11 Jun 2025
- Sony A5100
- Mode → Movie | M (manual exposure)
- Res/FPS → 1080p30 (matches ATEM Mini default)
- Shutter → 1/60 s
- Aperture → ƒ 2.8-4 (sharper + more DoF than wide-open)
- ISO → 200-400 fixed (noise kills keys)
- Focus → MF; pull once, then lock
- WB → Custom (grey-card under key light)
- Picture Style → Standard; Contrast -2, Saturation -2, Sharpen -1
- HDMI Info Display → Off, HDMI Res → 1080p
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Auto Power Off Temp → High, use dummy-battery PSU
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Sigma 16 mm ƒ1.4
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Add 67 mm variable ND: ride it as daylight changes; keep camera exposure untouched.
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Lighting
- 2-point LED (CRI ≥ 95) at 45° key/fill; constant output.
- Window: sheer roller blind = soft side-fill. Adjust ND or LED dimmer, not camera.
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Optional hair/rim light to cut spill.
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Green wall
- Matte, evenly lit 75-80 IRE; stand ≥1 m in front.
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Wash wall with floor LEDs; magenta rim if spill appears.
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ATEM Mini
- Video Standard → 1080p30
- Upstream Key → Chroma; sample wall, start: Chroma 0.15, Luma 0.5, Gain 10; tweak Spill Suppress till edges neutral.
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Let camera control color; leave ATEM color temp default.
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Daily workflow
- Power gear, warm 5 min.
- Check zebras (~70 IRE on face) & histogram.
- Adjust ND (or LED % after sunset) — never ISO/shutter/aperture.
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Re-sample green if ATEM key shows edge noise.
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Simpler/more robust options
- Black-out window + full artificial 5600 K lights → no ND juggling.
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Upgrade to Sony ZV-E10/FX30 or Panasonic G9 II for 10-bit HDMI if you need tighter keys later.
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67 mm variable ND = a neutral-density filter that screws onto the Sigma’s 67 mm front thread and darkens the image; you rotate the outer ring to vary how much light it blocks (e.g. from ND2 to ND400).
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Ride it as daylight changes = instead of touching your shutter/ISO/aperture every time clouds pass or the sun moves, leave those camera settings fixed and simply twist the ND filter to maintain the same exposure on your face and the green wall.
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Keep camera exposure untouched = lock shutter at 1/60 s, aperture around ƒ 2.8-4, ISO 200-400; the ND filter becomes your “dimmer knob” for the daylight so your keying stays consistent.
For Chroma Keying:
FLOOR UPLIGHTS (to “wash” the green wall)
| Size | Why it works | Typical € |
|---|---|---|
| Nanlite PavoTube II 15X (2 ft RGBWW tube) | 270° beam, built-in stand feet, CRI ≈96 | 320-350 |
| Aputure Amaran T4c (4 ft RGBWW tube) | More output, hard-stops on dimmer/CTO wheel | ~390 |
| Godox TL60 (2 ft RGB tube) | Cheapest tube, DMX & app, internal battery | 240-260 |
| Amaran P60x (bicolor panel) | Panel instead of tube; barndoors keep light off you | 260 |
Put two on the floor, 1 m apart, angled up ≈45°. Dial both to 5600 K, 70-80 IRE on the wall.
MAGENTA RIM / BACK-LIGHT
| Form factor | Why it works | Typical € |
|---|---|---|
| Aputure AL-MC | tiny magnet-back puck, RGBWW, CRI >96 | 100 |
| Nanlite LitoLite 5C | pocket bar, built-in diffuser, USB-C PD | 85 |
| Godox R1 | round, magnetic modifiers, runs >90 min on high | 80 |
| Zhiyun FIVERAY M40 | very bright mini panel, variable CCT only—add magenta gel | 120 |
Place behind you, pointed at shoulders/hair. Set hue 300° (pure magenta) at 10-20 % to cancel green spill.
Key tips
- Match color temp of all LEDs (5600 K if window dominates, 4300 K if overcast).
