Interfit Umbrella Box

Bryce Wilson

This kind of looks too good to be true for use with a speedlight. Has anyone used this item with a shoe mount flash and how did it perform?

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/686037-REG/Interfit_INT383_Umbrella_Box_with_8mm.html

ZBlack

That does look pretty cool, and real cheap. I'd be curious to hear some thoughts on it as well.

divamum

Looks like a "backwards" Photek Softliter (one of my favorite speedlight modifiers, fwiw).

I can't see any reason why it wouldn't work with a speedlight - the Photek is great with one, and brollyboxes have been around for awhile. Given the low cost, seems like it might be worth it if it's a modifier you need.

ziggy53

I use shoot-through umbrellas a fair amount of the time. This is a variation that reduces rear spill and stray light. For that matter, you could just use a standard convertible umbrella in shoot-through configuration and drape the back to achieve the same results.

Since it is still a single-diffusion device, it will tend to be "hotter" in the center than towards the edges. Some folks use a diffusion dome to help even out the pattern. I often just use a wide-angle panel on the flash to give a better light spread from the flash.

For a head shot or head-and-shoulders or smaller product work this is often a pretty good diffuser. I do suggest that for 3/4 length and especially full-length portraits a larger diffuser is in order, and I use both a 60" shoot-through and a SoftLighter II 60" at close range, as well as a pair of 36" square softboxes.

A smaller umbrella can also be useful for a fill light.

Umbrellas, including this device, are measured by the distance along the ribs, from tip to tip. As such, while this is called a 40" device, the "face" that it presents to the subject is similar to a 24" square softbox.

Bryce Wilson

Thanks for the heads up folks!

I'm sure glad you explained the way they measure size on these Zigster. It is much smaller than I would have expected.