Specifications

STUDIO EQUIPMENT
REFLECMEDIA
1008
CHROMATTE
www.bhphotovideo.com
PHOTO - VIDEO - PRO AUDIO
Studio Drapes and Custom Solutions
Chromatte is a flexible chromakey solution that allows you to shoot and key almost anywhere. The results achieved on
location are as good as those achieved in a dedicated studio environment. Chromatte is a fabric designed specifically for
use as a background for chromakey production. Unlike conventional chromakey fabrics that are usually blue or green in
color, in ambient light Chromatte is gray to the eye. The fabric contains millions of tiny glass beads that act as reflectors:
when any light — such as the directional light from Reflecmedia’s lens-mounted LiteRing — hits the fabric, it is returned
on the same path back into the camera’s lens. This retro-reflectice process means the camera ‘sees’ the apparently gray
fabric as a perfectly even blue or green background. The nature of the interaction between light and the glass beads
means that seams, folds and creases are no problem.
Chromatte is available in a range of standard size or custom produced studio drapes, where the fabric is backed with a
black light-proof drape and hemmed with eyelets across the top for easy hanging from studio tacking or rail.
Chromatte
offers unrivalled benefits:
Lighting: Conventional fabrics require
significant lighting to create an even color
background, whereas the only light required
to light Chromatte comes from the LiteRing.
This means that any spill from unwanted
light is eradicated and that chromakey can
now be used in low-lit scenes and sets.
Space: By removing the need for additonal
lighting, Chromatte takes chromakey out of
the studio and into any controlled lighting
envrironment— an office, meeeting room or
garage can be a chromakey location in
minutes. Install anywhere— there is no ‘spill’
in a Chromatte installation. Plus, with only
the camera mounted LiteRing required to
light the background, you no longer need
the space to accommodate heavy studio
lighting. With Chromatte you can chromakey
in smaller light controlled locations.
Time: For even an experienced lighting
engineer it can take hours to light a
chromakey set. In man instances, the time
involved and the dfficulties of achieving
high quality results have prevented the use
of chromakey in lower budget and time-
sensitive productions. Installing Chromatte
takes very little time, freeing up production
time to concentrate on other elements like
scene composition.
Flexibility: Reflecmedia’s LiteRing color
determines whether the production is shot
against blue screen or green screen. If
circumstances change and the alternative
color is required, the LiteRing can simply be
exchanged without any need for repainting
or relighting.
LiteRing—the Chromakey Source
Chromatte fabric is designed to work with the LiteRing.
The LiteRing is a circular arrangement of bright blue or
green light emitting diodes (LEDs) in a circular casing
that is positioned in front of the lens. It provides all the
necessary source light required to illuminate the
Chromatte fabric for chromakey production.
The LiteRing connects to the camera with a specially
designed adapter ring which is attached to the inner
thread of the lens. The LiteRing is then placed onto the
adapter and locks with a single screw. This enables users to quickly release the LiteRing in
between shots, or change from a green to blue ring base upon their chosen keying color.
◆ The LiteRing takes the blue or green color away from the fabric and completely eliminates
the need to separately light the background. The ability to change the keying color in
seconds cannot be achieved any faster—no need to hang a different drape or repaint the
studio walls.
◆ Tungsten, HMI and fluorescent lights can be large in size, expensive to power an
uncomfortable to work under. Typically you need thousands of watts to light absorbent
chromakey fabrics, whereas the LightRing output of around 10 watts provides all the light
required by Chromatte.
◆ By relocating the color and light into one camera-mounted device, set up time is
significantly reduced, and many of the difficulties associated with conventional chromakey
are overcome.
◆ The LiteRing is available in both green and blue, and in three sizes to fit different size
cameras. Each size of ring has a series of optional adapter rings available to ensure
maximum compatibility with camera lens sizes.
◆ The LiteRing Controller (LRC) allows adjustment of the intensity of light required for
optimum keying results. The controller is powered using a 4-pin XLR connector from the
supplied 12v power supply or camera battery.
◆ Ideal shooting distances depend on a number of variables including levels of ambient
light, choice of keying applications, camera quality and filming formats. As a rule the
subject should be further than 8’ from the camera to avoid a blue or green cast of light.
Maximum distance is approximately 60’.