- Avoid green emitters – make sure CRI ≥ 95 / TLCI ≥ 97 for clean keys.
- Battery ≠ power? For all-day calls, power the lights via USB-C or DC brick so brightness stays constant.
- Even wall first, rim second – get the wall absolutely even, then add rim; otherwise you’ll chase spill forever.
Yes. Cheap LED strips work fine for wall wash and spill correction—just keep these rules:
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≥ 90 CRI, no flicker
– look for 24 V constant-voltage strips marked “CRI 95+” or “full spectrum”.
– power through a PWM LED dimmer; avoid mains-triac dimmers that strobe on camera. -
Fixed white beats RGB
– 5600 K (or 4500 K if you mostly use bulbs) gives the most output and least hue shift.
– add a small RGB puck (even a €20 USB-C “video light”) behind you for that optional magenta rim. -
Diffuse & distance
– drop strips in €10 aluminium channels with opal covers; bounce them off the wall or aim up at 45 °.
– keep at least 1 m between you and the wall to minimise spill. -
Set-and-forget brightness
– dial strips until the green wall sits ~75 IRE on the ATEM waveform; then leave them at that level.
– adjust changing daylight only with your variable ND or window blind—don’t chase exposure with the strips. -
Power maths (rough guide)
Cheap German-retail options that still work for a chroma-key wall
| Use-case | Product (5 m reel unless noted) | Street € | Buy in DE | Why pick it |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Even, white “wall-wash” light (high CRI ≥ 95) | SeKi PRO 24 V, CRI 95+, 4500 K | ≈ 42 | Amazon.de | Best €/metre for true-white, no green tint |
| LuxaLight 24 V, CRI 95+, 5600 K | ≈ 59 | luxalight.eu | Very bright (≈3 000 lm/m), 5-year warranty | |
| LED-Leisten “High-CRI 6000 K” strip | ≈ 75 | LED-Leisten.com | Made in Germany, cut to length, CCT option | |
| Coloured / addressable for a magenta rim or accent | BTF-Lighting SK6812 RGBW, 5 V | ≈ 61 | Amazon.de | Individually addressable, on-board true white channel—easy magenta mix |
| Funduino SK6812 RGBW, 5 V | ≈ 50 | Funduino.de | Same LED type, comes with DuPont pigtails—maker-friendly | |
| Diffused “neon” strip (already in a silicone jacket) | Ledvance Smart+ Neon Flex 5 m (RGB + Tunable White) | ≈ 45–75 | Amazon.de / Hornbach | Soft, dot-free line of light; Wi-Fi app if you ever need colour accents |
| Govee Neon Rope Light 2, RGBIC 5 m | ≈ 100 | Amazon.de | Brighter, Matter/Alexa/Google control—handy when the strip doubles as ambient light |
What to put in the basket
- Power – 24 V strips: a 24 V/5 A desktop PSU per two 5 m reels; 5 V addressable strips: 5 V/10 A.
- Dimmer / driver – for white strips use a €15 MOSFET PWM dimmer; addressables need a simple ESP32 or Arduino if you want colour control.
- Aluminium channel + opal diffuser – €10/m at Amazon or Bauhaus; gets rid of pixel dots and helps cooling.
- Double-sided tape & cable ties – the foam tape shipped with budget reels rarely sticks to painted walls.
Practical recipe
Two LuxaLight (or SeKi) strips in channels, lying on the floor 30 cm from the wall, tilted up ≈ 30 °. Dim until the green wall hits ~75 IRE on the ATEM waveform. If you still see green spill on your shoulders, stick a 50 cm piece of the BTF SK6812 behind your chair, set hue ≈ 300 ° (pure magenta), 10 % brightness—that cancels the spill without adding visible pink.
All products above ship from German warehouses, so you avoid customs delays and Schuko-plug headaches. Once in place, you can lock your camera exposure and just twist the variable ND when daylight changes—the LEDs stay rock-solid.
https://www.seki-shop.de/led-leuchtmittel/seki-led-streifen/24v-led-leiste-rgbw-cct-5m-60-led/m-ip20/ip65