what reflector for use with a hilite

[donkeymusic]

hello

i have a lastolite hilte and use a standard reflector on the flash head, would i be better with a wide reflector or the standard.

plan to use two flashes to improve the lighting of the hilite and currently only have a standard reflector, but wondering if two wide reflectors would be better

thanks

 

[Alzibiff]

What follows is based on my short experience of using the hilite and some test shots - I'm no expert .....

I am using a single unmodified CANON 550EX Speedlite into one side of my HiLite and had good results - the Hilite is an excellend piece of kit which must bounce the flash light all over the place inside as the only "cold" spot is around the flash itself and below it. ("Cold" relative to the rest of the Hilite that is - when shooting with the highlite set to 2 stops higher than the subjects as Lastolite recommend. you get more than adequate coverage from a single light anyway).

I also haven't found the need to use the wide diffuser panel in the flash gun as the Hilite is so good at bouncing the light around but I guess that IN THEORY this would be the way to go as would setting the flash zoom as wide as it will go.

The fall off mentioned above is why you should have your key light - the one lighting your subjects on the opposite side of the single light. (That is, if the Speedlight is on the left as you look at the highlite, the key light should be behind you and to the right).

The advantage of a single light is that you only have one set of batteries to worry about when using a Speedlight - if you use two Speedlights, one in each side - you double up on the worry of losing power when shooting at an event. You also double up on the need for triggers!

In short, when you say "improve the lighting of the highlite" - I don't really believe that you need to.

If you are using the floor train and want to shoot children (or adults) on the floor rather than in front of the highlite panel you need to ensure that your keylight is as full as it needs to be as if you have this up high, you have the potential of unacceptable fall off near the floor.

Alan

 

[Garry Edwards]

Ah well, Alan's post, helpful as it is, is based on setting the level of overexposure at 2 stops above the exposure on the subject.

And that's hopelessly wrong. In recommending this, Lastolite are simply perpetuating a myth that had some basis for truth when shooting on film and for when shooting with an ordinary white background, with plenty of space between subject and background.

 

[Alzibiff]

Ah well, Alan's post, helpful as it is, is based on setting the level of overexposure at 2 stops above the exposure on the subject.

And that's hopelessly wrong. In recommending this, Lastolite are simply perpetuating a myth that had some basis for truth when shooting on film and for when shooting with an ordinary white background, with plenty of space between subject and background.

Knew I'd get shot down so happy to learn ....

Gary - can you explain why setting the background light 2 stops higher than the subject light is "hopelessly wrong"? What difference do you advise and what improvements can we expect. I guess that by turning down the hilite lights we will need one on each side of this mighty softbox in order to gain an even illumination eh?

Alan

 

[Garry Edwards]

I've already explained it many times, and so have other people.

There's this video
[YOUTUBE]<object width="640" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/E8-9BAcBY2U?fs=1&amp;hl=en_GB"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/E8-9BAcBY2U?fs=1&amp;hl=en_GB" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="640" height="385"></embed></object>[/YOUTUBE]

and this one

[YOUTUBE]<object width="640" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/b_6sSGA5SNg?fs=1&amp;hl=en_GB"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/b_6sSGA5SNg?fs=1&amp;hl=en_GB" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="640" height="385"></embed></object>[/YOUTUBE]

and a lot of posts on this forum (try the search function) this video and this one in the Lencarta learning centre, and then there is this article there too.

I think it's fair to say that there's a lot of info available to anyone who looks, although of course there are always plenty of people who 'know' that they need 2 stops of overexposure and who can't see what's wrong with their shots

 

[donkeymusic]

all i wanted to know really was whether i should use a standard reflector on my smartflah or a wide reflector, i was planning on using 2 of either to get a better spread of light.

However Lencarta are out of stock of each so doesnt really matter. Lencarta are fast becoming an annoying company to deal with, carrying limited stock and not replacing.

 

[Garry Edwards]

all i wanted to know really was whether i should use a standard reflector on my smartflah or a wide reflector, i was planning on using 2 of either to get a better spread of light.

However Lencarta are out of stock of each so doesnt really matter. Lencarta are fast becoming an annoying company to deal with, carrying limited stock and not replacing.

And I apologise for the lack of stock, and only wish that I was in a position to take control of stock personally.

The problem has been caused by a combination of unexpectedly high sales and the long lead time - the time it takes to get a large number of different products made, despatched and delivered.
There are two major shipments on the way, and most of the smaller items such as reflectors should be in stock by the end of this week

 

[donkeymusic]

so would i be better with two wide reflectors or two standard reflectors?

 

[chip]

so would i be better with two wide reflectors or two standard reflectors?

I don't think it matters.

FWIW I use standard spilkill reflectors on my Bowens. I'm not familiar with your lights but I'm sure either reflector would do the job equally well.

 

[Garry Edwards]

so would i be better with two wide reflectors or two standard reflectors?

I don't think it makes much difference, the Hi-lite, like any other softbox, is designed to bounce the light around. What matters is that you test thoroughly and establish the best angle for your lights