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Archive 2012 · How much different are the various beauty dishes?

  
 
jzucker
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p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · How much different are the various beauty dishes?


I have the feeling that this thread will break into a huge flame-fest but here goes....

Looking into 22", white beauty dishe with 30 degree grid for studio use and there seems to be a pretty wide range from $100 - $1000. I realize that you get what you pay for but is there a huge difference and is there any site which tests them in an objective way?

A few I'm looking into:

http://www.kaceyenterprises.com/?page_id=461
http://www.ebay.com/itm/22-BEAUTY-DISH-REFLECTOR-BOWENS-GRID-3-SOCK-2-DEFLECTORS-/360419866956?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item53eab2b94c
http://www.ftxlightingtools.com/FTXLightingtools/Custom_Beauty_dish.html
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/374094-REG/Mola_MD220_Demi_22_Beauty_Dish_.html

Thanks in advance.

Edited on Jan 04, 2012 at 01:49 PM · View previous versions



Jan 04, 2012 at 01:31 PM
Mark_L
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p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · How much different are the various beauty dishes?


On top of that there is white vs silver and also whether grids are available for them.


Jan 04, 2012 at 01:46 PM
jzucker
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p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · How much different are the various beauty dishes?


yes, i'm looking for white dish and 30 degree grid. thanks for the reminder. I updated the OP


Jan 04, 2012 at 01:50 PM
kenyee
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p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · How much different are the various beauty dishes?


There's also the Speedotron dish that's been around forever and can be adapted to various systems. It was the first copy of the Mola (and Mola ended up suing them to get them to change their design).

There haven't been any definitive comparisons I know of. They're all slightly different and get the job done...



Jan 04, 2012 at 02:44 PM
jzucker
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p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · How much different are the various beauty dishes?


The speedotron looks reasonable but the grid is super expensive. Where do you get adapters for the speedotron?


Jan 04, 2012 at 02:54 PM
kenyee
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p.1 #6 · p.1 #6 · How much different are the various beauty dishes?


? There's a grid/dish/sock combo at B&H for $300:
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/150390-REG/Speedotron_14241_Beauty_Dish_Grid_Reflector.html

You can unscrew the speedotron adapter on the back and screw in different adapters depending on which system you're connecting to (the Kacey adapter lets you put it on an AB).
Don't use it w/ the Elinchrom...the bulb doesn't go in deep enough so you get a weird pattern.

That said, if you're starting from scratch, I'd get the Kacey BD for the weight difference and bounceability...



Jan 04, 2012 at 05:10 PM
hugowolf
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p.1 #7 · p.1 #7 · How much different are the various beauty dishes?


jzucker wrote:
The speedotron looks reasonable but the grid is super expensive. Where do you get adapters for the speedotron?

It is possible to adapt most beauty dishes, and non-OEM beauty dishes are set up to be adapted. Generally you just need the mounting part that fits onto the light – the part that is used as the non-rotating piece on speed rings.

Using Profoto as an example:

http://www.amazon.com/Pro-Studio-Solutions-Softbox-Speedring/dp/B003EWKB3M/ref=pd_cp_p_1

http://www.amazon.com/Profoto-Adapter-Plate-100633-505-551/dp/B000EDSRLM

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/277158-REG/Photek_MCAR_14_Illuminata_Insert_Adapter_Ring.html

If you were going Mola or another dish that isn’t the same brand as your light, then one of these is what you need, but one that fits your particular lighting system.

If you have a speed ring that you don’t mind bastardizing, then that works too. There are usually just four screws.

On what lighting sytem do you plan to mount the BD?




Jan 05, 2012 at 12:38 AM
jzucker
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p.1 #8 · p.1 #8 · How much different are the various beauty dishes?


hugowolf wrote:
It is possible to adapt most beauty dishes, and non-OEM beauty dishes are set up to be adapted. Generally you just need the mounting part that fits onto the light – the part that is used as the non-rotating piece on speed rings.

Using Profoto as an example:

http://www.amazon.com/Pro-Studio-Solutions-Softbox-Speedring/dp/B003EWKB3M/ref=pd_cp_p_1

http://www.amazon.com/Profoto-Adapter-Plate-100633-505-551/dp/B000EDSRLM

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/277158-REG/Photek_MCAR_14_Illuminata_Insert_Adapter_Ring.html

If you were going Mola or another dish that isn’t the same brand as your light, then one of these is what you need, but one that fits your particular lighting system.

If you have a speed ring that you don’t mind bastardizing, then that works too. There are usually just four screws.

