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Archive 2015 · Tell me your "the one for desert island" light modifier.

  
 
mrproxy
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p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · Tell me your "the one for desert island" light modifier.


Hi,

I am using small speedlights for portraits and I own two Elinchrom strobes for larger projects. Last weekend I rented one Profoto B1 for a midday out in field photoshoot. B1 is amazing piece of equipment. I am ordering one B1 head for me, to replace speedlights on simple portrait assignments. Plus to get possibility to shoot at middle of day.

The B1 came with noname collapsible 70cm beauty dish + front screen + grid. That was a good solution for field. Lightweight.
Usually I am using umbrella type octabox with front panel for my portraits. Thats my primary selection of light modifier.

So I was wondering maybe you could tell me what light modifier would be the one if you had to go to desert island with one light? What is your number one choice for one light portraits

Thanks and have a nice day.

Janis



Jul 07, 2015 at 09:15 AM
Steve Wylie
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p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · Tell me your "the one for desert island" light modifier.


For me, my go-to modifier for outdoor portraits is a small collapsible shoot-through umbrella.



Jul 07, 2015 at 10:58 AM
Mark_L
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p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · Tell me your "the one for desert island" light modifier.


22" white kasey beauty dish. I shoot 90% with this.

The BD look in close with soft edged but distinct shadows when pulled back. On location: no real set-up time, can be knocked around (plastic) and my profoto acuteb2 600 pack is enough to stop it falling over in a almost all winds.




Jul 07, 2015 at 01:35 PM
markd61
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p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · Tell me your "the one for desert island" light modifier.


Zack Arias has a great post on using a single umbrella. He has a lot of great advice on inexpensive gear and how to maximize minimal lighting gear.

I use a 30" white umbrella. Cheap, good soft light when close, harder when further away.
Also indoors the spill through the back helps add fill.
What you have at the moment will work very well. The B-1 is a tool many would choose for location work and as such you need to remember portability and ease of setup.
Many different modifiers look different, softboxes, beauty dishes, umbrellas etc. In the end they generally look similar given comparable sizes and distances. The differences being silver vs. white reflective surfaces. The rest is mostly spill control (grids, recessed faces).

There are various sites where you can see side by side comparisons and it is surprising how similar they are.



Jul 07, 2015 at 10:02 PM
nolaguy
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p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · Tell me your "the one for desert island" light modifier.


Elinchrom's 53" octa. Period. The quality of light is in the 95th percentile or better, it can be made harsh if you wish, it can do full length and small groups, the catch lights are nicer than my rectangular boxes, it's large enough to rock big and small enough to not break the bank. Flag or mask it if you want a smaller effect. The only shortcoming is it's not super directional even when flagged. But it's not as all over the place as an umbrella.

Regards,

Chuck



Jul 07, 2015 at 10:27 PM
Gregg Heckler
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p.1 #6 · p.1 #6 · Tell me your "the one for desert island" light modifier.


Elinchrom 39" Deep Octa.


Jul 07, 2015 at 10:48 PM
nolaguy
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p.1 #7 · p.1 #7 · Tell me your "the one for desert island" light modifier.


Gregg Heckler wrote:
Elinchrom 39" Deep Octa.


Hey Gregg,

I was about the pull the trigger on that one and then saw the impending Litemotiv softboxes.

What do you like about the 39 and are you interested at all in the new LM's?




Jul 07, 2015 at 11:00 PM
rico
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p.1 #8 · p.1 #8 · Tell me your "the one for desert island" light modifier.


Profoto Magnum: 13" dish with hard, bright light. Interior has a pebbled finish to generate a smooth pool of light, and to eliminate double shadows.





Jul 08, 2015 at 12:23 AM
tcphoto
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p.1 #9 · p.1 #9 · Tell me your "the one for desert island" light modifier.


