Los Angeles, CA—Zylight, a manufacturer of LED lighting solutions, and Chimera Lighting partnered to manufacture and distribute Active Diffusion. Zylight’s patented electronic diffusion technology is built into a flexible LCD screen.
The new Active Diffusion filter is designed to produce adjustable levels of diffusion, so there is no need to change diffusion gels. Active Diffusion is debuting this week at the 2017 NAB Show in Las Vegas. The device will be demonstrated by Zylight (booth C7947) and Chimera (booth C5046).
Housed in a gel frame or coupled with a Chimera soft box, the lightweight panel works with any kind of cool light, including LED or fluorescent fixtures. Active Diffusion can be adjusted with its handheld remote control. Zylight produces the electronics and controllers, while Chimera manufactures the panels in a variety of sizes and provides exclusive worldwide distribution.
“We are very proud to be partnering with Chimera for Active Diffusion,” said Joe Arnao, president of Zylight. “This is very innovative technology for lighting professionals because you get the exact look you want. It saves so much time and labor. I think it actually encourages you to experiment, because you don’t have to constantly change gels to see if a different look will work for your shot.”
Active Diffusion is one of several new products that will be showcased by Zylight at NAB. The company is also introducing its Pro Palette asymmetric LED wall washer. The Pro Palette features Zylight’s color mode to produce a soft white light or millions of colors without gels or filters. The company is also exhibiting a new series of LED zoom spotlights.
Zylight LLC
Founded in 2003, Zylight is a manufacturer and distributor of LED lighting instruments for the film and video production industry. Every model is designed for ease of use and produces fully calibrated bright white light. Some also provide a spectrum of adjustable colors without gels. Full wireless control and DMX integration are included, and AC or DC power options are available.
With more than 100 dealers worldwide, the company is also the exclusive distributor of select LED light and battery manufacturers throughout the Americas. zylight.com
Chimera Lighting
Chimera Lighting develops lighting products for the photography and film industries. In 1980, photographer Gary Regester and noted climber, photographer and engineer/designer Tom Frost partnered to create Chimera’s first light modifiers. Regester was looking for an alternative solution to creating the light he wanted for his portraits—one that produced broader and softer illumination than umbrellas and a setup that was more portable than light boxes constructed from foam core and gaffer’s tape.
Frost provided the balance of skills and experience, including his tenure as a designer for Chouinard Equipment (the predecessor to Patagonia, founded by Chouinard). Together they created the Illuminata Lightbank and Chimera was born.
While initially designed for still photographers, in the early 1980s the late Dean Collins suggested Chimera adapt its product lines for film and video. This was a major step for the small company, as cinematographers began to embrace Chimera lightbanks. In 1990, gaffer Mo Flam and DP Geoffrey Simpson used Chimera equipment when filming the breakout movie Fried Green Tomatoes. Since then, Chimera has played a role in the movie industry.
One of the establishing hallmarks of Chimera products is the company’s standards and quality control. Materials for all but two accessories are sourced from and produced in the United States. chimeralighting.com