On what lighting
...Show more

thanks for the info. I'm using photogenic/alien bees



Jan 05, 2012 at 07:17 AM
hugowolf
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p.1 #9 · p.1 #9 · How much different are the various beauty dishes?


jzucker wrote:
thanks for the info. I'm using photogenic/alien bees

Then you would probably need something like the following for the Balcar mount on Buff lights:
http://www.amazon.com/Pro-Studio-Solutions-Speedring-Alienbees/dp/B003EWNW92/ref=pd_cp_p_1

And probably something like the following for the Photogenic lights
http://www.amazon.com/Pro-Studio-Solutions-Speedring-Photogenic/dp/B003EWNWKG/ref=sr_1_2?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1325784542&sr=1-2



Jan 05, 2012 at 12:53 PM
jzucker
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p.1 #10 · p.1 #10 · How much different are the various beauty dishes?


hugowolf wrote:
Then you would probably need something like the following for the Balcar mount on Buff lights:
http://www.amazon.com/Pro-Studio-Solutions-Speedring-Alienbees/dp/B003EWNW92/ref=pd_cp_p_1

And probably something like the following for the Photogenic lights
http://www.amazon.com/Pro-Studio-Solutions-Speedring-Photogenic/dp/B003EWNWKG/ref=sr_1_2?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1325784542&sr=1-2


So would that fit inside the speedotron dish or would I tap and screw it on?

Thanks in advance!



Jan 05, 2012 at 01:21 PM
tetrode
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p.1 #11 · p.1 #11 · How much different are the various beauty dishes?


kenyee wrote:
There's also the Speedotron dish that's been around forever and can be adapted to various systems. It was the first copy of the Mola (and Mola ended up suing them to get them to change their design).

There haven't been any definitive comparisons I know of. They're all slightly different and get the job done...


Any prospective Speedotron dish buyer should be aware that this BD projects a bright ring within its field of illumination. The "halo" is almost never visible in images, but sometimes it is:

http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showpost.php?p=13635256&postcount=538

I switched from the Speedotron dish to the similarly-shaped Kacey dish. For whatever reason, the Kacey BD does not project a halo like the Speedotron did.

Dave F.



Jan 05, 2012 at 01:28 PM
jzucker
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p.1 #12 · p.1 #12 · How much different are the various beauty dishes?


thanks folks. Ordered the kacey 22 dish, grid and AB adapter.


Jan 05, 2012 at 01:43 PM
kenyee
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p.1 #13 · p.1 #13 · How much different are the various beauty dishes?


tetrode wrote:
Any prospective Speedotron dish buyer should be aware that this BD projects a bright ring within its field of illumination. The "halo" is almost never visible in images, but sometimes it is:.


FWIW, I just did a beauty/makeup shoot over the weekend with the Speedo/Einstein combo and was worried about that since I'd never tried a makeup shoot w/ it yet. Images look great and no sign of the dreaded "halo" and I even used it to light the face instead of the edge of the light just to do a worst case test...will post in the multiple lights thread on POTN when I'm done.

Sometimes it seems all this OCD debate is measurebating....
That said, if Kacey wants to send me his to do an OCD comparo of a real-life use instead of a wall comparison, I'd have no problems w/ that as long as we do a blind comparison to see what you guys like...



Jan 05, 2012 at 05:46 PM
tetrode
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p.1 #14 · p.1 #14 · How much different are the various beauty dishes?


kenyee wrote:
...
Sometimes it seems all this OCD debate is measurebating....
...


You needn't be suffering from OCD to see the halo in Rob's photo (the link to which I provided above). Place your subject close to a plain background and you will most definitely see the Speedotron BD ring.

Dave F.



Jan 05, 2012 at 06:29 PM
kenyee
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p.1 #15 · p.1 #15 · How much different are the various beauty dishes?


tetrode wrote:
Place your subject close to a plain background and you will most definitely see the Speedotron BD ring.


I've done the background test...even did the OCD thing and tested it on a Munsel N8 projector wall. Yep, it's there (but w/ the Einstein, it looks more like a hotspot like what you see from the Maxilite...bright even round area w/ quick falloff to a lower light area....it's very much a ring w/ a WL). In most situations, you won't notice it. In the one you described, it's easy to work around by aiming it differently. So at least for me, not an issue...



Jan 05, 2012 at 07:12 PM
tetrode
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p.1 #16 · p.1 #16 · How much different are the various beauty dishes?


From the archives:






Dave F.



Jan 05, 2012 at 07:39 PM





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