Honeycomb grids....

Hacker

Hacker

TPer Emeritus
Suspended / Banned
Messages
7,625
Name
Colin
Edit My Images
Yes
....what do they do, what sort of lighting effect do you get from them and what type of shoot/situation would you use them for? I've seen them for studio lights and am now seeing more and more for speedlights.
 
They help to focus light into one direction, effectively narrowing the spread of light

You may use them to highlight the back of someone's hair, without spilling light onto their shoulders too; or to light the back of someone without flaring into the lens, a bit like flags only more controlled; or you may use them to create a spread of light onto a background to give various gradient effects, especially if coloured gels are also added

They come in a range of angles measured in degrees relating to how much they reduce the spread of light, but they aren't the same as snoots which can create a 'spotlight'

Any help? :shrug:

DD
 
Hacker said:
....what do they do, what sort of lighting effect do you get from them and what type of shoot/situation would you use them for? I've seen them for studio lights and am now seeing more and more for speedlights.
Click to expand...


You'd use a grid to soften the edges of your light although I can never remember if it's big or small holes which feather it more or less.
On a speedlight they're often combined into a snoot/grid so you end up with tightly controlled but soft edged light spots.
 
I don't know anything about the ones for speedlights, my guess is that they work about as (in)effectively as other speedlight accessories.

On studio lights, they are, as the name suggests, a honecomb design. The light shoots through and is prevented from spreading out (much) because the light is forced through the holes, instead of just going everywhere.

They're used in a number of ways
1. To put a splash of light on a background (bright in the centre, darkening rapidly towards the edges
2. To light selectively, for example to light the hair only
3. As a backlight, so that the design stops spare light from striking the lens (but see note below on angles)
4. As a hard light within a soft light, sort of like a poor man's fresnel spot, placed in front of say a softbox to produce hard lighting on a face, at the same time producing soft lighting from the softbox
5. As a rimlight, illuminating just an edge

They are available in a range of different angles, from around 40 deg to 3 deg. I have them in 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30 & 40 deg but the popular ones are around 15-20 deg. The very narrow angle ones are mainly for commercial photography and I've only found them in The States.

Basically, with a 10 deg honeycomb fitted, the light can be pointing towards the camera without causing flare proided that it's pointing off at least 10 deg.
 
Garry Edwards said:
I don't know anything about the ones for speedlights, my guess is that they work about as (in)effectively as other speedlight accessories.

On studio lights, they are, as the name suggests, a honecomb design. The light shoots through and is prevented from spreading out (much) because the light is forced through the holes, instead of just going everywhere.

They're used in a number of ways
1. To put a splash of light on a background (bright in the centre, darkening rapidly towards the edges
2. To light selectively, for example to light the hair only
3. As a backlight, so that the design stops spare light from striking the lens (but see note below on angles)
4. As a hard light within a soft light, sort of like a poor man's fresnel spot, placed in front of say a softbox to produce hard lighting on a face, at the same time producing soft lighting from the softbox
5. As a rimlight, illuminating just an edge

They are available in a range of different angles, from around 40 deg to 3 deg. I have them in 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30 & 40 deg but the popular ones are around 15-20 deg. The very narrow angle ones are mainly for commercial photography and I've only found them in The States.

Basically, with a 10 deg honeycomb fitted, the light can be pointing towards the camera without causing flare proided that it's pointing off at least 10 deg.
Click to expand...


That's a longer version of what I said, perhaps I just typed quicker too :lol:

DD
 
Thanks for all the replies, I'll come up with another question tomorrow. ;)

:thumbs:
 
Merovingian said:
What are people generally using for a background [fashion] light - 30deg?
Click to expand...
No real answer to that one - depends on the effect wanted and the amount of space available.
 
Hmmm. Plenty of space. For head/shoulder portrait.

Sounds like a job for a set perhaps.

Damn Swiss pricing!
 
Merovingian said:
Hmmm. Plenty of space. For head/shoulder portrait.

Sounds like a job for a set perhaps.

Damn Swiss pricing!
Click to expand...

Ah, the dreaded Elinchrom accessory prices:'(

The good news is that their standard reflector takes standard 7" honeycombs, so you don't need to pay their prices;)
 
Merovingian said:
By standard, I assume you mean s-fit?
Click to expand...

No, most honeycombs are circular disks that simply fit into the front of a standard reflector. The Elinchrom standard reflector is 7" diameter, the same as the standard reflectors from most other manufacturers, so you can use any honeycomb from any manufacturer as long as it has a diameter of 7".
 
I really want to get a honeycomb attachment for one of my Lencarta lights, I really love the effect they give and are quite often used in the beauty field.
 
Garry Edwards said:
Ah, the dreaded Elinchrom accessory prices:'(

The good news is that their standard reflector takes standard 7" honeycombs, so you don't need to pay their prices;)
Click to expand...

Hi Garry

Which one of the Elinchrom reflectors is the standard one? Can you point me in the right direction for some reasonably priced honeycombs

Cheers

TIA
 
The Elinchrom Standard reflector measures 7" diameter and has a lip fitted to it.

Worth looking on Ebay for them, or just google 7" honeycomb grid. I see that Warehouse Express have a few, all a bit pricey IMO
 
I was considering making one by buying some grid mesh and cutting it to shape so I can attach it on to the reflector, that'll be cheaper and i'm sure it will be effective... I cant afford to spend that kinda money at the mo!
 
Garry Edwards said:
The Elinchrom Standard reflector measures 7" diameter and has a lip fitted to it.

Worth looking on Ebay for them, or just google 7" honeycomb grid. I see that Warehouse Express have a few, all a bit pricey IMO
Click to expand...

Cheers for that:thumbs:
 
I take it that the 7" reflector you're talking about is the 18cm reflector in 'new money?' Presumably in this instance 7" and 18cm are used interchangeably and this is a standard industry size or do I need to be careful regards ill fitting grids?

Thanks
 
Yes, same thing.

Honeycombs are a bit undersize and have a spring steel clip, so the fit isn't critical
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top