The Fresnel
The Fresnel (pronounced "freh-nel") was not originally conceived for theatrical purposes. The fixture is named after Augustin Jean Fresnel, a 19th-century French scientist who created a new lens for use in lighthouses, on which the theatrical instrument is based on.

The theatrical lighting instrument called the fresnel uses AJ Fresnel's single diffracting lens to distribute light softly around an area. Much like a par, the fresnel does not have shutters so in some cases barn doors must be used. Its reflector is spherical, and the source and reflector lie on a groove so that they can be easily moved in and out in relation to the diffracting lens using a knob on the bottom of the instrument. This makes the fresnel adjustable from a spotlight to a floodlight depending on the desired use.

Fresnels come in a wide variety of sizes and intensities for use in theatre, film, and television. While a small theatre may wish to use a 750-watt 6-inch design, larger theatres may find a 1,000-watt 8-inch fresnel much more economical and efficient. Much larger fresnels are used in film and television for area flood lighting or even as followspots. Many of these instruments reach 10,000 watts, for the fullest intensity needed. Fresnels also come in a tiny 3-inch size, which are useful as nookies, or lights that fit into small nooks and crannies. 3-inch fresnels are best used for very small "specials," small highlighted areas of light on stage. They are also referred to as inky-dinky's or "baby fresnels."

Go BackReturn to the Instruments Page