Beauty Dish - 40 or 70cm?

JackAllTog (e2 Member)

3

10 Feb 2012 - 3:11 PM

• Options
  • Report Error / Abuse

0

Hi there, I've convinced myself i want to try the good contrasty pools of light that may be possible with a Beauty Dish.
I'm also swayed by the comments that an added honeycomb will help keep the light pool controlled.

But I've no real idea how to choose the size of one apart from that the small ones are cheaper and probably for smaller subjects
I'll be using a s-fitting Interfit head and either taking head shots or full length shots.

Is it 40cm for headshots and 70cm for full bodies or are there other factors I should consider?
What sizes do you have and when do you use them?

At £50 to £150 for a shaped piece of tin I don't want to buy more than I need.
Many thanks,
Stuart

JackAllTog (e2 Member)

3

10 Feb 2012 - 6:19 PM

• Options
  • Report Error / Abuse

0

Thanks - i'd go if i could to that and try to get lucky like that too.

I've also now seen this quote
"The 70cm dish gives you a nice broad pool of light whilst staying quite close so that the effect of the beauty dish is at it's best. With the smaller ones to get the same spread, you have to move further away and that changes the quality of the light. Ben, for your studio you definately need the 70cm dish without a shadow of a doubt."

And i also found this supplier site - http://www.lencarta.com/faq/modifiers-beauty-dish
extracted general info quotes "the beauty dish is a very directional light that can be used to accentuate the bone structure and good complexion of a model "
"Typically, the beauty dish is positioned high and square to the model, to create the trademark shadows under the nose, lower lip and chin"

blah, blah, blah - all very good examples actually, esp about honeycombs; but finally back to the size question:

"And the 40cm beauty dish? Well, used at a very close distance ......... the only real difference between the two sizes is that the 40cm version produces a slightly harder light and covers a smaller area.
The difference in size becomes clear when shooting with the beauty dish much further away - the 40cm version cannot produce such a soft light, simply because it is physically smaller. Sometimes a very hard light is required; in a large studio, a 70cm beauty dish can be moved further away to make it smaller relative to the size of the subject, in a small studio this may not be possible, and then the 40cm version comes into its own."

So my summary is that for soft directional light you NEED the 70cm dish - remember its typically mounted up high (so i assume ceiling height may be an issue). The 70mm dish can become effectively smaller if you move it away from the subject, but 40cm will never be soft like 70cm.

So personally i know i need a larger not smaller dish, its just a shame that expensive German engineering seems to be the dominant 3rd party supplier and not a nice local manufacturing company.

Saving now for - a 70cm BD £140, 70cm Honeycomb £100, Diffuser cover £30 - Now that some serious markup for a bit of tin plastic and fabric.

I hope this helps others as well.
Stuart

JackAllTog (e2 Member)

3

10 Feb 2012 - 6:22 PM

• Options
  • Report Error / Abuse

0

Thanks Simon, yes i've seen it before and like the idea of it for speedlite's but was waiting till it became more popular for more real use reviews etc as at the end of the day its a 38 cm soft box too.

JackAllTog (e2 Member)

3

10 Feb 2012 - 8:45 PM

• Options
  • Report Error / Abuse

0

Thanks Michael - I'd never seen that section before

JackAllTog (e2 Member)

3

10 Feb 2012 - 9:00 PM

• Options
  • Report Error / Abuse

0

Thanks also Nick, I've already got some of that from ebay, Re the main Dish - It'll be here Tuesday
I'd better learn fast how to use it well now.

arhb

4

11 Feb 2012 - 7:55 AM

• Options
  • Report Error / Abuse

0

A bigger dish will allow more light to wrap around your subject's face, so whilst you will still get nice shadows below the cheek bones, it won't be too contrasty.
I prefer white to silver.
A boom stand is handy when using a beauty dish, when set up directly infront/above your subject.