I just sold an AB ring flash. I don't do fashion and unlike my Einsteins, it won't pop 10 times a second. That rapid recycle is something I like about Einsteins and usually go for 6 fps and it never fails. A beauty dish is between a bare head and a small soft box in degree of hardness. I like it for anyone with good skin and cheekbones. I call it my cheekbone light. I have tried all combinations and examined the results side by side including, bare bd, bd with grid, bd with sock, bd with sock over grid and bd with sock under grid. The last is what I like. It helps contain spill from contaminating my background and I like the degree of softness it gives. However, to keep the grid from falling out, I used A clamps on the edge of the dish a bit over half way around and none on the lower portion of the dish to keep the clamps out of the shot. Hence I call it Sputnik. Lots of folks like near camera axis fill because it fills the shadows the camera sees. Can't get more on camera than around the lens. I prefer on nose axis fill as if the nose is not on camera axis, it also helps keep fill off the bg. On camera access fill tends do aim the fill at the bg. On nose axis fill in tight also creates more fall off down the head for more depth.
