PANAVISION PANALUX SONARA 4:4 User manual

The next-generation, enhanced
variable white LED soft light.
S O N A R A 4 :4
LATEST VERSION AS OF JULY 2021
User manual of SONARA™
© 2021 Panalux Ltd. All Rights Reserved.

The next-generation, enhanced
variable white LED soft light.
S O N A R A 4 :4
LATEST VERSION AS OF JULY 2021
User manual of SONARA™
© 2021 Panalux Ltd. All Rights Reserved.

T A B L E O F
CONTENTS
Powering Options
Comms Panel
Accessories
05 Operation
User Interface
Factory Reset
Lock Mode
Rotary Encoder
Selector Buttons
Memory Buttons
Backlight
Modes
06 Control Features & Options
Source Select
Control/Dimming Curves
Tungsten Emulate Mode
Important Note on Dimming Curves
Control Output
Control Gamut
Control Camera LUTs
Control Priority
DMX Personalities
DMX Personalities - Channel
Assignments
RDM
SONARA RDM Sensors
SONARA Menu Tree
07 General
Power Characteristics
Physical Characteristics
Fault Finding Tips
Optical Characteristics
Warnings & Cautions
Spare Parts & Accessories
08 Appendix
Gel Library
Source Emulation List
Overall Dimensions &
Rigging Centres
01 Important Information & Warnings
Safety Information
Changes
Measuring Correlated Colour
Temperature (CCT), Colour x y
Flicker-Free Filming
Gel/Filter Emulations &
Source Matching
02 Introduction
About This User Manual
Additional Documentation
Technical Support
Disclaimer
03 User Instructions
General Notes
Fixture Setup
Attachment of Safety Bonds
Ventilation
Additional Safety Considerations
Power Supply
Safety Cables
04 Fixture Overview
SONARA Components & Controls
Controller
SONARA Mounting Components
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16

IMPORTANT
INFORMATION &
WARNINGS
01

Safety Information
The symbols below are used throughout this manual to
identify important safety information.
Heed all warnings and safety information.
This product is not user servicable.
Changes
Panalux provides this manual ‘as is’ without warranty of
any kind, either expressed or implied, including but not
limited to the implied warranties or merchantability and
tness for a particular purpose. Panalux may make
improvements and/or changes to the product(s) and/or the
program(s) described in this publication at any time without
notice. This publication could contain technical inaccuracies
or typographical errors. Changes are periodically made
to the information in this publication; these changes are
incorporated in new editions of this publication.
Measuring Correlated Colour Temperature
(CCT), Colour x y
The SONARA utilises an LED source that is optimized
for the lm, TV, and image capture industries. Older
colour meters cannot be used to accurately read the
Correlated Colour Temperature (CCT) of SONARA and
other discontinuous spectrum light sources. Older colour
meters are designed for a full spectrum source such as
incandescent lights. These meters possess only 3 sensors
to measure the light output: red, green, and blue. As such,
a narrow band or discontinuous spectrum light source may
not read correctly. Colour meters such as the Sekonic C800
Spectromaster or UPR Tech MK 350 will provide excellent
measurements and include TLCI and SSI metrics
as standard.
Panalux have taken great care in ensuring that the CCT
and colour spectrum of gel emulations of the light emanating
from SONARA closely matches traditional tungsten and
discharge light sources. This allows you to easily place
SONARA alongside your traditional lighting xtures. If in any
doubt, it is the user’s responsibility, as is customary, to shoot
image capture tests when combining sources employing
different core technology—such as HMI, uorescent,
tungsten, or simple RGB and bi-colour LED xtures—to
ensure compatibility. Shoot tests using the camera setup
to be used for the project (capture gamut, LUTs, etc.). The
spectral power density curve, chip proles, and coordinates
will be different from other xtures. Matching x y coordinates
will only guarantee proximity to the x y coordinates. It will not
guarantee a colour match to eye or to camera with another
light source.
IMPORTANT
INFORMATION
Warning, Danger, or Caution
Risk or injury to yourself, third party, or
the product
Risk of electric shock
Risk of severe electric shock
LATEST VERSION AS OF JULY 2021PANALUX SONARA 4:4 USER MANUAL 5

