Chimera Active Diffusion – How Soft do You Want That Light?

The Chimera Active Diffusion panel lets you thicken up the amount of diffusion to electronically dial in just the right amount you need.

We caught up with the folks from Chimera Lighting at Cine Gear 2017, where we took a look at the Chimera Active Diffusion technology, their collaboration with Zylight.

The Chimera Active Diffusion is a panel that works just like a normal diffusion screen to put in front of a light fixture. However, its uniqueness lies in the LCD that’s sandwiched between the two pieces of plexiglass that make up the panel. Running a current via a dimmer switch lets you control just how dense the liquid crystals become, effectively letting you control the amount of diffusion.

You can control the Chimera Active Diffusion panel via an included wired remote, although an optional and more advanced DMX controller can let you adjust multiple panels, which makes it ideal for studio use.

Naturally, because of the electronic nature of the product, it is designed to work with sources that don’t produce a lot of heat, so ideally something like an LED panel.

The Chimera Active Diffusion panels will be available in all standard blade sizes up to a 4×4. Pricing and availability will be released within the month.

Do you shoot the kind of fast-paced projects that would benefit from the quick adjustments that the Chimera Active Diffusion technology could provide? Let us know in the comments below!