SMDV Aims to Push Softbox Lighting in a Bolder, Brighter Direction With New CINE Series
It’s always great to see companies make big, bold plays in film and video. Sure, not all these attempts work out; some don’t quite catch on, some offer a bit of change, but a few push technology forward in ways that often make a filmmaker's life easier, more affordable, and unlock new cinematic possibilities. That’s what SMDV is aiming for with its new CINE Softbox line: a series of soft lighting
It’s always great to see companies make big, bold plays in film and video. Sure, not all these attempts work out; some don’t quite catch on, some offer a bit of change, but a few push technology forward in ways that often make a filmmaker's life easier, more affordable, and unlock new cinematic possibilities.
That’s what SMDV is aiming for with its new CINE Softbox line: a series of soft lighting options created from cinematographers' feedback and designed to match the soft light of today’s big point-source LEDs.
Here’s what you need to know.
SMDV CINE Softboxes
The main goal of SMDV's new line of CINE Softboxes is to deliver more power, as the company aims to create a softbox series that can reach LED or even HMI output levels of 600W, 1200W, and beyond.
The problem, though, is that it can be tricky to work with that much power. You can put a bare reflector on the head, and the shadows can go hard and busy. SMDV’s solution is a softbox that gathers light instead of throwing it away.
Unlike traditional softboxes, which spread light in all directions, these lights deliver lighting engineered at a converging angle, helping maintain the softness a cinematographer wants while directing light toward the subject rather than bleeding it across the room.
To do this, the SMDV Cine line offers two reflector shapes in one system, giving you the flexibility to choose the shape that fits the shot.
Price and Availability
As a newly announced series, the CINE Softboxes are set to launch with six different options, including the following models:
- CINE 50 (16-Sided Softbox) / FOCUSED
- CINE 70 (16-Sided Softbox) / FOCUSED
- CINE 90 (24-Sided Softbox) / FOCUSED
- CINE 120 (24-Sided Softbox) / FOCUSED
- CINE 150 (24-Sided Softbox) / WIDE
- CINE 180 (24-Sided Softbox) / WIDE
No word on exact pricing or availability just yet, but we should have more info here soon. In the meantime, you can find more info and details on this innovative new lineup on the company’s website here.