ISE 2026: Everything you missed (and more!)
- ENTEDI
- Feb 11
- 5 min read
Updated: Feb 12
Four days.
Thousands of steps.
Endless coffee.
And more cutting‑edge lighting, AV, power, and control innovation than any team could possibly squeeze into a single blog — but we’ll give it our best shot.
ISE 2026 is officially wrapped, and this year was our biggest, busiest, and most energising show yet. Whether you were with us in Barcelona or watching from afar, here’s everything you need to know . 👇
From early‑morning coffees to the final demos of the day, the Claypaky stand was buzzing, loud, warm, and full of familiar faces. Launched at LDI last year, the newest members of the Arolla Aqua family made their ISE debut.
A lightweight, agile fixture delivering 28,000 lumens from a 550W calibrated white LED engine (6500K). Features a 6.3 in (160 mm) front lens, 3.8°–52° zoom, throw-optimized optics, center-peaked hotspot, and precise mid-air gobo projection.
Ultra-compact, IP66-rated profile weighing 57.1 lbs (25.9 kg), outputting 21,000 lumens from a 350W cold white LED engine (6500K). Equipped with a 5.5 in (140 mm) front lens, 3.8°–52° (13:1) linear zoom, center-peaked hotspot for sharp aerials and immersive washes.
ashes.
The wider Aqua family — Arolla Aqua HP, Arolla Aqua LT and Aqua Wash HC — also made an huge impression. Dependable, durable and built for real‑world conditions, they’re the fixtures you lean on when the schedule is tight and the pressure is on.
The fixture everyone is still talking about and easily one of the favourites of the show. The Ultimo Sharpy takes everything you loved about the original icon — the punchy beam, the speed, the compact footprint — and rebuilds it for today’s productions.
Powered by a 250W OSRAM short‑arc lamp, it delivers even greater brightness than the original Sharpy, with razor‑sharp edges and an unbelievable 100,000 lux at 20 metres. Add in true CMY colour mixing and you get seamless transitions, bold saturated looks, and all the creative flexibility designers have been waiting for.
With a lamp life of up to 6,000 hours and a rugged IP66 rating, Ultimo Sharpy isn’t just an upgrade — it’s the evolution of a legend.
And best of all? It’s IN STOCK in the UK and ready to ship TODAY.
Celebrating 50 Years of Claypaky
Claypaky celebrated the big 5-0 this year with a stand party full of heart, humour, and all the familiar faces. Fifty years of creativity, passion and innovation. Not only it was an honour to celebrate this milestone with them, it felt like the beginning of an exciting new chapter.
HOF's MLT Pre Rig Truss range stole the show — no surprise there. It continues to crush setup times and keep crews smiling worldwide. Oh, and by the way… pricing just had a refresh!!!
Need an updated quote? You know where to find us.
A few other standouts from the HOF stand included:
👀 Coming soon... HOF MLT Gates
Say hello to a smarter way to curve your truss. MLT Gates will allow you to introduce curves into your rig without compromising on weight or structural integrity! More details dropping in the coming weeks. Stay tuned.
We caught up with our friends at Instagrid, who were showcasing the Instagrid LINK MAX alongside three Instagrid ONE units — a tidy lineup of portable power that always turns heads.
The setup highlighted exactly what Instagrid does best: clean power, clever engineering, and dependable solutions for anyone who needs high‑performance energy on the go.
It's clear why Instagrid continues to be the go‑to choice for portable power across events, touring and installation markets.
The NEW MAC One Beam packs a high‑intensity punch and fast CMY colour mixing into a lightweight sub‑5 kg frame built for rapid, high‑impact deployment. With 7 million candela of razor‑sharp output and its signature 3D backlight effect, it adds mesmerising depth and layered visuals to any show.
We also checked out Macula, the new remote follow‑spot system that turns any moving light into a precision tracking tool, offering a streamlined, responsive setup and unmatched operator control.
Big throw? No problem. The MAC Encore Two delivers up to 6× the narrow‑beam intensity of the original, thanks to its 1:10 zoom and 150 mm lens — making it a beast for long‑distance projection and follow‑spot work. Ideal for studio shoots to iconic stages like the Sydney Opera House.
An 8‑inch Fresnel delivering a smooth, vintage‑style fade‑out without any distracting bright spots. It produces a clean, uniform wash with a rock‑solid CRI of 98 across the entire zoom range — classic character with modern performance.
See what else was showcased on the Martin stand ⬇️
If you wandered past the Minuit Une stand, you’ll know exactly why it kept filling up.
The IVL Photon and IVL Dice were doing demos every 10 minutes and each one pulled in a few more curious faces.
We’ve got a special deal on these throughout February! Drop us a message if you want a requote.
Portman brought the vibes — and then some. Their signature Omniray and EVO range became instant magnets, filling the stand with that unmistakable Portman warmth and retro character we all know designers love. It didn’t just look good; it felt good.
Across the stand, visitors soaked up the atmosphere on one side and got hands‑on with control on the other, giving them a real taste of how these fixtures shape the mood of a show.
SRS Group always brings the goods — AHD models, the ever‑reliable VLAN‑Toolbox, rugged PDU units, DMX splitters, and plenty more from their rock‑solid portfolio.
Compact, clever, and built like absolute tanks. Go ahead and add “unexpected crush on a switchpack” to our ISE 2026 bingo card. It happened. We’re owning it.
Whether it was the reliability, the versatility, or just how ridiculously tidy these units make a system look, SRS proved once again why their gear remains a staple across so many projects.
Fresh from the minds at Visual Productions, the brand‑new NetPanel family has officially arrived — and wow, did it get people talking!
Why we’re obsessed already:
✨ Sleek glass design with capacitive touch ✨ RGB + haptic feedback ✨ Runs over PoE with OSC, UDP, TCP for seamless AV integration
Whether you want simple preset recalls or full colour, CCT and intensity control, NetPanel gives users a beautifully intuitive way to operate CueCore3-based systems or third‑party platforms — all without compromising how it looks on the wall.
ISE: over and out! 🚀
Four days. Countless conversations. And enough lighting, rigging, power and control innovation to fuel us for the year ahead.
Thank you to every partner, friend and customer who said hello, shook hands, and helped us laugh our way through another brilliant (and slightly exhausting) week.
Barcelona, you were brilliant. ISE, see you in 2027.
