Chimera Medium

Overview

"Chimera Medium" does not refer to a distinct equipment category, but rather to the medium size class of light banks (softboxes) from the US manufacturer Chimera. Chimera has been producing softboxes, speed rings, and light modifiers for film, television, and photographic lighting for decades; the products are manufactured in Colorado (USA) from proprietary textiles.

The light banks are constructed as fabric enclosures over a folding frame, which is fitted with a front diffuser and (depending on the model) an internal baffle. They are mounted via a speed ring that connects the softbox to the respective light fixture. The size designation "Medium" is part of Chimera's size progression and appears across multiple product lines (including Video Pro Plus, Super Pro Plus, Super Pro X Plus).

Size Progression

Chimera light banks are offered in a recurring series of sizes. The front dimensions of the standard rectangular sizes:

The "Medium" size thus corresponds to a front area of 36 x 48 inches (914 x 1219 mm). The depth is not identical across all lines, but depends on the specific model: "Shallow" variants are significantly flatter than the standard or deeper versions.

On-Set Usage

A Medium light bank is a common all-around size: large enough to produce soft, wrapping light for interviews and portraits from a short distance, yet compact enough for transport and setup in confined locations. The specific lighting effect (shadow hardness, light quantity, color temperature) depends on the light source used, not on the softbox itself.

Important for selection: The softbox line must match the light source. Chimera offers lines for hot lights/quartz, for daylight/HMI heads, and for modern LED fixtures. For mounting to the light fixture, a suitable speed ring is also required, which must be matched to the specific make and model of the light fixture.