Softbox or Beauty Dish

[rigsby1208]

Hi
I'm very interested in adding a new modifier to my current Bowens 500W studio lights. I have a small 60*40 softbox and umbrella, but want something that will produce softer more enveloping light for portraits etc. I was toying with getting a bigger softbox, but seen some shots on a beauty dish which look nice. What are the basic differences I will see between the two?

 

[alexam]

Hi Rigsby,

have a look at the Lencarta site. I have a 70cm beauty dish which is 'white', not silver as that can produce a harder light. The Lencarta equipment is very good and there are lots of video's that may help you.

Malcolm

 

[paul williams]

Hi
I'm very interested in adding a new modifier to my current Bowens 500W studio lights. I have a small 60*40 softbox and umbrella, but want something that will produce softer more enveloping light for portraits etc. I was toying with getting a bigger softbox, but seen some shots on a beauty dish which look nice. What are the basic differences I will see between the two?

The larger or closer the light source the more 'wrap' you will get and a large softbox or brolly will generally give a softer light than a beauty dish. I know the large beauty dish seems to have become the 'go to' modifier for many but IMO it has nowhere near the versatility of a mid-sized softbox. Also there is the issue of storage - a 70cm BD takes up a large amount of space, a collapsed softbox doesn't - though you do have to assemble/disassemble it!

Really it does depend on the end result you wish to achieve - a large close light source giving a large amount of wrap often robs the subject of detail and a true sense of dimensionality or depth of image.

Paul

 

[a33]

if you do go beauty dish remember to think about if you want white or silver... silver is a harder light

 

[rigsby1208]

Thanks for your help, I will check the Lencarta site, and look into it further