Intra-lens color and dimming apparatus

A lighting instrument comprising:

• a light source projecting a beam of light;
• a projection optical system including at least two lens elements and having an aperture stop, said optical system forming an image of said light source at a location contiguous to said aperture stop;
• and
• a movable dimmer element located near said aperture stop in a volume of space occupied by said image of said light source.

A lighting instrument comprising:

• a light source projecting a beam of light;
• a projection optical system including at least two lens elements and having an aperture stop, said optical system forming an image of said light source at a location contiguous to said aperture stop;
• and
• one or more movable diffusion elements located near said aperture stop in a volume of space occupied by said image of said light source.

A lighting instrument comprising:

• a light source projecting a beam of light;
• a projection optical system including at least two lens elements and having an aperture stop, said optical system forming an image of said light source at a location contiguous to said aperture stop;
• and
• a color filter apparatus supporting at least two independently movable color filter elements, said color filter apparatus being located near said light source, said color filter elements being supported for movement across said beam of light, and said optical system forming an image of said color filter elements at a location contiguous to said aperture stop.

A lighting instrument comprising:

• a light source projecting a beam of light;
• a projection optical system including at least two lens elements and having an aperture stop, said optical system forming an image of said light source at a location contiguous to said aperture stop;
• and
• a movable dimmer element located near said light source, said dimmer elements being supported for movement across said beam of light, and said optical system forming an image of said dimmer elements at a location contiguous to said aperture stop.

A lighting system comprising:

• a light source projecting a beam of light;
• a first lens group having at least one lens element receiving the projected light such that an image of the light source is created at an aperture stop;
• a second lens group having at least one lens element for receiving the projected light generated by the light source after the projected light has passed through the aperture stop;
• and
• a color filter apparatus positioned near the aperture stop having at least one movable filter element for movement into and out of a volume of space occupied by said image of said light source.

A lighting system comprising:

• a light source projecting a beam of light;
• a first lens group having at least one lens element receiving the projected light such that an image of the light source is created at an aperture stop;
• a second lens group having at least one lens element for receiving the projected light generated by the light source after the projected light has passed through the aperture stop;
• and
• a dimmer apparatus positioned near the aperture stop having at least one movable element for movement into and out of a volume of space occupied by said image of said light source.

A lighting instrument comprising:

• a light source projecting a beam of light;
• a first lens group having at least one lens element receiving the projected light such that an image of the light source is created at an aperture stop;
• a second lens group having at least one lens element for receiving the projected light generated by the light source after the projected light has passed through the aperture stop;
• and
• a diffusion apparatus positioned near the aperture stop having at least one movable element for movement into and out of a volume of space occupied by said image of said light source.

A lighting system comprising:

• a light source projecting a beam of light;
• a first lens group having at least one lens element receiving the projected light such that an image of the light source is created at an aperture stop;
• a second lens group having at least one lens element for receiving the projected light generated by the light source after the projected light has passed through the aperture stop;
• and
• a color filter apparatus positioned near said light source and having at least one movable filter element for movement into and out of said beam of light, wherein an image of said color filter elements is created at said aperture stop.

A lighting system comprising:

• a light source projecting a beam of light;
• a first lens group having at least one lens element receiving the projected light such that an image of the light source is created at an aperture stop;
• a second lens group having at least one lens element for receiving the projected light generated by the light source after the projected light has passed through the aperture stop;
• and
• a dimmer apparatus positioned near said light source and having at least one movable element for movement into and out of said beam of light, wherein an image of said dimmer is created at said aperture stop.

A method for providing lighting, comprising the steps of:

• providing a light source projecting a beam of light;
• providing a projection optical system including at least two lens elements and having an aperture stop, said optical system forming an image of said light source at a location contiguous to said aperture stop;
• and
• moving at least one movable filter element into the aperture stop in a volume of space occupied by the image of the light source to provide a desired color density or light intensity of projected light.

A method for providing lighting, comprising the steps of:

• providing a light source projecting a beam of light;
• providing a projection optical system including at least two lens elements and having an aperture stop, optical system forming an image of said light source at a location contiguous to said aperture stop;
• and
• moving at least one movable filter element into the beam path at a location near said light source such that a real image of the filter element is formed at said aperture stop to provide a desired color density or light intensity of projected light.