Chimera Super

Overview

"Chimera Super" refers to the Super Pro Lightbank family from US manufacturer Chimera Lighting (founded 1980, manufactured in Colorado). It is not a light fixture, but a softbox (called "Lightbank" by Chimera) – a light modifier that is placed over the light source, transforming its hard light into a large, soft luminous surface. The series includes several generations and variants, including Super Pro Plus, Super Pro Plus Shallow, and the newer, more form-fitting generation Super Pro X Plus.

The Lightbank does not have its own connection for a specific lamp type; it is adapted to the respective luminaire or flash head via a separately available Speed Ring. This allows the same bank to be mounted on different fixtures (studio strobe, continuous light) – provided the correct Speed Ring variant is used.

Construction and Components

Characteristic of the Super Pro Banks is their multi-layered, modular construction:

• Outer Shell: black fabric that shields stray light outwards.
• Interior: available with a white or "Soft Silver" coating. According to manufacturer/dealer specifications, the Soft Silver variant delivers approximately 10–20% more output than the white version (depending on the head and bank size).
• Inner Baffle (Intermediate Diffuser): removable; it dampens the hotspot and ensures even illumination from edge to edge.
• Front Screen: a removable, recessed front diffuser for controlling spill light and light falloff.
• Frame: flexible metal rods that give the bank its shape.
• Rear: large rear opening for fixtures/flash heads; rear flaps fold over the Speed Ring and prevent light leakage to the rear.

The front screen and baffle can be used individually, in combination, or not at all to vary the hardness and contrast of the light.

Variants and Risk of Confusion

Within the Chimera program, differentiation is important because the lines differ in the heat resistance of the fabric:

• Super Pro Plus: primarily designed as a studio strobe/flash bank; the front screen is designed for modeling lights with limited wattage (dealer specification: up to 650 W Halogen/Tungsten as modeling light).
• Super Pro X Plus: newer, closer-fitting generation; usable with strobes and continuous lights with the appropriate Speed Ring.
• Video Pro Plus / Quartz Plus: separate lines with more heat-resistant fabric for hot continuous light sources (HMI, Tungsten hotlights). These are *not* identical to the Super Pro Banks.

Rule of thumb: For very hot continuous lights, the heat resistance of the respective bank and fabric must be checked – the Super Pro line is fundamentally a flash/studio bank.

On-Set Use

Super Pro Banks serve as a source for soft key or fill light in photo, film, and video production. The light character can be finely controlled via the accessory system:

• Front Diffusers in full, 1/2, and 1/4 strength for different degrees of diffusion.
• Fabric Grids and Metal Honeycombs for concentrating and limiting light output.
• Fabric Barndoors for flagging individual light edges.

The rectangular banks are available in several sizes – from small formats for beauty and detail shots to large banks as broad light sources. In addition, there are narrow Stripbank variants, for example, for edge lighting or reflections on glossy surfaces.