The K5600 Joker 2 1600W is a compact daylight HMI system built for crews who want serious output without moving up to oversized heads and heavy, generator-only workflows. It runs a 1,600 W single-ended daylight HMI lamp (5600 K) and is commonly supplied with an optical beamer so you can shape the source rather than treating it like a bare bulb.
With the Beamer PAR and interchangeable lens set, the Joker 2 can move between a tighter, more directional punch and a wider, softer spread, depending on the lens fitted. It is also available in a Zoom configuration, where the beamer is focusable and provides a 15° to 60° spread range, which is useful when you need to trim beam size quickly without swapping lenses.
In real production use, that flexibility means one head can cover multiple jobs across the day. It can act as a hard “sun” effect, a strong window-side source, or a punchy backlight, and it can also be paired with diffusion or bounced for softer interview keys and controlled fill where space is limited.
The 1600 W ballast is designed for professional shooting conditions. It’s power factor corrected, dimmable, and includes high-speed frequency options (300 Hz and 1000 Hz) for high frame rate work. Current ballasts also include DMX capability, including wireless DMX via LumenRadio, with control available from a console or a smartphone or tablet depending on the setup.
From a practical point of view, power planning is usually straightforward. Published figures put consumption at about 7.4 A at 230 V, so it can typically run from standard venue supplies when the circuit is appropriate and distribution is planned properly. For hire, it is normally supplied as a self-contained kit with the head, ballast, beamer and the required cabling, with lenses and basic light control accessories included depending on the configuration.
