Beauty Dish

After trying out a friend's beauty dish for a few weeks (thanks Sean[:)]), I found I really like the effect I was able to get fromit. Now I am wondering, is there any real benefit of one beauty dish over another? I found this one on ebay that is $20 cheaper than the Lumodi.


http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=360268812765&s sPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT


I do worry the cardboard on the Lumodi wouldn't hold up after significant usage. But then again, I like how the Lumodi is made to fit my precise flash size. I am not sure of the difference in the materials used for the rest of the dish.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=110526512792&s sPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

I am hoping to order one or the other tonight or tomorrow so any input is appreciated.


Thanks Much!

Denise

After trying out a friend's beauty dish for a few weeks (thanks Sean[:)]), I found I really like the effect I was able to get fromit. Now I am wondering, is there any real benefit of one beauty dish over another? I found this one on ebay that is $20 cheaper than the Lumodi.


http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=360268812765&s sPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT


I do worry the cardboard on the Lumodi wouldn't hold up after significant usage. But then again, I like how the Lumodi is made to fit my precise flash size. I am not sure of the difference in the materials used for the rest of the dish.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=110526512792&s sPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

I am hoping to order one or the other tonight or tomorrow so any input is appreciated.


Thanks Much!

Denise

CARDBOARD!?


The first one looks more like a traditional beauty dish.


The thing about a beauty dish is that it is designed to work with a bare bulb, with light emanating from all sides as well as the front. This allows for the light to fall off in an even more gradient fashion. The head on light is baffled and the sides of the bare bulb is the actual real light source. This is why traditional beauty dishes are more shallow than the Lamodi. The Lamodi is more like a big reflector where it act like a softened spot light.


Any "strobist" beauty dish is going to be inhibited by the unidirectional light of a flash. You could always attach a Stofen to you flash but it will greatly reduce the strength of the light.


Again the closest light I have found to a beauty dish for "strobist" is the 36" Photok Softlighter with the silver insert in place.

Oh, but my point is if you liked the light from Sean's then you should probably go with the Lamodi. The light from the other will be different.

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Originally Posted by Keith B

Oh, but my point is if you liked the light from Sean's then you should probably go with the Lamodi. The light from the other will be different.
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That's what I'm thinking ...I should probably stick with what I know I liked rather than just trying to save a few $. I didn't know if they would really give different lighting effects.


Thanks!
Denise

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Originally Posted by ddt0725

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Originally Posted by Keith B

Oh, but my point is if you liked the light from Sean's then you should probably go with the Lamodi. The light from the other will be different.
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That's what I'm thinking ...I should probably stick with what I know I liked rather than just trying to save a few $. I didn't know if they would really give different lighting effects.


Thanks!
Denise

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I think the light will be a lot different. The Lamodi is much deeper. The other is designed like a dish designed for a bare bulb and is much shallower. You'd also need a lot more power to achieve the same f/stop and the light will fill the area a lot more.


What is on the backside of the baffle on the Lamodi? Is it a mirror or just painted white?

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Originally Posted by Keith B

What is on the backside of the baffle on the Lamodi? Is it a mirror or just painted white?

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Ummm...I never really looked at it. Just painted white, I believe I already mailed it back to Sean. Sean, where are you!?

Denise

The backside of the baffle is painted with reflective paint (silver, titanium, or white [I believe, though I've never owned a white one], depending on the beauty dish purchased). And there is no cardboard in the Lumodi (that I know of). The back is made up of plastic that is cut and folded to a shape that accepts whatever flash it's designed to fit. On top of the plastic there is a sticker with the Lumodi logo on it. On the underside of the plastic is foam for cushioning.


As far as a comparison goes, check out the Lumodi creator's (Brandon Cruz's) photostream set comparing his Lumodi to an ebay competitor. It's interesting (and helpful) to see the difference.

Sorry, I used the word "cardboard" for lack of better term because it didn't seem to me like typical plastic either. All I saw online was the white one on ebay but this morning I saw on their website that's where they sell (for $10 more) the silver &amp; the titanium one is coming out soon. Thanks for the link, Sean. Now I see the difference between the Lumodi and the other one. The Lumodi is definitely 100% better, the other seems pretty useless! Now to decide which Lumodi to get ...decisions, decisions!