Flicker-Free Filming
The only way to guarantee icker-free
lming at any frame rate and shutter
angle is by using pure DC power,
carbon arc sources, or daylight. There
is a chance of icker in every other
scenario with articial light, even with
tungsten mains-powered xtures.
Visible icker is also affected by
postproduction. Where the contrast is
increased, the icker becomes more
visible.
SONARA has been validated icker-
free at any dim position up to 10,000
fps. SONARA has been tested across
a range of dim settings, CCTs, and
colours with the high-speed Vision
Research Phantom camera as well
as Arri Alexa Mini, with the cameras
at multiple shutter angles. Not all
manufacturers are as thorough. Test
whenever in doubt, particularly when
shooting high speed.
Flicker factor, the relationship
between the maximum and minimum
illuminance exhibited in the icker,
can be measured with a icker meter.
100% means the light goes totally dark
at minimum. HMI electronic ballasts
tend to have a icker factor around
1–3%, tungsten lights 0–10%.
With multi-colour LED xtures, in
particular older Stage and Architectural
LED xtures where compatibility with
lm and digital cameras wasn’t a
consideration in their design, individual
colour channels can be out of sync,
causing different colour mixes on
different frames, which can cause
issues with high-speed lming, stop-
frame animation, and still photography.
If in doubt, test and review. Check
the footage after running a test, and
be aware that some digital cameras
do not replay raw footage, so it is
advisable to download les rst and
then check.
Gel/Filter Emulations and
Source Matching
SONARA comes pre-loaded with a
range of LEE Filter gel emulations.
Since the base spectrum of the
SONARA at 3200K and 5600K is
not identical to a tungsten or daylight
source, the gel presets are merely
emulations. Due to the inherent
technology, no LED bi-colour or multi-
chip source can perfectly match the
spectrum of a subtractive lter laid
over a tungsten or daylight source.
Even if the x y coordinates appear to
be a good match, the spectrum will
be different, and the camera will read
subtle differences.
If in doubt, test before shooting.
LATEST VERSION AS OF JULY 20216PANALUX SONARA 4:4 USER MANUAL

INTRODUCTION
02

About This User Manual
This manual provides installation, operation, and maintenance instructions for SONARA. This manual applies to the following
software versions:
v1.02
Additional Documentation
For more information regarding DMX512 systems, refer to the DMX512/1990 & AMX 192 Standards publication available from
United States Institute for Theatre Technology, Inc. (USITT). Contact by post at USITT, 6443 Ridings Road, Syracuse, NY,
13206-1111, USA; by phone on 1-800-93USITT; or online at www.usitt.org.
Art-Net is used for transmitting DMX lighting control protocol and RDM over the User Datagram Protocol (UDP) of the Internet
Protocol suite. It is based on the TCP/IP protocol suite and used to communicate between nodes/lighting xtures and a
lighting desk, typically on a private local network such as Ethernet. Art-Net can address over 30,000 universes.
Art-Net™ designed by and copyright Artistic Licence Holdings Ltd.
Technical Support
For technical support, contact Panalux on [phone] or at [e-mail].
Disclaimer
Panalux and Sonara are trademarks of PANAVISION registered in the U.S. and other countries. All other brand or product
names which may be mentioned in this manual are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective companies. This
manual is for informational use only and is subject to change without notice. Please check www.panalux.biz for the latest
version. Panalux assumes no responsibility or liability for any claims resulting from errors or inaccuracies that may appear in
this manual.
INTRODUCTION
LATEST VERSION AS OF JULY 2021PANALUX SONARA 4:4 USER MANUAL 8

USER
INSTRUCTIONS
03

USER INSTRUCTIONS
General Notes
1. Please read through this manual carefully before operating SONARA. Keep this manual for future reference.
2. There are numerous safety instructions and warnings that must be adhered to for your own safety.
3. SONARA is not intended for residential use. It is only intended for use in a professional studio.
4. SONARA must only be serviced by a qualied individual.
5. SONARA is rated as IP20, for indoor use and in a dry environment.
6. SONARA is not certied for use in hazardous locations.
7. SONARA’s operating temperature is within the range of 0 to 40°C (32 to 104°F).
8. Do not connect to a variable power supply such as a dimmer rack or variac.
9. Use only approved spare parts and accessories. (Refer to Spare Parts/Accessories list on page 37.)
1. Read these safety instructions carefully to ensure SONARA and its accessories are used safely.
2. Ensure the 28mm spigot is correctly mounted onto the yoke before rigging.
3. For an alternative method of hanging SONARA, threads are present on the xture for attaching an M12 eye bolt in each
corner. Ensure the M12 eye bolts are correctly attached to SONARA before rigging.
4. 6 threads are available for mounting quick triggers, 4 in each corner and 2 on the outer edge of the back, roughly aligned
with the centre line and yoke mounting position.
5. SONARA weighs 44kg excluding accessories and 38kg excluding yoke assembly. The combined weight should be
considered when choosing suitable safety cable(s). The safety cable assembly should be rated at 10x the combined
weight of the xture and accessories present.
6. The safety cable(s) must be securely attached to the designated slot on SONARA, or through tted M12 eyebolts
(detailed on page 11).
7. When hanging SONARA, always use secondary safety cables of suitable length (as short as possible) attached to the
safety eye or tted eyebolts. Do not use the yoke to secure safety cables.
8. For safety purposes, ensure that the yoke locking handle is correctly tightened when manipulating SONARA in the
required orientation. NOTE: If the locking handle is not tightened correctly, the xture may swing.
9. Lifting handles are provided on the yoke. Ensure the yoke locking handle is tightened before lifting.
10. If SONARA is to be used with the yoke detached, accessory handles are available in the kit.
11. Ensure the connection cables and any other cables are routed carefully to avoid snagging and pulling.
12. Ensure SONARA is stored within the range of -20 to +60°C (-4 to +140°F).
Fixture Setup
LATEST VERSION AS OF JULY 2021PANALUX SONARA 4:4 USER MANUAL 10