufacturers including ETC, Martin Professional, Vari-Lite, Robert Juliat, ARRI, GLP - German Light Products and City Theatrical. Whether you need a Robert Juliat followspot, ETC profile, Martin moving light, Vari-Lite fixture, desks, cabling, filters or other everyday consumables, we’re here to help you find the right product.

If you're looking to upgrade your theatre lighting, have a specific product requirement or you just need that last minute lamp, please contact the Flashlight team.



https://www.tiktok.com//video/7690534209890356502?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc

25/09/2026

This week’s Flashlight Friday Focus is on lighting consumables, the everyday items that help keep productions running smoothly across film, television, theatre, live events and touring.

Fixtures and control usually get the attention, but consumables are just as important. Things like lamps, filters, frosts, PVC and gaffer tape, blackwrap, lighting textiles, cabling, and fluid for smoke and haze machines all play their part in keeping a production going. Often, it’s the smaller items that make the biggest difference on the day.

At Flashlight, we have large stocks available for same day despatch, when something is needed in a hurry. That means whether you’re on set, in theatre, rigging or on tour and you need a single roll of filter, a replacement lamp or a wider restock, we can help get what you need in place without delay.

If you’d like to find out more about our lighting consumables, see what we have in stock or talk through your requirements, please contact the Flashlight team.

23/09/2026

A few photos from two very busy shows in London and Amsterdam. Great catching up with everyone at PLASA and IBC - International Broadcasting Convention.

TikTok | Make Your Day

18/09/2026

Recently we were talking about LED droop compensation...
This week, it's pizza droop. 🍕
We think, much like LEDs, it could be heat related...
Sorry for the cheesy joke.
Happy Friday, everyone! 😄

Comment below with any other droop related experiences 😉

18/09/2026

Chroma‑Q Color Force 3 - Flashlight Friday Focus

This week’s Flashlight Friday Focus is on the Chroma-Q Color Force 3, which was well received when we saw it at PLASA Show London last week.

Chroma‑Q has been developing LED lighting products for more than 20 years, with the Color Force range becoming well established for c*c, wash and effects lighting. The new Color Force 3 builds on that with a new ColorSure 3 calibrated RGBA engine, IP65 construction and a choice of 12‑LED, 48‑LED and 72‑LED fixture sizes.

The Color Force 3 uses fully homogenised optics with an 18° beam, with optional c*c and border lenses providing approximately 80°×35° and 43° respectively. Output ranges from 7,000 lumens on the Color Force 3 12 to 28,000 lumens on the 48 and 42,000 lumens on the 72. The colour engine provides adjustable CCT from 2,000 K to 7,100 K, with extended tuning available in software and ± green adjustment.

The fixtures include 16‑bit control, DMX, RDM, Art‑Net and sACN, with optional LumenRadio CRMX for wireless DMX/RDM. A particularly useful feature is the interchangeable FlexOptics system, allowing the fixture to be configured for different applications rather than relying on a single fixed optical arrangement.

At Flashlight, we’re seeing continued interest across theatre, television, live events and touring in LED fixtures that can provide consistent colour and high output while also being practical for different applications. The Color Force 3 gives users three fixture lengths and a choice of optics within the same platform.

If you’d like to find out more about the Chroma‑Q Color Force 3 or discuss the wider Chroma‑Q range, please contact the Flashlight team.

16/09/2026

Some of the Flashlight team attended IBC - International Broadcasting Convention in Amsterdam where we met with key partners, got hands on with some new products and caught up with other friends and contacts from across the broadcast industry.