BaseXStudio™ kit with GreenScreen 2 x 40x40 85W

The BaseXStudio™ kit with GreenScreen is designed for users who want to achieve TV effects (virtual television studio) or professional film sets in a home environment. Surprisingly, this kit combined with available computer programs (e.g., the free version of DaVinci Resolve) enables such effects. Additionally, YouTube offers practical and informative tips on achieving specific results.

The kit includes essential elements for building a photographic studio at home - a background hanging set, basic backdrop, and lighting. The green background meets the requirements for color keying. The light's power allows photography ranging from close-ups (portrait, detail) to half-close-ups (bust). For inanimate nature, the frame is limited only by the width of the background. The kit can also be used for filming (live, stream, remote learning), requiring higher sensitivities.

Blue box (also known as bluescreen, GreenScreen, chroma key) is an image processing technique that replaces a background of relatively uniform color (originally blue, hence the name) with any other image. It's widely used in television (most often during weather forecasts and news programs) and film (to place actors in computer-generated environments). The background color is usually blue or green as they are considered least similar to skin tone and appear rarely in costumes and props.

In digital video recording, color is represented by three numbers indicating the brightness of color components (RGB). The blue box effect is achieved by simply comparing these values at specific points in the recording with the background color. If the colors match (exactly or within a certain margin), that point in the recording is replaced by an alternative background.

A person participating in a blue box recording should not wear clothes of a similar color to the background, as they will be replaced by the alternative image. They also shouldn't hold objects of such color. This can be used to create an effect of an invisible character wearing an invisibility hat, for example.

In some Polish TV channels (e.g., TVP, TVN Meteo Active), blue box is used for weather forecasts. Public television from 1990-1992 utilized blue box in the News to generate a uniform blue background and present animations next to the presenter. From 1997-2002, it was used in the same program to generate a newsroom image behind the presenter. Source: Wikipedia.

The lighting used in the kit is classic studio continuous lighting - single-bulb softbox lamps on lighting stands. Softboxes are equipped with PureLight™ photographic bulbs with standardized parameters (color temperature 5500K and color rendering index CRI >90). Softboxes are a basic element of a photographic studio, used to change light properties: size of the glowing surface, intensity, and direction of light. This type of lamp is increasingly popular in video productions. It's also an excellent alternative to kinoflo lamps.

Softbox softens tonal transitions between light and shadow. Light is evenly distributed inside the softbox and maintains identical power across the entire diffuser surface. The outside of the softbox is matte black, preventing reflection of other lights' shine. Folding and unfolding are exceptionally simple, and the folded softbox takes up little space. High-quality materials ensure trouble-free operation for years. Designed and made to safely work with fluorescent bulbs.

The BaseXStudio™ kit uses at least two lamps due to mutual shadow compensation - one lamp serves as the main light source, while the other is a supplementary light. The power of used bulbs is given in the technical specification (below).

The BaseXStudio™ kit contains classic studio continuous lighting, i.e., single-bulb softbox lamps on lighting stands. Softboxes are basic photographic studio elements that change light properties: size of the glowing surface, intensity, and direction of light. This type of lamp is increasingly popular in video productions and serves as an excellent alternative to kinoflo lamps. The BaseXStudio™ kit uses two lamps for mutual shadow compensation - one lamp serves as the main light source, while the other is a supplementary light. The fixture's dome is lined with silver material inside. Light is evenly distributed within the softbox interior and maintains identical power across the entire diffuser surface. The outside of the softbox is matte black, preventing reflection of other lights' shine.

The lamps are equipped with PureLight™ photographic bulbs with an E27 base and standardized parameters (neutral color temperature 5500K and color rendering index CRI >90). Thanks to the natural color reproduction, the bulb doesn't introduce any color distortions. The generated light stream, obtained after about 90 seconds of operation, is 5000 lumens and corresponds approximately to a 400W halogen bulb.
Folding and unfolding the softbox are exceptionally simple, and the folded unit takes up little space. High-quality materials ensure trouble-free operation for years.

The maximum height of a single stand is 230cm. The recommended working height is 220 cm. The stand has convenient section clamps and a studio head with a universal 1/4" thread.
The telescopic mechanism provides a wide range of stand operation (78-230 cm, adjustable to any height) and various applications. The leg spread (from base to base) is 75cm.
The stands work perfectly not only with softboxes but also with flashlights and continuous lights, halogen lamps.

The background hanging kit consists of two CGLS-816B studio stands and a foldable dual-section bar attached to them. The frame allows for the suspension of various photographic backgrounds (cardboard, vinyl, or fabric) up to 5 kg and with a maximum width of 165 cm. Backgrounds can be suspended at heights ranging from 83 cm to 205 cm.
The bar is attached to the stands using butterfly nuts, preventing it from lifting during background raising. Unrolling the background from the roll is blocked by plugging in two grips (frogs) included with the kit.

The width and length of the fabric on the roll are sufficient to create a continuous background without breaks (cyclorama) for photographing a silhouette. The cardboard roll prevents creases during transport or storage. Potential creases can be easily removed by steaming or wetting the background. The perforated texture of the background minimizes reflections from strong light sources. The cardboard roll, onto which the background is wound, serves as a base for easy background storage and transportation, allowing it to be hung on a studio bar or with T-type hangers. We strongly recommend simultaneously purchasing a background suspension system that significantly improves studio work quality and achieved effects.

Creative use of the background requires the photographer or camera operator to plan the frame and the desired effect after keying. Of course, a computer with appropriate software will be necessary. The good news is that there are free versions of such software available for both photography and film keying. We strongly recommend YouTube materials for those starting work with green backgrounds as greenscreens.

Note on material texture - people encountering photographic polypropylene background for the first time may worry about its texture being visible in photos. In real conditions, the object is approximately 50 cm away from the background, which, combined with shallow depth of field, blurs the background's texture.

Choosing lighting power

When selecting lighting for a photographic studio, ensure the right amount of light needed to achieve your goal. The Home Photographic Studio kits may contain (depending on the version) from 2 to 16 bulbs.

• Inanimate nature doesn't require strong light.
  If you're photographing an inanimate object, you can freely use single-bulb lamps. In product photography, exposure time is arbitrary and can always be adjusted for proper exposure. A tripod will come in handy.
• Beware of people (and animals).
  During the photography of people and animals, exposure time is limited. Especially when photographing children or active animals, significantly more light is required. Single-bulb lamps will suffice at short distances (approx. 0.5 m).
• The wider the frame - the more bulbs.
  One can assume that two single-bulb lamps are enough for a portrait. During close-up photography, the distance between the softbox and the face is small, ensuring proper exposure. Increasing the frame quickly requires increasing light quantity.
• Fashion on live models.
  If you plan fashion photography with a model (male or female), choose kits with two or more four-bulb softboxes.