Astera – a leading developer of innovative light solutions for film, event and TV markets – announced the launch of the LunaBulb, an innovative offering to the lighting market which externally replicates the appearance of a conventional light bulb, but internally contains all of the remarkable creative control that comes as standard with Astera’s lighting ecosystem. The new LunaBulb will be debuted – alongside a display of Astera’s full lighting ecosystem – at Cinegear LA Expo 2024.

Drawing just 3.5W, the LED-based LunaBulb is available with an E26, E27 and B22 fitting and, like a conventional bulb, screws directly into an AC-wired bulb socket. However, unlike a conventional bulb, it grants users unrivalled creative control, with the ability to adjust both white levels (1,750 – 20,000K) and colour (RGB, Mint and Amber, with RGB, HIS, XY and Filter Gel colour selection options), providing beautiful, flicker free lighting in a variety of settings. This control is built upon the underlying Titan LED engine, which underpins the full Astera ecosystem. Importantly, the bulb itself can be converted quickly between a classic bulb – ideal for applications such as practical lighting, and a slimline bulb, which allows it to be inserted in all manner of different lamps and spaces. The conversion is a simple matter of attaching or detaching the ‘classic’ dome over the slimline bulb using a spring-loaded clip. 

The lights can be wirelessly controlled in a number of ways, including CRMX, Astera’s intuitive app, through BTB link or using Astera’s White and FX Remotes. Configuration is achieved using the Astera LunaBulb PrepCase. Holding up to eight LunaBulbs, the PrepCase provides a quick and efficient way to configure the bulbs – either individually or as a group – according to the preferred control option of the user. The PrepCase is also available as a PrepInlay, granting users the flexibility to build the inlay (without its surrounding protective box) into their own setup, be that a flight case or other custom unit.

Because the PrepCase and PrepInlay are battery-powered, with up to an hour’s runtime or indefinitely using a Titan tube charger, the bulbs can be pre-configured before arriving on-site, allowing for a more efficient setup and deployment process. Each bulb maintains its own CRMX chip and the PrepCase and PrepInlay can be used to auto-assign DMX addresses for individual control or to pre-configure dimming and color, enabling users to integrate the bulbs into their existing workflows. Alternatively, the box can be used to quickly place the bulbs in blue mode, with control facilitated through the app, which allows for pre-set groupings and effects to be applied. Astera will be offering a range of purchase options, including PrepCase and PrepInlay Kits, which include eight LunaBulbs, as well as the PrepCase and PrepInlay alone, which are sold with a power supply, but which require separate purchase of the bulbs. These different options give users the ability to scale their LunaBulb setup as required.

Additionally, both the individual bulbs and the PrepCase itself can also be set as a Bluetooth Bridge (BTB) to facilitate control over the rest of the set. And finally, with a single combo-press on either the Astera White or FX remote, a connection can be established by pointing the remote at any individual light, allowing for at-a-click control. Combined, the control options available for the LunaBulb allow gaffers, cinematographers, console programmers and lighting technicians to seamlessly integrate LunaBulbs into their wider on-set lighting rig.

Crucially, the lights are not only suitable for film and TV productions – though their practical design and exceptional lighting of skin tone make them ideal for realistic lighting environments – but also ideal for events of all types. Their IP44 rating means that they can be used outside, even in wet conditions, so long as the socket they are screwed into is also IP44 rated, making them perfect for statement lighting – such as festoons – or anywhere where lighting might be used to shape mood and atmosphere.

Speaking of the new launch, Ben Díaz – Head of Product Management for Astera, said: “We received a very clear task from the filmmaking community: to design a luminaire in the Astera smart ecosystem capable of not only emulating a 25W tungsten light bulb, but also delivering excellent color quality, smooth dimming, perfect in-shot look and, perhaps even more difficult, wireless control via CRMX, Bluetooth and IR. We’ve worked hard to achieve exactly that, and furthermore, we also wanted to integrate this solution into a battery-powered compact case to setup LunaBulbs directly on the truck”.

He continued: “The LunaBulb is the culmination of many months of intensive development and represents all Astera is here for: a focus on combining creative control and flexible application with something exceptionally practical, robust, intuitive, efficient and easy-to-use. We are so excited to bring LunaBulb to market and can’t wait to see how filmmakers and event designers find innovative ways to apply this unique tool to their projects.”

Here’s an introductory video on LunaBulb from Astera: