I am in the market for a beauty dish. I am wondering if folks with experience can give me any comments pro or con on the 22 inch Kacey BD vs the Paul C Buff BD.
I am curious to hear from folks who have used them.
I've only used the new alienbee white BD and the Mola. The Alienbee is really harsh IMO and will give you specular highlights. I don't like to use it without a sock. Mola BD is perfect.
Jim Heine wrote:
I've only used the new alienbee white BD and the Mola. The Alienbee is really harsh IMO and will give you specular highlights. I don't like to use it without a sock. Mola BD is perfect.
For the record, specular subjects produce specular highlights.
Go with the Kacey. The wave design is what sets it, Mola and other quality BD's apart from the regular "bowl" shapped dishes. I'm not sure on the exact science of the wave design, but I do know it pushes more light forward with more surface material facing forward, where the bowl design is just one big slope. I would call Jerry (owner of Kacey BD's) and ask him more about it... or heck, call Mola and ask them about the wave design. They will tell you more then I can.
What I do know about is the build quality of the Kacey. The build quality of it is absolutley amazing. Its super super light weight, and made of this hard and resiliant plastic (nothing that feels like it can crack easily). Perhaps if you jump on it, sure it will break, but otherwise, during a shoot I toss it aside, sometimes literally without worrying about dings and dents a metal dish will give you.
I also own the Mola Setti and I will not just toss that aside due to the material its made of. It will ding up - and so will the PCB dishes.
So the Kacey has Mola light quality, even graduated light spread, and is made of a seemingly indistrucable (within reason) material.
Well worth the $150 or so over the $80-$90 PCB Dish.
Tom K. wrote:
Thank you m.shalaby. I'm getting the Kacey. Also his grid and sock.
Great choice. Not only does the Kacey dish have a much better build quality, but it has a *much* nicer shape than the current Buff BD (which seems to be a glorified oversized pie pan).
I think you can't go wrong with the Kacey, Speedotron, and Mola dishes.
onetrack wrote:
Put the sock on any of these and it's just a round soft box.
That's OK if that's what you're after.
I'll use it bare and with the grid the vast majority of times. It's good to have a sock though. Just take off the grid and put on the sock for a completely different look and it takes mere seconds. Versatility is a good thing.