Have a great day guys!

Denise

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Originally Posted by ddt0725

The Lumodi is definitely 100% better, the other seems pretty useless! Now to decide which Lumodi to get ...decisions, decisions!

Have a great day guys!

Denise

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If the Lamodi guy actually used a flash like the 580EXII with a longer flash head, the results would have been a little different. I think he may have looked for the shortest flash he could find.


With a simple mod, to close up the back of the other dish, I think it would actually be a good modifier.


If you are DIY person, I can find the link the Lamodi ripped the idea for his from and for about $15-$20 trip to the Home Depot Garden Center and an hour or so of your time you could make your own.

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Originally Posted by Keith B

If the Lamodi guy actually used a flash like the 580EXII with a longer flash head, the results would have been a little different. I think he may have looked for the shortest flash he could find.


With a simple mod, to close up the back of the other dish, I think it would actually be a good modifier.


If you are DIY person, I can find the link the Lamodi ripped the idea for his from and for about $15-$20 trip to the Home Depot Garden Center and an hour or so of your time you could make your own.

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I know you're not a fan of it, but you could at least spell it correctly-- Lumodi. :-) And from what I can tell, he used Sony's flash that is basically an equivalent to a 430EX in shape and specs (and I don't see anything wrong with that).


Truth be told, sure, you could make this a DIY project. I'm sure that's how Brandon came up with his final design--by creating, testing, modifying, testing, etc--all to reach afinal design. I've talked to Brandon on a couple of occasions, and I know he went through several stages (like figuring out the optimal shape, material weight, securing mechanism, and paint) when creating his product. I'm sure he'll keep making incremental changes until he feels everything works the best way it possibly can.


Simply put, I don't have the time, patience, or attention to create a beauty dish for my speedlights. The price was well worth it to me. After having used the product many times, I can honestly say I like the way the light is shaped when using the Lumodi--and I'll continue to use it when I feel it's appropriate.

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Originally Posted by Sean Setters

I know you're not a fan of it, but you could at least spell it correctly-- Lumodi. :-)

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Oops! I thought it was French, like La Modi :-)


I don't dislike the product. I think it serves a good purpose, I admit I have obsessing need to point out the light is not like a beauty dish. I never said the light was bad, just not the same as a beauty dish. I even advised that the Lumodi was more light efficient than the Ephotodiscounters.


I didn't mean any offense to you or anyone who purchases one. I just said if Denise was a DIY person she could save money since she was looking to save $20 between the two. I know not everyone is a DIYer or even have the time to be.


What I do have an issue with and I guess it comes through in my post is that the Lumodi is based on a tutorial that someone else came up with and put out there for free and now this guy is making money off it. I know that happens all the time and all the ones that I know about irk me too.


Sorry Sean, didn't mean any offense.


Did I ever mention I was jerk?(probably didn't need to)

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Originally Posted by Keith B

Oops! I thought it was French, like La Modi :-)


I don't dislike the product. I think it serves a good purpose, I admit I have obsessing need to point out the light is not like a beauty dish. I never said the light was bad, just not the same as a beauty dish. I even advised that the Lumodi was more light efficient than the Ephotodiscounters.


I didn't mean any offense to you or anyone who purchases one. I just said if Denise was a DIY person she could save money since she was looking to save $20 between the two. I know not everyone is a DIYer or even have the time to be.


What I do have an issue with and I guess it comes through in my post is that the Lumodi is based on a tutorial that someone else came up with and put out there for free and now this guy is making money off it. I know that happens all the time and all the ones that I know about irk me too.


Sorry Sean, didn't mean any offense.


Did I ever mention I was jerk?(probably didn't need to)

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I know you didn't mean any offense. AndI'm sure you're right, Brandon took someone else's idea, refined it, and started selling it. It's like changingthe oil in my car--there are a hundred tutorials online showing you how to do it yourself for free--but I'd rather go down to Pennzoil and have them change itfor a fee(because it's easier and more convenient). How is that any different?