The Elinchrom Indirect Octa's are my favorite modifiers. For years the 74" Elinchrom was my first choice but when it came time to retire it, I bought a Profoto 150cm Octa and it just didn't do it for me. Besides, mount it on a boom and it doubles as a beach umbrella.


Jul 08, 2015 at 08:31 AM
Gregg Heckler
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p.1 #10 · p.1 #10 · Tell me your "the one for desert island" light modifier.


Chuck,

My suggestion for the 39 Deep Octa is based on the OP's desire for something for field use. I think it's the best blend of size, portability, and light quality. The new Litemotive's look fantastic but but I'm not sure how easy they would be to use in the field unless you have the time or an assistant.

I would also add that I really love my Mola Demi and Profoto Umbrella Deep for field use, but the OP wanted a "Desert Island" choice. IMO I think the Deep Octa, 27" or 39" is that solution.



Jul 08, 2015 at 11:36 AM
nolaguy
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p.1 #11 · p.1 #11 · Tell me your "the one for desert island" light modifier.


Gregg, thanks for your reply. I wasn't challenging it or the fit for Janis' query - I should have made that clear. To further burn your time - and sorry if it's derailing the thread - I just really wanted your thoughts on the 39. I've coveted it for a couple of years and as I said, was just about to order it when I noticed the Litemotiv's.

How do you use the 39 Deep Octa and why?

The difference in price between the two - are we just paying for the rounder catch lights do you think?

Your thoughts, if you'd be so kind?



Jul 08, 2015 at 08:16 PM
Gregg Heckler
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p.1 #12 · p.1 #12 · Tell me your "the one for desert island" light modifier.


I typically use the Deep Octa for Portraiture but that's about it. It's pretty hard to screw up with this modifier. I like to to feather it a bit. If I am doing strictly butterfly lighting I use the Mola Demi though. Both produce beautiful light and I think their success attests to that, with Elinchrom and other light brand users. I like to use The Octa also with just the internal diffuser for a little harder light and less spill. I confess I have all the Elinchrom Softlite diffusers but don't use them much with my softboxes. I've seen some nice images with the Deep Octa and the silver diffuser only.

The Litemotive differs mainly as you know, as they are an indirect modifier which would produce a more even and softer light if needed. The 74" Rotalux has been very popular for years. I think Elinchrom is trying to capitalize like everyone else on the growing popularity of the parabolic shape and craze. Except you can count on the quality and performance. The Litemotive has a much nicer strobe mounting system also. I don't think you can go wrong with one of these if you have the dough. From the Youtube's I've seen the results look great.

The first image is with the 39" Octa, the next with the Mola.












Jul 08, 2015 at 09:50 PM
nolaguy
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p.1 #13 · p.1 #13 · Tell me your "the one for desert island" light modifier.


Thanks, Gregg. I appreciate you taking the time buddy.

And "pretty hard to screw up" is right up my alley...

Regards,

Chuck



Jul 08, 2015 at 10:11 PM
whatpoem
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p.1 #14 · p.1 #14 · Tell me your "the one for desert island" light modifier.


My favorite modifier is my trusty Softlighter II. I have 2 sizes. Love them.


Jul 08, 2015 at 11:35 PM
tdlavigne
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p.1 #15 · p.1 #15 · Tell me your "the one for desert island" light modifier.


Well if you're literal, as in one light to be used on location (in this case, stuck on a desert island): I'd probably opt for a collapsible reflector lol. If I had to use a lighting modifier I'd opt for a 5' octabox, used mostly as fill.

In general, if I could only use one light modifier (as in real world, non-hypothetical usage)? That's a tough one. I tend to use at minimum 3 lights for everything, and as many as 5 or 6 for some things....so no matter what I pick it'd greatly limit me regardless of what it is. For the sake of the game I'd just go with a Profoto Hardbox since it's otherwise harder to replicate with anything else, and is one of the few things that would work well on it's own for some specific things.



Jul 09, 2015 at 03:58 AM





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