Paul C. Buff, Inc. Technical Forum

I think this will work but wanted to check. It's just an umbrella I guess so doesn't need speedring mount. Also, I understand that the spill kill reflector is useful here.

Thanks for the help,

Jeff

That is correct. The softlighter would mount via the umbrella shaft. A spill kill reflector could assist in keeping the front fabric in place, but should not affect light quality or quantity in any significant way.

That's great, thanks!

but I just noticed that the spill kill reflector has been retired. Should I use the 7"?

Jeff

We have the 7UR that has taken its place. This would be preferable to the standard 7" reflector. The standard reflector will constrict the light to 80 degrees, where the 7UR would be 160-180-ish, filling the umbrella.

Seems to me that a medium PLM with front diffuser would give similar light as the Softlighter and be more versatile without the diffuser. Just my 2 cents.

I fooled around with the reflector alternatives a few months ago. I found that I got the most even lighting of the 60 inch Softlighter II fabric with the spill kill reflector. Next best was the 7UR, then the standard 7 inch reflector. Bare bulb was not very even (much brighter in the middle than at the edges).

Not to say that even lighting of the fabric is the end-all, be-all.

Has anyone tried the Softliter II with and Einstein? I'm concerned about the diffusion sock covering the heat vents - do you just turn off the modeling lamp?

Tim

I used this combo a couple days ago... I pulled the front diffuser all the way over the Einstein, so it covered it pretty completely. So the vents were inside the Softlighter, and they weren't blocked by the diffuser fabric. Modeling lights were on, and power was about 3/4. Presumably there was some heat buildup within the Softlighter, but it didn't cause any problems that I noticed. The strobe was pointed almost straight up.

I did once have a heat problem at 100% power with the strobe pointed down... but the Softlighter setup was not a problem.

On the current run, follow the heat advisory. Remember the Softliter will require the model lamp pointed up in most applications. This means the heat will rise into the modifier rather into the light. V.2 will not have this issue, as it will be required to work with PLM, which can be configured similarly.