I've also read forums where he postedtipsfor DIYers to help them in their endeavor to make their own dish. He felt it was good business to help those who were hell-bent on doing it themselves. He knows that if someone puts as much time and effort into their own dish as he put into the Lumodi's design, they'd likely realize his product was worth the price. And for those who became frustrated at the time and effortinvolved indoing it themselves, he provided a custom made-to-order option.

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Originally Posted by Sean Setters

[I know you didn't mean any offense. AndI'm sure you're right, Brandon took someone else's idea, refined it, and started selling it. It's like changingthe oil in my car--there are a hundred tutorials online showing you how to do it yourself for free--but I'd rather go down to Pennzoil and have them change itfor a fee(because it's easier and more convenient). How is that any different?

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I think there is a huge difference but at the risk of making myself look like a bigger butt I'm going to concede.

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Originally Posted by Keith B

If you are DIY person, I can find the link the Lamodi ripped the idea for his from and for about $15-$20 trip to the Home Depot Garden Center and an hour or so of your time you could make your own.

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Most definitely not a DIY person.I did think I would need to put something on the back of the other beauty dish around the light which didn't seem like it would be a big deal. I just didn't know if these two dishes would give close to the same results and if they did, might as was well spend less on one since I just ordered about 10 different photography related items in the last two days every $ matters.


Ilike the Lumodi, I think I will stick with it since I don't know what the other truly would be like other than what I saw on the link above.

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Originally Posted by ddt0725

Most definitely not a DIY person.I did think I would need to put something on the back of the other beauty dish around the light which didn't seem like it would be a big deal. I just didn't know if these two dishes would give close to the same results and if they did, might as was well spend less on one since I just ordered about 10 different photography related items in the last two days every $ matters.


Ilike the Lumodi, I think I will stick with it since I don't know what the other truly would be like other than what I saw on the link above.

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Not for any comparison war type thing, but the Ephoto one has my fancy. I might pick it up and do the mods that I think will make it work better.


Blocking off the back with some white foam core and a Sto-Fen with some aluminum foil taped inside might do the trick.


If money weren't an issue I could do this with a Dynalite Beauty Dish and Speedring/Speedlite adapter. But that would cost almost $200.

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Originally Posted by Keith B

Not for any comparison war type thing, but the Ephoto one has my fancy. I might pick it up and do the mods that I think will make it work better.

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Maybe I should wait until you give me a full review with of it (with photos)before I make my purchase! [;)]

Denise

My daughter is ordering the Lumodi for me as an early birthday gift...what a gal!! [G] [:D]

Denise

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Originally Posted by ddt0725

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Originally Posted by Keith B

Not for any comparison war type thing, but the Ephoto one has my fancy. I might pick it up and do the mods that I think will make it work better.

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Maybe I should wait until you give me a full review with of it (with photos)before I make my purchase! [img]/emoticons/emotion-5.gif[/img]

Denise

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Hey Denise, I didn't see this before. It'll be while before I get around to my experiments. So I'm glad your getting the Lumodi and not waiting for me.

oooooooh Keith's hit the big 1000 post mark. That's quite a contribution mate. Good one!

Congratulations Keith. [;)]

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Originally Posted by btaylor

oooooooh Keith's hit the big 1000 post mark. That's quite a contribution mate. Good one!

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Originally Posted by Sean Setters

Congratulations Keith. [img]/emoticons/emotion-5.gif[/img]

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Thanks!


If you were to base them on the value and credibility of the post I might be somewhere around 6. Usually I'm rambling and causing confusion or angst.


So I should actually apologize for reaching the plateau. I think I've lessoned Sean and Daniel's achievement now.

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Originally Posted by Keith B

I think I've lessoned Sean and Daniel's achievement now.

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LOL....


I don't think so....at least no more than I Daniel's. If we considered the actual number of words in Daniel's posts, it would take me three thousand posts to get there.

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Originally Posted by Sean Setters

If we considered the actual number of words in Daniel's posts, it would take me three thousand posts to get there.

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Yeah I generally have to have a sit down with a couple ofbeers to thin the bloodand let the brain hemorrhage settle down a bit after reading one of Daniel's posts. [:|] Mind you I've learnt an invaluable amount of info from those posts.

Congrats, Keith!!! Keep them coming so I can keep learning!!! [Y]

Denise