Phottix Luna Folding Beauty Dish any good?

russellsnr

russellsnr

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Hi, Looking for an easier option for a portable BD and looking around something like the Phottix Luna is what I want. However some reviewers say that this and others made in the same way are not very robust especially round the plastic push rods.
I have a large Godox octo soft box but trying to put it together quickly is just not possible for one person.
Any views on the Phottix kind of BD?
Thanks
Russ
 
Would the Lencarta be a better option?

better shape (16 poles), grid and converts to softbox all in the one product.

There's one on my shopping list :)
 
Worked perfectly well for me as key light for my profile photo.

Easy to use and set up and seemed reasonably well made to me. I don't have enough experience with others to tell you if there's better available for less.
 
UaeExile said:
Worked perfectly well for me as key light for my profile photo.

Easy to use and set up and seemed reasonably well made to me. I don't have enough experience with others to tell you if there's better available for less.
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The Lencarta is more expensive - but appears much better - IMHO
 
UaeExile said:
Do you have a link phil?
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Their site is down today :(
But it's in the 'new products' section. Looks really good, 16 ribs, easy setup, comes with a reversible deflector, grid and softbox front too. I think the 90cm one is £100
 
I thought the middle one was 90cm but it seems it's 80 (probably why I haven't hit buy sooner.
But it's a great range with 60, 80 and 120cm, there's an OK Youtube vid with someone using the 120.
 
Saw the YT video with the 120cm on but looks rather big for the Godox AD360's thinking the 80cm a better bet?
 
russellsnr said:
Saw the YT video with the 120cm on but looks rather big for the Godox AD360's thinking the 80cm a better bet?
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I'll be getting the 80cm, but the AD360 would fill a 120cm I use a 120 Octa sometimes with mine.
 
russellsnr said:
Hi, is it this one? http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/80cm-Fold...oto-fitting-/331949780181?hash=item4d49bfacd5
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That's it. Agree with Phil - good product, fairly priced in a range of useful sizes with interchangeable mounts. I've been using the 80cm silver version - well made and robust with 16 solid metal rods, easy to put up/down,* very versatile with the double-diffuser options and detachable deflector, plus grid. Decent bag too :thumbs:

*I put the tiniest smear of oil on the rod locks, makes them pop in and out nicely.
 
Finally, someone's ripped off the excellent Rotalux speed ring. Can't believe it hasn't been done before.
 
Phil V said:
The mechanism is the same, the actual speedring (mount) is different for Bowens.
The one in Tony's post is S type as far as I can tell
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Thanks Phil, could be the perfect location option, though I have the 70 deep octa which will do for me.
 
Livin The Dream said:
Thanks Phil, could be the perfect location option, though I have the 70 deep octa which will do for me.
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I've got a couple of 80cm options and a 120cm Octa and a smaller BD, I think this could replace my BD and one of the 80cm softboxes so I can rationalise a bit.
 
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Phil V said:
I've got a couple of 80cm options and a 120cm Octa and a smaller BD, I think this could replace my BD and one of the 80cm softboxes so I can rationalise a bit.
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You can never have enough Phil. Studio accessories are a bit addictive!
 
Livin The Dream said:
Finally, someone's ripped off the excellent Rotalux speed ring. Can't believe it hasn't been done before.
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PPPPP said:
Wonder if it was under patent?
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That opening mechanism was in fact developed, many years ago, by the factory that makes our folding beauty dishes for us. It was orginally used for their octa softboxes.
Phil V said:
I thought the middle one was 90cm but it seems it's 80 (probably why I haven't hit buy sooner.
But it's a great range with 60, 80 and 120cm, there's an OK Youtube vid with someone using the 120.
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If it's any help, the 120cm one is pretty massive when used as a beauty dish, I doubt whether very many people have a real need for that size, and this is reflected in the sales, with the 80cm being the most popular by far, followed by the 60cm, with the 120cm ones probably mainly selling because they're dual use, and people like big softboxes.
 
Not surprising really Garry, as they're marketed as beauty dishes - not even listed under softboxes on Lencarta website. Selling yourself short IMHO ;)
 
HoppyUK said:
Not surprising really Garry, as they're marketed as beauty dishes - not even listed under softboxes on Lencarta website. Selling yourself short IMHO ;)
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Fair point.
We're launching a brand new website over the weekend. If we have enough stock of these beauty dishes left early next week we'll add them to the softboxes page too. I've been reluctant to do so on our current website because the present system doesn't get updated by Ebay and Amazon sales, which means that up to now there has been a danger of overselling fast moving products - and these new folding beauty dishes are certainly moving fast:)
 
Garry Edwards said:
Fair point.
We're launching a brand new website over the weekend. If we have enough stock of these beauty dishes left early next week we'll add them to the softboxes page too. I've been reluctant to do so on our current website because the present system doesn't get updated by Ebay and Amazon sales, which means that up to now there has been a danger of overselling fast moving products - and these new folding beauty dishes are certainly moving fast:)
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launching a brand new website!!! does this special offers???:D
 
russellsnr said:
launching a brand new website!!! does this special offers???:D
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I'm not allowed to advertise on here, so if you're an existing customer you'll get the newsletter, if you're not then you can look at our FB page on Monday
 
Hi Garry

Sorry are there any link to how these open and close or are they just like the Profold Softbox?

