# Giant Modifier Input



## Alpha (Jan 29, 2012)

Hi guys,

I'm thinking about getting a 79" Rime Lite Grand






The price is actually not bad- just shy of $400 through B&H. 

It is basically a giant parabolic softbox that can be used single or double-baffled. The quality of light is similar to a parabolic reflector but the design is different. The parabolic reflectors from the likes of Broncolor and Profoto are adjustable in circumference. They also have the light reverse mounted to fire into the reflector, whereas this is a normal forward-facing mount. The Grand is also much lighter weight- about 4lbs. In any event, my gut feeling is that this will either be my favorite go-to modifier, or it will be used infrequently and turn out to be a relative waste of $400. Thoughts?


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## unpopular (Jan 29, 2012)

How powerful is the light you are planning on using with this?


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## Alpha (Jan 29, 2012)

2400w/s max.


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## unpopular (Jan 29, 2012)

In that case - ROCK AND ROLL!

:lmao:

but seriously, what is appealing about this? do you often find yourself wanting a wall of light? I'm not saying it's useless, but how much of it is just wanting a ginormous soft box?


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## Alpha (Jan 29, 2012)

It's appealing for incredibly even, full body coverage with a single light source.

I actually do often find myself wanting a wall of light in that respect.


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## unpopular (Jan 29, 2012)

For $400 from a reputable seller, and if you do a lot of portraits and already have the lights to support it, I'd go for it. It looks like a killer piece of gear.


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## tirediron (Jan 29, 2012)

Alpha said:


> 2400w/s max.



2400 w/s????   Geezzz what did you do, poke a light-stand into the sun????


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## tirediron (Jan 29, 2012)

Is it white lined or silver lined?


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## cgipson1 (Jan 29, 2012)

I love my large 60" and up umbrellas and brolly's... I may have to look at this also. Although I don't intend to have that much power available... afraid it might cause spontaneous combustion with my subjects! lol! Look forward to seeing some of your work with it!


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## Derrel (Jan 29, 2012)

I dunno...I've not seen photos made with that modifier.

Paul C. Buff - PLM? Competitor Comparison Page

Not sure if the PLM system would be of interest to you.


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## Alpha (Jan 30, 2012)

tirediron said:


> Is it white lined or silver lined?



Silver


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## Alpha (Jan 30, 2012)

Derrel said:


> I dunno...I've not seen photos made with that modifier.
> 
> Paul C. Buff - PLM? Competitor Comparison Page
> 
> Not sure if the PLM system would be of interest to you.



Apologies for the following:
I despise Paul Buff and this PLM nonsense is a great example of why. The PLM is not a "system." It's a large umbrella. The copy on the PLM page of his website is some of the most disingenuous drivel I have ever seen:


> Paul Buff conceived and engineered this unique parabolic umbrella lighting method, first released in 2009. With the overwhelming popularity of the system, a number of copycats quickly popped up in the industry. Where Paul originated, they duplicated - and, unfortunately for them and their customers, created inferior copies based on the first iteration of the design. But Paul continued to study and make improvements to his original design over the years, now using the sixteen-rib frame to form a highly evolved, large-size, shallow parabolic shape.



The PLM is about as close to a parabolic reflector of the Broncolor/Profoto/Briese variety as "effective watt seconds" are to real watt seconds.


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## Alpha (Jan 30, 2012)

tirediron said:


> Alpha said:
> 
> 
> > 2400w/s max.
> ...



Speedotron 2405CX Power Supply 850142 B&H Photo Video
+
Speedotron 202VF 2400 Watt/Second Maximum Flash Head 850360 B&H


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## gsgary (Jan 30, 2012)

You would still be able to use it like the broncolor profoto, just mount your flash on another stand


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## Alpha (Jan 30, 2012)

gsgary said:


> You would still be able to use it like the broncolor profoto, just mount your flash on another stand



That is a brilliant idea, but I worry about shadows. The bron/profoto/briese ones are bare-bulb mounted on a small platform. The 202vf has a pretty small profile but I worry about the stand casting a shadow. I bet I can rig something, though. Thanks!


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## unpopular (Jan 30, 2012)

Can you draw a boom in from the back? Would that help at all? Or is the back closed?


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## Alpha (Jan 30, 2012)

unpopular said:


> Can you draw a boom in from the back? Would that help at all? Or is the back closed?



It's open at the back. Presumably, I can run a boom through the opening and reverse-mount the head to fire bare-bulb into it. Genius!


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## unpopular (Jan 30, 2012)

Then if it starts to rain, you can be the one to save the wedding with the umbrella large enough to fit every single guest, the bride, the groom AND the priest!


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## tirediron (Jan 30, 2012)

Alpha said:


> > ...But Paul continued to study and make improvements to his original design over the years, now using the sixteen-rib frame to form a highly evolved, large-size, shallow parabolic shape.


WTF is a "shallow" parabola?


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## tirediron (Jan 30, 2012)

Alpha said:


> tirediron said:
> 
> 
> > Alpha said:
> ...


Nice!  Make sure you post some shots when you get this up and running; I'm very interested in seeing what the results look like.


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## Derrel (Jan 30, 2012)

Alpha said:


> Derrel said:
> 
> 
> > I dunno...I've not seen photos made with that modifier.
> ...



Actually, I think the PLM might be one of the better umbrellas on the market...at least in terms of a wide swath of light, and ultra-efficiency...I've seen photos of an entire HOUSE lighted by one 400 watt-second flash from across the street with the early PLM model...
and Rob Galbraith's team photographers have no standardized on the PLM's for outdoor team photos...I'm not a fan of Buff's marketing hype, and I have not bought any of his PLM umbrellas, but the work I've seen done with them looked pretty decent.

Have you tried a PLM? I mean, you know, have you actually bought or borrowed one, and put a flash head in it, and shot a photo with it? Or are you just making a blanket condemnation on it because it comes from Buff? Just kind of wondering where the vitriol is coming from? Is it earned? Or just reserves left over from some other slight, real or imagined, or from a former bad purchase?


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## Alpha (Jan 30, 2012)

It may be a perfectly good modifier, but it's not really what I'm looking for. In any event, I believe Buff's marketing is misleading and unethical, and I refuse to buy his products.


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## gsgary (Jan 30, 2012)

Alpha said:


> gsgary said:
> 
> 
> > You would still be able to use it like the broncolor profoto, just mount your flash on another stand
> ...



Boom arm in from the side and flash with bare bulb, sorted you shouldn't get a shadow


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