Leica Cine 1 · Blackout Studio · Wapping
Throw light and image without blocking the camera
A Leica Cine 1 is a 4K laser TV projector that sits flush against a wall or cyc, not hanging from the ceiling. In a shoot, that changes everything. You project a background directly onto the surface behind your subject, you light them with video instead of gels, or you fill the room with pattern and colour. Nothing blocks the camera. Nothing casts a shadow. It is included in the full lighting kit add-on at £200 plus VAT per day, or as part of full-venue hire and the Christmas party package.
Why ultra-short-throw changes a photo or film set
Most projectors live on a shelf in the middle of the set or hang from the ceiling. That means the beam cuts across the working space. Your grip walks through it and casts a shadow. Your talent steps into the light. The projector is in frame or humming visibly behind camera.
The Leica Cine 1 sits tight against the wall or cyc, metres away from where it needs to be. It throws a full 4K image onto a surface just centimetres in front of it. That means the space in front of the screen, where the talent and the camera and the lights all live, is completely uncluttered. No beam in the way. No shadows on the subject. No equipment in the shot. The crew and the camera move freely.
This is not a feature that sounds important until you are on a shoot with one. Then you realise how much easier it is to light, move, adjust and shoot when there is no projector beam cutting across the set, and no need to route the crew around it.
The Blackout Studio is the obvious place to use it, though it is available in any room. See the full equipment list for everything else.
Seven ways to use it on a shoot
In-camera backgrounds
Project your background directly onto the cyc or wall behind the subject. The light spills naturally onto them. You see the final look on the day. No green screen, no matting, no compositing. Just shoot it and you are done.
Lighting with video
Shapes, gradients, colour washes, gobo-like patterns. Use the projector as a raw light source. Make neon signage without neon. Throw window light or dappled sunlight across skin or fabric. Light a product with animated colour.
Texture and pattern
Project moving cloud textures, rain, bokeh or fractals across the subject. Use it on skin for beauty work, or on fabric for fashion. A static texture works just as well and gives you a sharp, printable look without any physical material.
Screen content and displays
Product shots and tech reviews need convincing on-screen content. Rather than filming a monitor (which is notoriously tricky), project it at full brightness and shoot the result directly. Crisp, no glare, no reflection artifacts.
Live events and DJ sets
The Portal and full-venue hire. Project album artwork, branded visuals, mood shots or live feeds behind the artist or the DJ. A proper visual backdrop without wires or hanging rigs.
Client review and mood playback
Review selects at 100 inches between setups. Run a mood reel or treatment at the start of the day so everyone aligns on the look before the first shot. Impressive on camera, faster on set.
Creative colour grading
Adjust the projected image in real time. Warm or cool a background. Shift saturation or exposure. See the change instantly without stopping the shoot. Your laptop is the colour grade and the set can respond on the fly.
The Leica Cine 1
Leica · Cine 1
The projector
A 4K laser television with an ultra-short-throw lens. It sits less than a metre from the wall and throws a full 4K image. Inside is a triple RGB laser light source, so the colour is accurate and bright without flickering or colour shift, and it stays bright even when you turn on the other lights.
The optics are Leica Summicron design, and the colour processing runs Leica Image Optimisation to keep the image natural and detailed. Built-in Dolby Atmos sound, though you will probably use the studio monitors. Available in 100-inch and 120-inch versions. We have both.
Working on a film or photo set
Why it is the right tool
It is a lighting instrument first and a screen second. The laser is silent, the brightness can be adjusted in real time, and because it is close to the wall it does not dominate the set or get in the way. Bring content on a laptop or a USB stick, connect it, and you can adjust colour, scale, position and animation without stopping.
The Blackout Studio is the obvious home for it, but it works in any of our rooms. Full ambient light control means you can use it subtly (as a fill light) or dramatically (as a key light). It is just another instrument once you understand the basics.