Thank you
 
I think you can see both from the general photo of the inside, here and below
2.jpg

and from the cu of the rod fitting below.
3.jpg

You're seeing it erected, with the rods locked in position.
When it's closed, the rods are at 90 degrees upwards - simply swivel each rod to the position shown and push it home into its hole.
Nothing like as fast as the ProFold softboxes, but still pretty fast, and very secure. It's a new product but an old, well proven method and I doubt whether they will ever wear out.
 
russellsnr said:
Hi, OK I no my original question was about a beauty dish but after doing a lot of research on-line I have gone and just purchased the last 120cm Profold Folding Octa Softbox from the Ebay site but question! If you do not use the inner baffle could you make a white disc reflector and set it inside to turn the softbox into a large beauty dish?
Thanks
Russ
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No, that one's just a softbox, in the sense that there isn't a deflector available for it. It would be a simple matter for most people (which doesn't include me :) ) to make one, but although I haven't tried doing so I'm pretty sure that the built in deflector would get in the way, in the sense that it would stop a large % of the light from reaching it
 
russellsnr said:
Hi, OK I no my original question was about a beauty dish but after doing a lot of research on-line I have gone and just purchased the last 120cm Profold Folding Octa Softbox from the Ebay site but question! If you do not use the inner baffle could you make a white disc reflector and set it inside to turn the softbox into a large beauty dish?
Thanks
Russ
Click to expand...

You'd have to mess about with it and experiment (possibly a lot!) and may find that the Profold mechanism inhibits performance and options, and that's assuming it's reasonably close to a decent parabolic curve in the first place. The fact that it has eight sides instead of 16 won't help though TBH all this parabolic stuff is a very inexact science in practise, this side of a proper focusing parabolic eg 165cm Lencarta http://www.lencarta.com/studio-lighting/light-shapers/jumbopara-giant-reflector The deflector plate needs to be at a calculated distance and you'd need to experiment with size and maybe shape/curve too for best results.

But why not just get a Lencarta 120cm Folding Beauty Dish in the first place? Job done, and it's a good/versatile softbox too http://www.lencarta.com/studio-lighting/beauty-dishes?product_id=454

Edit: there are other/smaller focusing parabolics about, eg Selens, search Amazon/ebay. Good ones are all deep and need a bit of working room. Other options might include a parabolic umbrella, eg Phottix or Westcott etc. Reading between the lines though, look at that Lencarta 120cm Folding Beauty Dish first ;)
 
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HoppyUK said:
You'd have to mess about with it and experiment (possibly a lot!) and may find that the Profold mechanism inhibits performance and options, and that's assuming it's reasonably close to a decent parabolic curve in the first place. The fact that it has eight sides instead of 16 won't help though TBH all this parabolic stuff is a very inexact science in practise, this side of a proper focusing parabolic eg 165cm Lencarta http://www.lencarta.com/studio-lighting/light-shapers/jumbopara-giant-reflector The deflector plate needs to be at a calculated distance and you'd need to experiment with size and maybe shape too for best results.

But why not just get a Lencarta 120cm Folding Beauty Dish in the first place? Job done, and it's a good softbox too http://www.lencarta.com/studio-lighting/beauty-dishes?product_id=454

Edit: there are other/smaller focusing parabolics about, eg Selens, search Amazon/ebay. Good ones are all deep and need a bit of working room. Other options might include a parabolic umbrella, eg Phottix or Westcott etc.
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Good point about our JumboPara which is indeed a proper focussing parabolic - but do you know how few of those we've actually sold? We're going to have a massive party when the last one goes, but I'm getting old now and may not be alive to join in :)
Perhaps we should increase the price by £7400 and put a fanboy brand name on it, it would then probably sell...

At the end of the day, the reality is that most people don't have a large enough studio space to accommodate really big lighting tools, and usually don't appreciate their capabilities either. A certain level of knowledge is also needed to get the best out of any focussing tool, but for something like fashion photography, where the model is dancing around and multiple shots are needed, they not only save an enormous amount of time, they also produce results that are unique.
 
HoppyUK said:
You'd have to mess about with it and experiment (possibly a lot!) and may find that the Profold mechanism inhibits performance and options, and that's assuming it's reasonably close to a decent parabolic curve in the first place. The fact that it has eight sides instead of 16 won't help though TBH all this parabolic stuff is a very inexact science in practise, this side of a proper focusing parabolic eg 165cm Lencarta http://www.lencarta.com/studio-lighting/light-shapers/jumbopara-giant-reflector The deflector plate needs to be at a calculated distance and you'd need to experiment with size and maybe shape/curve too for best results.

But why not just get a Lencarta 120cm Folding Beauty Dish in the first place? Job done, and it's a good/versatile softbox too http://www.lencarta.com/studio-lighting/beauty-dishes?product_id=454

Edit: there are other/smaller focusing parabolics about, eg Selens, search Amazon/ebay. Good ones are all deep and need a bit of working room. Other options might include a parabolic umbrella, eg Phottix or Westcott etc. Reading between the lines though, look at that Lencarta 120cm Folding Beauty Dish first ;)
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Looked at them but afraid the price kinda put me off, as I live outside the UK the total cost would have been £150 all in where the 120cm Lencata Profold only cost £93 all in, quite a big differance!!.
Also already have a 120cm honeycombe grid to fit
Thanks
Russ
 
HoppyUK said:
You'd have to mess about with it and experiment (possibly a lot!) and may find that the Profold mechanism inhibits performance and options, and that's assuming it's reasonably close to a decent parabolic curve in the first place.
Click to expand...
A perfect BD with a true parabolic curve and proper source placement will not focus at all. I've never seen one that was perfect (I'm not certain it's even possible w/ a bare bulb). My BD is very close, but there is a huge variability out there in use. That's why I said "maybe close enough"... I think a lot of people use modifiers w/ very little idea of "how/why" and just go for a pleasing result. And that's all that really matters in the end.

A focusing parabolic is a very versatile tool, but it also has great potential to be used incorrectly.
OK, there really is no such thing as "incorrectly"....
 
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