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Archive 2013 · Choosing a beauty dish

  
 
blutch
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p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · Choosing a beauty dish


Me again.. setting up my new portrait studio. I have X800 White Lightening strobes coming. I have ordered two sizes of Buff softboxes and the big 7' umbrella from Westcott. I would like to get a beauty dish.

Can anyone tell me what is being used in this video?:



Also, looking at the Buff beauty dishes, there are two to choose from: http://www.paulcbuff.com/beautydishes.php

One has a 45 deg beam spread and the other has a 130 deg beam spread.

I would like it to be as versatile as possible, but I like the results Joel gets in the video.

Are there other MUST HAVE modifiers for this application?

B



Nov 09, 2013 at 12:03 PM
blutch
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p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · Choosing a beauty dish


Looking at the Mola dishes.. I know they are very good, but the price is considerably higher than the Buff dishes. I assume there is a good reason for that?


Nov 09, 2013 at 12:17 PM
Gregg Heckler
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p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · Choosing a beauty dish


Spend the money and get the Mola, you won't regret it. Plus if you don't use it you can sell it for almost what you paid for it. When you want to control the light spread then use a grid not another dish. There are 3rd party grid makers for Mola like Honey Grids so you can save money there. But if you want real quality beauty light then get the Mola. Check out Mola's site for examples, there are plenty there and on You Tube to convince you.

Another very popular, versatile modifier for beauty would be the Elinchrom 39" Deep Octa. Elinchrom now makes speed rings for other manufacturers. You can never go wrong with a Deep Octa.



Nov 09, 2013 at 07:21 PM
blutch
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p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · Choosing a beauty dish


I have a 7' Umbrella coming too which will give me some very soft light. I will look into the Deep Octa.

Ok now.. which Mola?

B



Nov 09, 2013 at 07:33 PM
Gregg Heckler
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p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · Choosing a beauty dish


The two are completely different modifiers for different looks. I would start with the Mola 22" Demi. It's probably all you'll ever need. Get a white one unless you like crispier light and shoot models with great skin, or have your own personal make-up artist.


Nov 09, 2013 at 07:41 PM
blutch
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p.1 #6 · p.1 #6 · Choosing a beauty dish


Gregg, can you explain the difference in "looks" from the 22" Demi and the 7' umbrella and an extra large Buff softlight? Thanks - B


Dec 02, 2013 at 08:53 AM
Gregg Heckler
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p.1 #7 · p.1 #7 · Choosing a beauty dish


A beauty dish is going to give you a little harder, more specular light than a very large umbrella. Also a beauty dish with a sock is really a small softbox. So if your goal is soft light you're better off with soft boxes. And by the way, bounce umbrellas don't necessarily equate to soft light. They throw a lot of light but it isn't always soft unless you can get it very close. Now a shoot through umbrella is a different story.

While a BD can have a wide spread of light it's how quickly that light falls off when placed close the subject that makes it special compared to other modifiers. It's going to be easier to control for lighting just faces or 3/4 shots with or without a grid. A huge umbrella is going to provide a light of light that goes everywhere good for full body or multiple people shots. A big softbox will give you a much softer light than either the dish or the umbrella.

While a beauty dish is not reserved to head shots or portraits if this is not your goal for its use, you may not need or want one. It's also nice for outdoor portraits or full body stuff or as a fill light with a large softbox. But as far as BD's are concerned Mola is wonderful, especially with grid.



Dec 03, 2013 at 12:51 AM
blutch
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p.1 #8 · p.1 #8 · Choosing a beauty dish


Head shots and portraits are my goal. I think the BD would give me some variety in my modifiers. I'm not actually sure if I have a shoot through or bounce umbrella.. I've been using it has a bounce umbrella with a diffuser... this is the model: http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/755546-REG/Westcott_4632_7_Parabolic_Umbrella_White.html

The large softbox I have is this one: http://www.paulcbuff.com/fsb.php the giant.

B



Dec 03, 2013 at 01:03 AM





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