Daylight balanced Chimera Lights?

RickyC

Well-known member
I havent stepped much into the world of Chimeras, so I don't know much of the terminology, but are there any daylight balanced chimera lights?
 
Chimera makes light "modifiers", so color balance all depends on the light source you use with them.

For daylight balance, HMI light sources are about the only game in town, though I expect this to change as LED lights become more sophisticated. You can buy fluorescent daylight bulbs to fit Chimera modifiers, but their light output is pretty weak. ( i.e. You would have a tough time trying to fill full on daylight coming through a window with fluorescent bulbs inside a Chimera soft-box )

...Chimera has also started making soft-boxes for Lite Panel and FLowlight 1x1 LED light sources, and these can be quite bright when close to your subject.

i.e. Flolight 30 degree 1x1 is a 1,000 watt tungsten light output equivalent with a 0.5 - 1.0 stop loss for soft-box diffusion, so still quite bright
 
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i.e. Flolight 30 degree 1x1 is a 1,000 watt tungsten light output equivalent with a 0.5 - 1.0 stop loss for soft-box diffusion, so still quite bright
That's all? Is this a different type of chimera? The ones I've used for open face fixtures cut at least 2 stops.
 
That's all? Is this a different type of chimera? The ones I've used for open face fixtures cut at least 2 stops.

Yes, these are a lot simpler than the traditional "hot light" Chimera soft-boxes: Chimera LED Lightbank for Flolight 1x1 : $250 at B&H Photo

I think the light loss is much lower because the 1x1 LED light source is pretty even right from the "get-go", so the Chimera diffuser has less work to do, to even out the light output.
 
...I am also very interested in the new Zacuto Plasma Light Panel, as this looks like it could be very bright and completely even without any additional diffusion.

It will still come down to cost and reliability ( I wonder if the Zacuto life-time warranty will still apply ), but this looks like something that has the potential to be amazingly good.
 
I know chimeras can be put on HMIs, just wondering if chimera actually makes some sort of hmi light, I've seen those tungsten lightbanks. Just curious
 
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