City Theatrical 2464 3 1/2" Ellipsoidal Half Top Hat

Lighting designers and production electricians reach for a half top hat when a full top hat creates a new problem. The bright source is hidden, but the inside of the barrel lights up and shows from the house. This City Theatrical model is sized for 3 1/2" ellipsoidals and suits theatrical and live production rigs where fixtures hang in view and need to read as dark hardware.

Orient the hat with its full side toward the viewer and the lit interior drops out of sight, so the fixture stops drawing the eye. That is the performance gap professional designers cite when they specify half top hats over full ones. Black flocked interiors are standard on black units, and white versions are available for color-matched or architectural settings, so the accessory can follow the look of the rig.

Fit matters. City Theatrical recommends against 5" long accessories in 50 degree lens tubes, and against any accessory in 70 or 90 degree lens tubes, because light loss results. Confirm your lens tube angle before ordering. The same half top hat approach is offered across many fixture sizes, which helps when a rig mixes instrument types and you want consistent accessories.