The new LED luminaire Orbiter is, according to ARRI,  the most technologically advanced luminaire ever produced for image capture and color fidelity. If Orbiter was an animal, it would be a chameleon.

What’s new?  Everything! That’s the best way to explain what the new ARRI Orbiter is. Orbiter is an ultra-bright, tunable, and directional LED fixture from ARRI. All systems in Orbiter are completely new and designed with versatility in mind. Changeable optics is the core innovation in Orbiter. With a wide variety of optics to choose from, Orbiter transforms into the perfect light for your application without sacrificing beam, output, or color quality. The Quick Lighting Mount (QLM) in Orbiter allows for optics with vastly different properties to be connected to the fixture.

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Think of a chameleon, and you’ve Orbiter. Orbiter’s new six-color light engine delivers a wide-color gamut and outstanding color rendition across all color temperatures along with industry-leading, smooth dimming from 100 to 0%. With its changeable optics, Orbiter can transform into many different types of lampheads including projection (profile), open face, and soft light.

It does not stop there. Additional features, such as a fast processor, ample memory, expanded connectivity, a built-in array of sensors, and weatherproof housing, make Orbiter a formidable machine. Orbiter’s state-of-the-art technology and versatile design makes it an optimal lamphead for today and for the future, with endless possibilities for updates, configurations, and enhancements.

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Orbiter adapts to what you need at any moment. The high-output, directional beam of the open face optic is ideal for throwing light long distances. The high precision of the projection optics creates a perfect circle of light that can be shaped with cutters, focus, and gobos. The dome optic provides omnidirectional, soft light, great for illuminating large spaces, and a universal QLM adapter creates a direct mounting point for Orbiter-specific Chimera and DoPchoice products. With versatility built in, there is great potential for creating additional optics for different applications.

Here are some of the key features present in Orbiter, explained by ARRI:

ARRI Spectra six-color LED light engine

Orbiter is an extremely bright and powerful, directional LED fixture with an output similar to that of the corresponding HMI systems. Its new high output, yet tunable, ARRI Spectra light engine can create hard shadows with defined edges.

Including a red, green, blue, amber, cyan, and lime LED, the ARRI Spectra six-color light engine translates into a wider color gamut, more accurate colors, and most importantly, higher color rendition across the entire CCT range. Skin tones look amazing and natural, and hues are precisely reproduced. Orbiter has a larger CCT range of 2,000 to 20,000 K with ultra-high color rendition across all color temperatures. Using a combination of three dimming techniques, Orbiter’s cutting-edge electronics provide smooth dimming down to zero without color changes or jumps.

LiOS – The new Lighting Operating System

Orbiter is able to take advantage of more than five years of software development for the SkyPanel. Its new software called LiOS (Lighting Operating System) includes all the innovative and groundbreaking features of the SkyPanel plus others, making Orbiter one of the most fully-featured luminaires on the market. LiOS’s eight-color modes include CCT, HSI, individual color, x/y coordinates, gel and source matching, lighting effects, and the new color sensor mode that measures ambient light and recreates it through Orbiter’s output. Other new features in LiOS include simplified DMX modes, performance-enhancing operational modes, over 240 slots for favorites to be stored, optics recognition, multi-language support, a custom boot screen, and many more still to come.

Removable control panel

With a 4” full-color display, quick navigation buttons, and integrated sensors, the Orbiter control panel allows for easy use with a graphic user interface. Simplified menu structure and re-imagined user interfaces provide one-glance operational views and uncluttered screens. This intuitive design makes changing the color or finding a setting easier than ever before. In addition, the control panel is removable and can be used handheld with the aid of a 5 or 15 m (16.4 or 49.2 ft) control panel cable.

Enhanced connectivity

Including a full suite of input and output connectors, Orbiter is prepared for digital communication—today and tomorrow. Ethernet daisy chaining is now possible with two EtherCON ports supporting Art-Net 4, sACN, and TCP/IP. Two USB-A ports are used for LiOS updates and connection of third-party peripherals such as Wi-Fi USB dongles. LumenRadio’s CRMX solution is included, allowing for wireless DMX. Two 5-pin XLR DMX ports used for conventional DMX & RDM communication in and through, and a 3-pin XLR DC input for 48 V power station. An SD Card slot enables future expansion of the software. Finally, a USB-C port is available for computer communication and servicing.

Full suite of sensors

Included in Orbiter is a color sensor for measuring the ambient light, a 3-axis accelerometer and magnetometer for sensing the pan, tilt, roll, and heading of the fixture, heat sensors for keeping the LEDs and electronics at exactly the right temperature, and an ambient light sensor for automatically dimming the control panel display. All these sensors make for a better user experience and increased control over the fixture. Available data improve workflow also in postproduction and service.

Robust, weatherproof housing

The outer design of Orbiter meets the demands of heavy, daily usage. A new weatherproof housing enables outdoor application by using an aluminum cast body with bumpers made of reinforced plastic. The handle makes transport comfortable and allows for handheld operation due to perfect balance.

Large range of applications

Orbiter’s wide range of optics and features allows the fixture to be used in a great variety of applications without compromising quality. Markets such as film and television production, broadcast, theater and live entertainment, and even still photography are just some examples of environments where Orbiter excels. The fixture’s ability to throw light long distances with its open face or projection optics, while at the same time being able to serve as a soft light, brings the flexibility needed on today’s fast-paced film sets. Orbiter’s projection optic will enable broadcasters to have controlled, high-quality light in the studio, and with its battery power, Orbiter can easily be used on the move. The projection optic is the key feature for the theater and live entertainment market and Orbiter also exceeds expectations for continuous lighting in still photography. All in all, Orbiter’s software innovations and connectivity make it the ultimate companion for dynamic lighting setups.