Umbrella recommendation Needed

KevinCarter · #1 01-21-2008, 08:30 PM

What is the most bang for the buck large (ie 5-6 ft.) umbrella for shooting models outside?

My assistant says to get silver one that has option of making white.

Also, curious;
Same question, but for umbrellas smaller for studio.

I've had some that were on cheap side and fall apart soon, so looking for good recommendations now. thanks!

michaelnotar · #2 01-21-2008, 10:13 PM

i really hate my silver umb, actually i will sell it if you want it. i use only phototek elcipse, (with internal ribs) and white only. photoflex also makes good ones. i'm supprised how cheap they all are, even for the 5ft ones, i just have thr 42" ( the most common size). i doubt i would see much a difference between the size, they all throw the light really wide.

and if you are feeling exotic, i have seen a 7ft one on bh's site.

i would go for a 5 or 7ft octadome personally, the photoflex ones come with silver and gold removable internal reflectors... im really happy i got one.

KevinCarter · #3 01-22-2008, 02:39 AM

Thanks Michael:
ARe these all on B&H?
Why do you hate silver? Actually I've owned white my whole life, myself.

What is good about the elcipse and the ribs...

The octodome, more for studio right? for that you like the silver and gold?

michaelnotar · #4 01-22-2008, 02:54 AM

all are on b/h. i dont care for the light, just adds specular highlights in a bad way..comming from a guy who likes a beauty dish that produces hard light. the silv umb is kindof like a mirror, catching odd highlights. the eclipse has internal ribs so they dont have a reflection. (catch lights dont have 6-8 radial lines from the center of the light).

the octodome is lot like a beauty dish i assume. actually just got it for xmas and have yet to use it. i have it rigged with silver interior for more light output and to make it a little harder. its big, so that determines softness, the interior is mostly illrevelant. i have the interior baffle removed for more of a fall off...personal preference...and only have the front diffuser on it. curious to see what 1/2 gold/silver looks like in it.

gold was nice in the film days, but in our age, it reminds me of tungsten light!

David_Buzzard · #5 01-22-2008, 02:58 AM

Since I've been using the Nikon iTTL flash system, I've been using a lot of umbrellas. For years I used only soft boxes, but with the infrared flash controller, the units don't work in an enclosed box. it's also a lot easier to set up the umbrellas, they're easy to carry around, and don't cost very much. I'd stay away from the convertible types, as they're not as efficient as the non-convertible units, and with battery powered units that aren't nearly as powerful as the old heavy strobe packs, you need all the efficiency you can get.

I like the Eclipse units also. The 32 inch being a good size for shooting one or two people with a Nikon SB-800 in either low light, or an inside location. The Eclipse sucks up too much light for outdoor use, so I also have a 30 inch silvered Photoflex that works pretty well in bright sunlight. I also have a 42 inch Photoflex convertible type unit, and 42 inch silvered Balcar umbrella that's made of heavy vinyl. The Balcar is so heavy that it won't stay upright without either a sand bag or commercial strobe head to balance it, and is like a mirror inside it. Both those large units are just too big for a single strobe head (I am thinking of pairing two together and seeing how that works, but I haven't gotten around to it).

David Buzzard's Technical Blog

ChrisPerry · #6 01-22-2008, 06:48 PM

I've got a couple of eclipse as well, 60" or thereabouts. I use them on location for portraiture all the time, one bounced as fill and the other on teh side as key light, shoot thru style. I wish the white would stay on without the black cover when folded so I wouldnt' have to take it off and put it on every time. I guess some glue or tape would work, huh?

I don't use my smaller umbrellas for anything any more and willbe getting a folding softbox later in the spring for loction work.

Ronald Garrett · #7 01-23-2008, 09:49 AM

I use my silver lined umbrella as a reflector. Didn't like it with a strobe. I use mostly low key portraiture and the silver umbrella works great as just a reflector.

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