Rosco OPTI-SCULPT lenses provide lighting technicians with affordable and precise beam control options. Each durable, polycarbonate lens features its own unique, engineered light distribution to shape the beam, while still maintaining high light output. Recently, Gaffer John Roche took all eleven different OPTI-SCULPT lenses for a test run and posted the results in a pair of videos in the Gaffers Salon Facebook Group that he founded and manages. We’ve posted clips from the videos below so that you can see for yourself how useful these beam-shaping lenses are and why John has a set of OPTI-SCULPT sheets in his kit on every production he works on.
The first thing that John notes is how OPTI-SCULPT is different than Rosco gel diffusions and how they are “optical modifiers” that behave more like lenses than a typical frost. The 11 different OPTI-SCULPT lenses are available in 20”x24” and 40”x24” sheets that can be cut to fit nearly any fixture. They are heat resistant and can be used on both LED and tungsten lighting sources. He also points out how there are both radial/symmetrical patterns and asymmetrical patterns to choose from in the range. Click here to download the Beam Pattern data sheet that John references in the video.
When talking about OPTI-SCULPT with lighting professionals, many want to know what the resulting beam looks like when the lens is applied to a light. John conducted most of his tests inside a darkened living room space using a Nanlite 60C with a 19° barrel. The fixture was focused so that he would have a crisp beam that would allow him to accurately demonstrate the characteristics of how each OPTI-SCULPT lens shapes the light. Below are screenshots from the video that show what the beam of this fixture looks like when OPTI-SCULPT lenses are applied in this setting.
Click on an image above to enlarge.
Overall, John found the OPTI-SCULPT lenses “super useful,” particularly on ellipsoidal/LEKO and Fresnel fixtures. “They give you the ability to change the optical shape of your beam with very minimal light loss,” he notes. “Having that flexibility without shifting the color, and without much diffusion, radically extends the functionality of an LED Fresnel.” Below are three ways John thinks OPTI-SCULPT would be most useful on set.
John noted that OPTI-SCULPT lenses are an affordable lighting solution, and he recommends having sheets of each pattern in your kit if at all possible. That being said, he also shared a few of his favorite patterns.
To learn more about the lenses that Gaffer John Roche has described above, please visit the OPTI-SCULPT product page on the Rosco website.
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Lacey Colter September 07, 2023 Questions?
Marketing Manager - Film/TV/Broadcast: Lacey Colter has been working in the entertainment industry since 2015. She started in production before transitioning to a cinema lens manufacturer and now covers the film and television market for Rosco. She has spent years of her career interviewing a variety of industry professionals.