Hi bobbyz, I had the same consideration, and I almost got the Photoflex frames because they have white/black, which is ideal, IMO.
I ended up liking the size of the Calumet frames more than the Photoflex frames(Calumet frames are slightly bigger) and I got five 42x78 inch frames, and one 42x42 inch frame, with two translucent fabrics, four silver/black fabrics, and another translucent for the square 42x42 inch frame.
The quality of the fabric seems to be okay to me.
The frames aren't the easiest thing in the world to setup, but sometimes they almost setup by themselves from the shock cord, and then you snap the pieces into place. Not a big deal.
Taking them down can be difficult. Sometimes the pieces won't come out, even with a lot of force, and you have to disconnect one end before you disconnect another end (it's hard to explain) but it works eventually.
There are clips that you can use to connect frames together. I like to use 3 frames to make a giant triangle softbox (two translucent on one panel, silver/black on the other two) that you can bounce a strobe inside of it, which makes a very large light source.
There are also clamps that connect from the top of a light stand to the frame. I personally think they're kind of crappy, and wobbly, and they do the job, but I use two super clamps connected together, one end on the column of a stand, the other end on the frame. It doesn't take much to hold them, they're not heavy or anything.
If you get them, be sure to keep the plastic bags that they come in if you don't have a bag to put them in because the shock cord makes the frame want to connect itself together. They also have a travel carrying case you can get.
I never used them outdoors, so you'll need assistants or good grip setups to hold them in place with stands/sandbags if it's windy. I've only used them indoors so far. Sorry!
I think they're great, and they're certainly affordable.
I know we've got black/white and black/silver covers in the studio...they're older ones, but I thought they were still making them. Black/white is fine if you're going to own multiple ones and use them together as v-flats, but otherwise it's not nearly as valuable as black, white and silver are on their own. I tend to need one or the other of those surfaces, but it's rare that I need a specific combination of them. I'll use the diffusion cover outdoors as either a diffuser or reflector - it's still efficient enough that I don't feel I need an opaque white cover for location work.
I have no problem using mine outdoors, when held by an assistant. I wouldn't just plop it on the ground and expect it to stay there, even with sandbags unless it was at a very low angle. I'd also recommend using the crossbar outdoors, as it really adds to the structural rigidity.
The old, discontinued Bogen Lightform panel system was 42x78" and had single black, and single white/translucent fabrics, along with black/white I think. So there might be some old Lightform fabrics on eBay every once in a while that can be used with the Calumet system. That system was PVC and they setup really easily.
Why they were disontinued is beyond me, because I still think that system is better than that new "Skylite" system that all the professionals use.
Calumet basically copied the old Lightform system (thanks Calumet) with the exception of the fabric combinations.
Black/white fabric is called "super opaque." You might have better luck finding under that name. The Calumet frames are great in a studio, but leave a lot to be desired outside where only metal works. Chimera makes frames too and might be worth looking in to. If you are serious about light panels I would start with Scrim Jim, California Sunbounce or Chimera.
bigreen505 wrote:
Black/white fabric is called "super opaque." You might have better luck finding under that name. The Calumet frames are great in a studio, but leave a lot to be desired outside where only metal works. Chimera makes frames too and might be worth looking in to. If you are serious about light panels I would start with Scrim Jim, California Sunbounce or Chimera.
Thanks.
California Sunbounce is out of budget.
Regarding Scrim Jim, I assume this is the Westcott one you talking about?
Regarding Scrim Jim, I assume this is the Westcott one you talking about?
I have a selection of all of the major frames. I have CA Sunbounce, Scrim Jim, Calumet, Lightform, and Lastolite. I much prefer the design and flexibility of the Scrim Jims from Westcott to all the rest. I'd like the Lastolites better if they broke down on the corners instead of 1/3 of the way up the side(hard to disassemble yourself) The CA Sunbounce is great with the exception of the fabric covering the corners. All the fabrics I have for mine wear out very quickly unless you insure they never touch the ground. The Lightform are not durable enough to take outside on a windy day and the Calumet aluminum frames were to heavy compared to Scrim Jim and CA Sunbounce. I kinda want to try Chimera, but I can't justify another system.
"
Calumet basically copied the old Lightform system (thanks Calumet) with the exception of the fabric combinations. "
It is quite likely that either Bogen decided to stop distributing Lightforms so Calumet's parent company bought Lightforms and now sells them under the Calumet label, or that Bogen made the decision to drop the product instead of competing with one of their largest customers. Besides Lightforms was far from the first company to come up with the idea.
I also have ScrimJims and they are great but I now prefer the Chimera Panel Frames - -easier to transport and assemble / disassemble for starters -- smaller when collapsed as well.
bigreen505 wrote:
The Calumet frames are great in a studio, but leave a lot to be desired outside where only metal works.
The newer Calumet frames are aluminum, not PVC...at least the one I bought a few months ago was. It was also only $90 or so with a white cover, not including feet or crossbar. I've used the older PVC ones too (we've got two of them in our studio) and they're a totally different durability.
It's not super-sturdy like the Matthews system, due to the collapsible nature of it and the shock cord running through the hollow core, but I've had no problems using it outdoors in light wind.
bigreen505 wrote:
Black/white fabric is called "super opaque." You might have better luck finding under that name. The Calumet frames are great in a studio, but leave a lot to be desired outside where only metal works. Chimera makes frames too and might be worth looking in to. If you are serious about light panels I would start with Scrim Jim, California Sunbounce or Chimera.
Super opaque is only in the old PVC 30x30" square size, not 42x42, or 42x78.
BTW, Calumet frames are all aluminum and rock solid. I have one old PVC frame, and man is it easy to set up and take down, but yeah, it's pretty flimsy.
They also have a travel carrying case you can get.