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Lee 420
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Lee 420

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Lee 420: Diffusion sheet by LEE Filters (Light Opal Frost) that scatters light softly with less than 1/4 stop light loss.

Overview

The Lee 420 "Light Opal Frost" is a diffusion filter (light filter) from the manufacturer LEE Filters, one of the leading suppliers of lighting filters for film, TV, and stage. It belongs to the Opal Frost diffuser family and is the weakest, least scattering variant: according to the manufacturer, "a weak diffusion similar to Opal Frost, but less diffuse." It is hung or stretched in front of a spotlight or light source to slightly soften hard light without significantly losing brightness or light character.

Technical Data

The following values are from the manufacturer LEE Filters:

PropertyValue
TypeDiffusion (Light Opal Frost)
Transmissionapprox. 85% (Y > 85)
Light Lossless than 1/4 stop
Base Material36-micron polyester
Sheet Format21" x 24" (approx. 0.53 m x 0.61 m)
Roll Format48" x 25 ft (approx. 1.22 m x 7.62 m)

Usage on Set

The 420 is used when only very subtle softening is desired – for example, to slightly mitigate highlights and hard shadow edges without losing the direction and brilliance of the light. Typical applications:

  • Slight smoothing of skin tones in portraits and interviews
  • Reducing contrast between highlights and midtones
  • Mitigating reflections in product and still life photography
  • Attachment in front of spotlights, windows, or softboxes when only minimal diffusion is required

Within the Opal Frost range, the 420 is the weakest stage; stronger scattering filters of the same family (e.g., LEE 410 Opal Frost) produce softer, more diffuse results with correspondingly higher light loss. The thin 36-micron polyester base makes the filter relatively insensitive and also allows it to be applied to smooth surfaces such as windows or mirrors.

From the crafts

Perspectives

Cinematographer

Aus DoP-Perspektive ist dieses Element essentiell für die visuelle Gestaltung. Es ermöglicht mir die gewünschte Farbstimmung und das ästhetische Bild konsistent umzusetzen.

Producer

Diese professionelle Lösung erhöht die Produktionseffizienz und reduziert Post-Production-Anforderungen. Sie ermöglicht flexible, schnelle Anpassungen während des Drehs.

Gaffer

Als Gaffer ist dies ein unverzichtbares Werkzeug meines täglichen Handwerkszeugs. Es ermöglicht mir professionelle Lichtkontrolle und schnelle Anpassungen auf Set, was Zeit spart und Qualität sichert.

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1. Zu welchem Department gehört „Lee 420 (Light Opal Frost)"?

2. Wie viele verschiedene Fachperspektiven bietet dieser Eintrag?

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