Umbrella kit or just an umbrella

Fstoplife

I want to buy an umbrella that I can bring with me on location. I mostly do either natural light or use my speedlight and bounce it, but I think it's time I started getting some serious lighting. I want to start with an umbrella that I can put my speedlight in. Any suggestions on a good kit, if they have one, or just a good brand umbrella to buy??? TIA

divamum

I just got one of these last month and absolutely LOVE it. It's multi-use, too - with the black cover+front diffuser attached, it's close to a softbox, but it can also be used as a bounce OR shoot-thru umbrella. It's a little more expensive, but I wish I'd known about this when I bought my first umbrella - it's SO much more versatile and absolutely worth the extra IMO. The removable shaft is a great design feature, too - you can get it right up close to the subject for maximum softness. I use it with a 430ex speedlight - you have to arrange the sock around the base carefully so it doesn't block the IR signal, but I've had no problems at all getting my flash to fire reliably. It's lightweight, quick to set up and comes with its own carrying case so that everything can be kept together. I'm a very happy camper with mine.....

I would also recommend you budget for a multi-use reflector if you don't yet have one. I have one of those 5-in-1 (silver/gold/black/white/diffuser) and, even though white posterboard is a very cheap and effective solution as well, the dedicated reflector is much more versatile (mine has a dedicated stand, which really helps). FWIW, I still use the posterboard too

All three of these shots were taken using it with cover and diffuser attached (ie as a softbox substitute).

(no significant ambient, just the speedlight+softlighter+white posterboard reflector under her elbows)


(Speedlight+softlighter acting as fill to boost windowlight)


(speedlight+softlighter to camera right; windowlight fill camera left)

Fstoplife

divamum wrote: »

I just got one of these last month and absolutely LOVE it. It's multi-use, too - with the black cover+front diffuser attached, it's close to a softbox, but it can also be used as a bounce OR shoot-thru umbrella. It's a little more expensive, but I wish I'd known about this when I bought my first umbrella - it's SO much more versatile and absolutely worth the extra IMO. The removable shaft is a great design feature, too - you can get it right up close to the subject for maximum softness. I use it with a 430ex speedlight - you have to arrange the sock around the base carefully so it doesn't block the IR signal, but I've had no problems at all getting my flash to fire reliably. I'm a very happy camper with mine.....

I would also recommend you budget for a multi-use reflector if you don't yet have one. I have one of those 5-in-1 (silver/gold/black/white/diffuser) and, even though white posterboard is a very cheap and effective solution as well, the dedicated reflector is much more versatile (mine has a dedicated stand, which really helps). FWIW, I still use the posterboard too

All three of these shots were taken using it with cover and diffuser attached (ie as a softbox substitute).

(no significant ambient, just the speedlight+diffuser+white posterboard reflector under her elbows)


(Speedlight acting as fill to boost windowlight)


(speedlight to camera right; windowlight fill camera left)

Does this come with a stand as well?? It seems like it would be perfect. I have a reflector, but it's gold/silver, and I have a huge piece of foamcore, that I cut down the middle to make it foldable. It was a huge 4' x 8' piece that I had to cut in half, then I cute the half in half, but only a hairline to make it fold, which I then reinforced with masking tape. It works well, I just want to get an umbrella for situations where I have to use indoor the clients house and they have terrible lighting. That umbrella seems like it's exactly what I am looking for!!

divamum

No, no stand. You'll need one of those regardless (and they're pretty cheap - you can sometimes find them for next to nothing on Craigslist, and even new they're not that expensive).

Sounds like with everything else, that will set you up well for your needs.

ziggy53

For either an umbrella or a Softlighter you will typically need both a light stand "and" an umbrella bracket to hold both the flash and the light modifier stem:

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/298709-REG/Impact_3117.html

divamum

Good point Ziggy - forgot to mention that... :hide. Again, you can often find this stuff on Craigslist if you're looking to save pennies, but they're fairly inexpensive new and can be used with future diffusers as well as current purchase.

Art Scott

I like using shoot thru brolly boxes......yes you will need a light stand, umbrella/ speed light
holder + the brolly box, softlighter or umbrella.....my choice for using the brolly is that it doesn't
allow backward spill of the light source and pretty much forces all the light forward out the front of the brolly.
I bought mine from Paul Buff (maker of White Lightning and Alein Bee lighting.....they are now
discontinued but can be purchased off ebay from other reseller.....I would also look at Paul Buffs PLM system....
That is where I am headed in the near future for light modifiers for location and studio work........
I like to work with as large of a modifier as I can for the situation................Good Luck

GadgetRick

Art Scott wrote: »

I like using shoot thru brolly boxes......yes you will need a light stand, umbrella/ speed light
holder + the brolly box, softlighter or umbrella.....my choice for using the brolly is that it doesn't
allow backward spill of the light source and pretty much forces all the light forward out the front of the brolly.
I bought mine from Paul Buff (maker of White Lightning and Alein Bee lighting.....they are now
discontinued but can be purchased off ebay from other reseller.....I would also look at Paul Buffs PLM system....
That is where I am headed in the near future for light modifiers for location and studio work........
I like to work with as large of a modifier as I can for the situation................Good Luck

Been looking at the PLM system for months. Unfortunately, they can't get their act together to provide them. This is my only knock on those folks.

Art Scott

GadgetRick wrote: »

Been looking at the PLM system for months. Unfortunately, they can't get their act together to provide them. This is my only knock on those folks.

This is the 1st product from PCB that has been on BO for such a long time.......but it happens with the cam mfg'ers all the time.....and doesn't seem to hurt them.

GadgetRick

Art Scott wrote: »

This is the 1st product from PCB that has been on BO for such a long time.......but it happens with the cam mfg'ers all the time.....and doesn't seem to hurt them.

The difference is, with the larger manufacturers, they contract out for things quite a bit in advance and they (eventually) come through. I love their stuff and the company but it's unacceptable how this has gone. Every time I call to ask they give me a date farther down the road citing problems with their supplier. Well, isn't it time to find another supplier?

Again, I love their stuff (I use their remote flash triggers and plan to buy strobes from them) but they either need to give up on the PLMs or find another supplier.

divamum

Fstop - this was linked in another thread and you might find it interesting to see how Strobist used a Softlighter for fill outside

http://strobist.blogspot.com/2010/06/on-assignment-soprano.html