As we continue into a new, LED-driven future, where you can create nearly whatever color light you want with the press of a button, Rosco has come out with a new device that aims to help filmmakers identify what color light they precisely might want to use. The new unit is called a Mixbook; a hand held (or tripod mountable) LED unit that can create any color of light you might want to help you make decisions about what lighting units to rent or gels to buy for a particular job.
This device seems like it will be most useful in pre-production, when there is still time to make decisions based on the information, it gives you. Say you are working on a heavily tungsten job (which still happens, for budget reasons as much as anything else), and you need to put together your gel order. Filmmakers could use this little box to test various light colors on key wardrobe or set pieces to see how the light will interact before placing a large gel order, which would be a nice way to cut down on wasted ordering.
Another scenario is using it in collaboration with the art department and the makeup department in terms of creating precisely the color you are looking for in a specific prop or makeup effect. You might not be able to rent RGB units for every single make-up test, but you could use this unit to test specific make-up/lighting combo's in prep to be sure you are adequately prepared to do the work you want in production.
It all works with the MyMix app, which already had a host of tools -- including working with photos for identifying colors. We've always had swatchbooks from a few manufacturers in our set bag, that we could use to be sure we can identify precisely what gel we want for a light. With that said, we wonder if this new unit is just the first one and we'll soon see others from the major gel manufacturers. Regardless, we can't wait to get our hands on one and see if it does make our life on set easier and help us get the color we want faster.
Check out the Rosco Site for more.
- 110 g (3.8 ounces)
- 10 x 6 x 2.6cm (3.9 x 2.3 x 1”)
- -4 °F to +104 °F (-20 °C to 40 °C) operating temperature range
- 1700°K to 10,000°K color temperature range
- Flicker Free: Up to 200 i/s
- CRI Average > 95TLCI-II
- TLCI Average > 90
- Full Color Gamut with Hue, Saturation and White base control
- GelsTrue Rosco Color™ gel matchesGreen-Magenta AdjustmentContinuously adjustable (Full Minusgreen to Full Plusgreen)
- Neoprene pouch with belt strap
- Mounting Options: 1/4 inch female threading
- Housing Material: ABS+PC plastic
- IP20
- Photometrics: 100 lux @0.5m 26fc at 1′
- Input Voltage: 5 VDC
- Power Consumption: 2 W
- Power Connections” Micro USB
- Control System: Bluetooth via myMIX App
