SquareBounce Umbrella-like Reflectors

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Archive 2012 · SquareBounce Umbrella-like Reflectors

Ronny Mills
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p.1 #1 · SquareBounce Umbrella-like Reflectors

Cool but expensive.

http://squarebounce.com/Home.html

Apr 30, 2012 at 08:51 PM

myam203
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p.1 #2 · SquareBounce Umbrella-like Reflectors

Pretty cool. I remember reading on prettygirlshooter.blogspot.com that he used an old Larson Reflectasol that looks similar to these.

Apr 30, 2012 at 09:47 PM

DanBrown
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p.1 #3 · SquareBounce Umbrella-like Reflectors

Coincidentally, Rob Galbraith posted about this product today.

May 01, 2012 at 03:30 AM

dmacmillan
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p.1 #4 · SquareBounce Umbrella-like Reflectors

Ah, memories of my Reflectasol, which I still have. I have a smaller Reflectasol. The Squarebounce doesn't allow you to reverse the fabric, which is just as well, since it was a pain to do with the Reflectasol. I might pay $180 for three: white, silver and black, but it's pricey for just two. One main advantage, rigidity to prevent flutter, is more important to videographers. My round reflectors work just fine at 1/4 the cost.

May 01, 2012 at 11:21 AM

onetrack
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p.1 #5 · SquareBounce Umbrella-like Reflectors

Not that great if you want to hold it high and angled to hit a subject properly.

May 01, 2012 at 12:06 PM

photobear
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p.1 #6 · SquareBounce Umbrella-like Reflectors

Perfect for those who have to work alone without an assistant. Just mount it with a knuckle on a stand it's easily adjustible and in line with the stand's center of gravity. No need for a reflector holder arm as you'd need for the circular light discs.

May 01, 2012 at 01:24 PM

kdphotography
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p.1 #7 · SquareBounce Umbrella-like Reflectors

Very cool, but would love to see a black panel option too.

ken

May 01, 2012 at 01:39 PM

photobear
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p.1 #8 · SquareBounce Umbrella-like Reflectors

I'm sure they'll come out with one, but in the interim it would be easy enough to gaffer tape a 42x42 piece of black ripstop nylon over the front to jerryrig a black panel.

May 01, 2012 at 02:32 PM

williamkazak
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p.1 #9 · SquareBounce Umbrella-like Reflectors

I still use a set of Reflectasols. I had to laugh when she was talking about hand held flats causing fatique when she said...compared to traditional collapsable...and they showed a round bounce flat. Traditional collapsable is Reflectasol.

May 01, 2012 at 02:56 PM

cgardner
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p.1 #10 · SquareBounce Umbrella-like Reflectors

Like Doug, been there, done that. I still use the Larson reflectors I got in the 70s. They are build like tanks. Seen below I used them as "kickers" slightly behind the subject...

This image is copyrighted by the owner

Back before I got my studio lights I also used them with my Vivitar flashes as umbrellas.

This image is copyrighted by the owner

Their nicest feature is they fold very compactly like an umbrella:

This image is copyrighted by the owner

When you open them the hinged shaft acts as the lock that holds it flat, eliminating the need for an umbrella style lock (which might break). I never found reversing the fabric to be a problem; you just partially open it, and pull the string out of the grooves on the tips, flip it, and reinsert. Takes less than a minute.

They also attach easily to a light stand using an umbrella bracket or lab clamp like this:

This image is copyrighted by the owner

Larson still is around selling them:
http://www.larson-ent.com/items276_Reflectors_-_Rigids_-_50_50.htm

May 01, 2012 at 04:03 PM

photobear
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p.1 #11 · SquareBounce Umbrella-like Reflectors

I had the Larson and found it to be a pain to use because the shaft WAS hinged and wouldn't lock straight. It also took a lot of pressure on the spring to open it, and I've had it snap back onto my fingers. I haven't bought the new Squarebounce yet, but since it is a regular umbrella-style it should work much better and more easily for my purposes than the larson.

May 01, 2012 at 06:38 PM

Mark_L
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p.1 #12 · SquareBounce Umbrella-like Reflectors

I'm worried how much you can tilt it down, I see way too many reflector shots with ghoul light coming from underneath. To be honest I'd probably just want a black version for overcast days.

May 01, 2012 at 10:21 PM

photobear
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p.1 #13 · SquareBounce Umbrella-like Reflectors

To block overhead light I use a Scrim Jim. It doesn't have to be black though. Even white will block the light if it's opaque.

May 01, 2012 at 11:24 PM

tetrode
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p.1 #14 · SquareBounce Umbrella-like Reflectors

A nice feature of the Larsons is that the hinged shaft allows the angle of the reflector to be adjusted without the need for a stand and grip head (in many situations).

This image is copyrighted by the owner

May 04, 2012 at 12:47 AM

RDKirk
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p.1 #15 · SquareBounce Umbrella-like Reflectors

I guess the patent must have run out on Larson Reflectasols. I've got at least ten of them--I think they multiply in the dark. But I still have and use my very first pair that are over thirty years old.

Because Reflectasols last so long (and they're dry-cleanable), you can get really good deals used on eBay.

May 04, 2012 at 02:45 AM

photobear
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p.1 #16 · SquareBounce Umbrella-like Reflectors

Just ordered the Squarebounce. I'll review them after I test them.

May 04, 2012 at 12:27 PM

RDKirk
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p.1 #17 · SquareBounce Umbrella-like Reflectors

dmacmillan wrote:
The Squarebounce doesn't allow you to reverse the fabric, which is just as well, since it was a pain to do with the Reflectasol.

That's a snap with the new Reflectasol cloth design, using corner pockets instead of the ring-around cord and caps. The corner pocket idea is so simple it's a wonder they didn't think of it first.

May 04, 2012 at 05:58 PM

RDKirk
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p.1 #18 · SquareBounce Umbrella-like Reflectors

Traditional collapsable is Reflectasol.

Hah, yeah. But I just heard a young lady talking about writing a "historical novel set in the 1970s."

May 04, 2012 at 06:00 PM

bobbyz
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p.1 #19 · SquareBounce Umbrella-like Reflectors

RDKirk wrote:
Because Reflectasols last so long (and they're dry-cleanable), you can get really good deals used on eBay.

Whenever I search I never find anything bigger than say 30" reflectasols on ebay.

May 09, 2012 at 02:31 PM

williamkazak
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p.1 #20 · SquareBounce Umbrella-like Reflectors

I still have mine. You can put a paperclip into each corner, where the string is visible. This assures an easier way to gather it up again as you re-thread it back when you flip the fabric.

May 16, 2012 at 11:09 AM

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