# HOW TO SELECT A BEAUTY DISH?



## hombredelmar (Apr 24, 2014)

Hello everyone! 
Can someone help me to understand how to choose a beauty dish, size, inside color (finish)?
What would be the best choice for a speedlight and for a strobe flash? 
Thank you!!!


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## hombredelmar (Apr 27, 2014)

I thought that I had a very interesting and intelligent question?  Guess not...


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## TreeofLifeStairs (Apr 27, 2014)

I don't know what a beauty dish is.


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## hombredelmar (Apr 27, 2014)

TreeofLifeStairs said:


> I don't know what a beauty dish is.



If you are not, here it is https://www.google.com/#q=beauty+dish+lighting. Hope it helps


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## Trever1t (Apr 27, 2014)

Bigger is always better, but more difficult to wield. White gives a softer throw. Silver more contrasty and throws farther (more efficient) I have both, 22" BD's from Paul C Buff.


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## hombredelmar (Apr 27, 2014)

Trever1t said:


> Bigger is always better, but more difficult to wield. White gives a softer throw. Silver more contrasty and throws farther (more efficient) I have both, 22" BD's from Paul C Buff.



I see, so if I need to use it for a group shot I need the biggest beauty dish I can buy? 
I was wandering if it was designed for a beauty shots and mostly for portraits. 
I just found one photographer on internet, she is using Mola Mantti 43.5" "Beauty Dish" Soft Lite Reflector (White) but it is kind of pricey, 800.00 dollars.


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## Trever1t (Apr 27, 2014)

No, a BD is never for a group shot. Used for Beauty portraits mostly. For a group I'd use umbrellas. The Mola's are the Queens, yes too pricey for me!


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## tirediron (Apr 27, 2014)

What Trever said.  I have both flavours as well, but use my 22" white 99.9% of the time.


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## hombredelmar (Apr 27, 2014)

tirediron said:


> What Trever said. I have both flavours as well, but use my 22" white 99.9% of the time.



What is the brand you are using?


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## tirediron (Apr 27, 2014)

I honestly have no idea; the first one I found with a Speedotron speed-ring; bought a long time ago.


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## hombredelmar (Apr 27, 2014)

tirediron said:


> I honestly have no idea; the first one I found with a Speedotron speed-ring; bought a long time ago.




I hear you, thanks tirediron!!!
After you mentioned Speedotron, I checked their prices and could not believe how expensive they were. The least expensive travel kit is almost 2k. 
I was just wandering why did you chose this particular brand over other sophisticated brands? 
Thanks !!!!


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## Mach0 (Apr 27, 2014)

hombredelmar said:


> I hear you, thanks tirediron!!! After you mentioned Speedotron, I checked their prices and could not believe how expensive they were. The least expensive travel kit is almost 2k. I was just wandering why did you chose this particular brand over other sophisticated brands? Thanks !!!!



eBay, adorama, Craigslist

I've seen them cheap


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## tirediron (Apr 27, 2014)

Mach0 said:


> hombredelmar said:
> 
> 
> > I hear you, thanks tirediron!!! After you mentioned Speedotron, I checked their prices and could not believe how expensive they were. The least expensive travel kit is almost 2k. I was just wandering why did you chose this particular brand over other sophisticated brands? Thanks !!!!
> ...


Pretty much that! ^^  Speedotron is the under-dog of the pro lighting gear world.  Excellent quality, minimal pointless features...  and a great deal on the used market.


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## hombredelmar (Apr 28, 2014)

Mach0 said:


> hombredelmar said:
> 
> 
> > I hear you, thanks tirediron!!! After you mentioned Speedotron, I checked their prices and could not believe how expensive they were. The least expensive travel kit is almost 2k. I was just wandering why did you chose this particular brand over other sophisticated brands? Thanks !!!!
> ...



I will definitelly check the sites, thank you for the info !!!


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## hombredelmar (Apr 28, 2014)

tirediron said:


> Mach0 said:
> 
> 
> > hombredelmar said:
> ...



Good point!
I never thought of looking into buying used gear.
Thank you again for your informative responses


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## JohnnyWrench (Apr 28, 2014)

After reading this thread I jumped on my local craigslist and found this... 

