I'm interested in hearing from people who have first-hand experience with the Elinchrom 17" Minisoft beauty dish. What do you think, would you buy it again, etc, etc.

Let me explain where I stand: I have recently purchased a Ranger system for my location shoots. I also already have the Deep Throat, which is a wonderful modifier and simulates a large beauty dish quite well, but...

... a lot of my location shoots are head and shoulder type portraits, with the occasional full length shot. The Deep Octa (and the 53" Octa which I use for some things) can be a pain to set up on location. Not only that, but it just loves to catch the wind and try to tip the light over! Not a problem when there's an assistant holding onto the stand, but a pain when I'm on my own.

Now, I know that some of you set up softboxes everywhere you go, and that's great - for you! Since I tend to use the Deep Throat to simulate a beauty dish a lot of the time, I'm wondering whether I wouldn't be better-off just buying the real thing! It would save a lot of setup hassles on location a lot of the time, and I will still have the Deep Octa and the 53" Octa in the car anyway, so they'll be there when I need them. I'm thinking of getting the smaller version, since the Deep Octa is my large beauty dish, if that makes sense.

Now, I'm hoping that folks who use the smaller Elinchrom beauty dish will pipe up in here, and tell me what they think of it. I'm sure it will be wonderful for the close-up portraits that I have in mind for it, but what does it look like on a full-length shot? Would that be putting it too far away from the subject to be effective? I know about the theoretical sweet spot for a beauty dish, but has anyone broken the rules? What did it look like?? Please post any samples you have, using the 17" dish.

OK, let me have it. Don't be shy!

Yeah, I have done the same thing... Using a DO as a sort of BD replacement. Fine for inside my studio... but a little cumbersome outside. Besides that, can the DO really replace a BD? As far as the quality of light goes I mean...

I was thinking of getting a Mola BD some time this year and use it with an adapter on my Ranger/RX's. But these Mola's are huge as well.

So maybe an Elinchrom BD is better regarding size...

Then there is the choice between silver/white and different deflectors...

In other words: TAG

Daan B wrote:
In other words: TAG



Well, at least I know I want a white one, so that part is easy.

I have the 17" but have not used it all that much and after looking at the resurrected "looking for beauty dish effects" I realise that I do not have a clue how to use it or my old Bowens BD for that matter. I have them mostly used them too far from the model

I too have the DO and it did catch the wind on my one outdoor shoot with the ranger (luckily I had a MUA as an anchor ) so I can certainly see why you are looking at a BD.

One thing I find a pain with the Elinchrom is the reflector that mounts to the head rather than being fixed to the BD itself. I prefer my bowens fixed set-up as I always know where it is and it feels like the elinchrom reflector will eventually break after mounting and dismounting it from it's pole.

I think I have the silver one and don't remember why

To quote Daan "TAG"

Why is it that questions about beauty dishes usually remain unanswered?

OK Rudi, as agreed per PM here's an indoor shot with BD light from a Ranger AS. I have the larger size BD because I usually get the largest size of most things

Looks good to me! Thanks Anna!