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Umberlla soft box, Reflected or Shoot thru?
Most of my softbox use is in the studio where I have a 32 inch by 48 inch softbox. For portability, I'd like to try the umbrella type. Most of the work is portrait using Novatron strobes. There appear to be two types of umbrella softboxes - reflected and shoot thru. Do the umbrella ribs show in the reflections on shiny surfaces from the shoot thru boxes? Is either umbrella more light efficient? i. e. brighter for a given strobe? Any other differences? Any particular brands that work better? Thanks Jan 09 08 10:40 am Link David H Photos wrote: Surfaces that are discreet like a polished chrome automotive bumper might if the catchlight is not blown out. I do not think you will have trouble with it though. David H Photos wrote: Generally the softbox being closer to the subject is an advantage both in delivered light quantity and in shadow softening. Shoot through will allow the translucent panel to be much closer to a portrait or fashion model than reflective will allow. David H Photos wrote: I like this seller and product: http://cgi.ebay.com/Umbrella-Softbox-So … dZViewItem Jan 09 08 10:58 am Link I use: Umbrellas (metal ribbed lined) black-backed covering, 24x32 softboxes, beauty dishes and ringlights. It really all depends on the useage/need for what I'm shooting. Photoflex, Aurora, RedWing, ProFoto and Speedotron are the choices we have at the studio. Jan 09 08 11:01 am Link I bought a fairly economical photoflex one that converts to both...I love it. Shoot Through is just softer light and reflect is for greater spead or sharper/brighter light ...."typically" Jan 09 08 11:05 am Link David H Photos wrote: The ribs won't show. Multi-directional light produced by a standard flash tube will overlap the ribs and not cast shadows. Shoot thru umbrellas are going to be more efficient than reflected ones do to the difference in distance that the light has to travel. They also can produce a hotter spot in the middle since there is no internal baffle to diffuse the light as there is in a softbox. Reflected umbrellas will produce overall softer lighting since the path is bounced, but you loose a little in strength at full power in comparison. Standard shoot through umbrellas also encounter more loss of light being bounced to the rear of the head. Brolly boxes are a solution to this. They're collapsible like an umbrella, but also have a softbox-like tent that covers the back to the head. This is why brolly boxes are considered to be "poor-man softboxes". Jan 09 08 11:16 am Link i find myself going back to umbrella's because of the wrap around effect. it also seems to be energy efficient. For the past 3 years I've shot almost exclusively with softboxes. I have photoflex(meh) and red wing(meh). I LOVE LOVE LOVE using softboxes with grids. Before I had softboxes, I used shoot thru and regular umbrella's. i now feel that the shoot thru- is only appropriate when you want to light up a whole room and get a bit more on the subject, as i'd guess about 50% of the light is going the wrong way. brolly boxes are a different matter and have not use them. For fashion on location i normally just use bare bulb, to get sharp angular light and also an 18" norman ocatabox i use without the diffusion panel(love it). My lumedyne packs aren't powerful enough for most other things. other times i bounce umbrella's into bedsheets to get soft creamy light out of my speedo. Jan 09 08 11:19 am Link |