One of a Kind Custom made Speedlight Beauty Dish off camera flash

I wonder how well it works? Maybe not that great since he's selling it.


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## tirediron (Apr 28, 2014)

JohnnyWrench said:


> After reading this thread I jumped on my local craigslist and found this...
> 
> One of a Kind Custom made Speedlight Beauty Dish off camera flash
> 
> I wonder how well it works? Maybe not that great since he's selling it.


Looks pretty sketchy to me; at $40 it's a rather expensive garbage can lid, and since it's not a parabola, I doubt that it would work as anything other than a rather 'rough and ready' reflector.


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## table1349 (Apr 28, 2014)

JohnnyWrench said:


> After reading this thread I jumped on my local craigslist and found this...
> 
> One of a Kind Custom made Speedlight Beauty Dish off camera flash
> 
> I wonder how well it works? Maybe not that great since he's selling it.



Why not save $39.00 and do this: DIY Speedlight Beauty Dish


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## Derrel (Apr 28, 2014)

JohnnyWrench said:


> After reading this thread I jumped on my local craigslist and found this...
> 
> One of a Kind Custom made Speedlight Beauty Dish off camera flash
> 
> I wonder how well it works? Maybe not that great since he's selling it.



OMG--THANK YOU FOR POSTING THAT!!!! I got a good big laugh out of it, and actually saved the listing and did a screen cap of it!


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## Derrel (Apr 28, 2014)

gryphonslair99 said:
			
		

> Why not save $39.00 and do this: DIY Speedlight Beauty Dish



Ohhhhh, my! So, *so ghetto! *What about the used condom safety retention strap, and the Pampers outside padding system? Surely those needed accessories are in the follow-up DIY post, right?

As far as the Original Poster's issue...I'm with Tirediron...just take a couple of sheetmetal screws and affix the Speedotron dish to the L-bracket....I mean...why not just go that route? Or if you want to, use small machine bolts and washers and nuts and whatnot....but yeah...just a standard, do-it-yourself, Home Depot kinda modification ought to work, as long as the flash unit remains in the middle of the opening at the back, and you have some kind of tilt-and-locking capability with the swivel bracket, doesn't matter too much how you get the Speedotron beauty dish hooked up. And no matter HOW clownish it might happen to be, it will without a doubt look more polished and professional that either 1) the garbage can lid beauty dish or 2) the single-use aluminum roasting pan beauty dish/ring light dual-duty light unit.


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## hombredelmar (Apr 29, 2014)

JohnnyWrench said:


> After reading this thread I jumped on my local craigslist and found this...
> 
> One of a Kind Custom made Speedlight Beauty Dish off camera flash
> 
> I wonder how well it works? Maybe not that great since he's selling it.



The question is if you have time to take a chance ? I should admit that it is creative not more than that


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## hombredelmar (Apr 29, 2014)

JohnnyWrench said:


> After reading this thread I jumped on my local craigslist and found this...
> 
> One of a Kind Custom made Speedlight Beauty Dish off camera flash
> 
> I wonder how well it works? Maybe not that great since he's selling it.




The question is if you have time to take a chance ? I should admit that it is creative not more than that


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## beachrat (Apr 30, 2014)

hombredelmar said:


> JohnnyWrench said:
> 
> 
> > After reading this thread I jumped on my local craigslist and found this...
> ...




He went all out full blast with a 32 gallon lid.
How could you NOT take a chance?


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## hombredelmar (Apr 30, 2014)

beachrat said:


> hombredelmar said:
> 
> 
> > JohnnyWrench said:
> ...



well........i dont know


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## Derrel (Apr 30, 2014)

beachrat said:


> hombredelmar said:
> 
> 
> > JohnnyWrench said:
> ...



I dunno...somethin' tells me that disposable aluminum foil roasting pan beauty dish could give that ole' garbage can lid a real run for its money!


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## beachrat (May 1, 2014)

Maybe Derrel,but the garbage can lid comes with a '63 Rambler sideview mirror.
That's gotta be worth a few points.


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## hombredelmar (May 4, 2014)

Guys, thank you all for your contributions I learned a lot about cars


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