Being straight with you
What you need to know on a shoot
Ambient light control matters
The Cine 1 is bright, but a lit studio defeats a projector fast. The Blackout Studio is blackout for exactly this reason. Other rooms work if you dim the existing lights and control ambient through the cyc and walls. Bring a lighting plan.
Shutter speed and flickering
If you are shooting video of a projected image, your shutter speed matters. A shutter too fast or too slow will show scan lines or flicker in the image. Check test footage. A still camera has no shutter speed issue.
Bring your content
On a USB stick, a laptop, or a cloud link. We have HDMI, USB-C and wireless mirroring capability. If it can be played on a computer, you can project it. Test the file and the colour space in advance if accuracy is critical.
Sync with the rest of the rig
You control it from a laptop or remote. If you are syncing it with music, flash pops, or other timed events, plan that handoff. The projector itself is straightforward, but the choreography on set takes thought.
Specifications
| Display technology | Triple RGB laser light source, DLP chip, 4K (4096 × 2160) native resolution |
|---|---|
| Optics | Leica Summicron lens design, ultra-short-throw, image shift and zoom, 4-point keystone correction |
| Brightness | Full brightness in any ambient light, adjustable real-time via remote or app |
| Colour processing | Leica Image Optimisation, wide colour gamut, automatic colour tuning for content type |
| Sizes | 100-inch and 120-inch throw distance |
| Connectivity | HDMI 2.1, USB-C, Wi-Fi mirroring, Bluetooth remote |
| Audio | Integrated speakers with Dolby Atmos support |
| Noise | Silent in operation, no fan noise or flicker |
Questions people ask
Where can I book the Leica Cine 1 at STU 22?
The Blackout Studio at STU 22, 8-10 Sampson Street, Wapping, London E1W 1NA. It is also available as part of the full lighting kit add-on in any studio (£200 plus VAT per booking day, excluding VAT), and as part of full-venue hire and the Christmas party package. Book through the website or WhatsApp to discuss your shoot requirements.
Can I use it in any room at STU 22, or just the Blackout Studio?
The Blackout Studio is the ideal room because ambient light control is built in. The projector works in The Portal and the Infinity Cove as well if you dim the existing lights and control ambient through the cyc and walls. Discuss the room choice with us if your shoot needs specific ambient light conditions.
What if I want to shoot video of a projected background?
Still photography has no shutter speed issue. For video, your shutter speed and frame rate matter. Work with your DP to test the shutter beforehand, or check a test frame to spot flicker. Frame rate at 24p, 25p or 30p (depending on your camera standard) is common. We will give you test time to dial it in.
Can I bring my own content to project?
Yes. Bring it on a USB stick, your laptop, or a cloud link. We support HDMI, USB-C and Wi-Fi mirroring. Whatever you can play on a computer can be projected. If colour accuracy is critical (for product work or grading on set), test the file and the colour space with us in advance.
How bright is it? Will it wash out my subject?
The Cine 1 is very bright and has full real-time brightness control. Use it subtly as a fill light, or crank it as a key light. You adjust it with a remote or an app, so you can dial the intensity up or down without stopping. Treat it as another lighting instrument. Test in the room before the session to find your setting.
Is the Leica Cine 1 the same as a cinema projector?
No. The Cine 1 is a laser TV designed for home and premium event use. It is not a cinema DCP projector (no one brings those to a photoshoot). It is a very bright, very colour accurate, laser-based display with an ultra-short-throw lens. Perfect for a production set, not a cinema.
Is there an extra charge, or is it included in the hourly rate?
It is included in the full lighting kit add-on at £200 plus VAT per booking day, or as part of full-venue hire. If you are booking the Blackout Studio on an hourly rate (£110 per hour, excluding VAT), the projector is part of the lighting kit add-on, not the base rate. See book now for current pricing, or ask on WhatsApp.
Leica Cine 1 · Blackout Studio · Wapping, East London
£200 per day, or included in full-venue hire
Project in-camera backgrounds, light with video, or fill the room with colour and pattern. Ultra-short-throw means nothing blocks the camera and nothing casts a shadow. Bring your content and shoot.