# Barndoors vs honeycomb grids



## Nimitz (Aug 13, 2007)

basic studio lighting question.  If you have a full set of grids for your strobes (10-40 degs) is there really any value to also getting barn doors for the strobes?  How about snoots?


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## Garbz (Aug 13, 2007)

While I am far from an expert in studio lighting I have found various things to give different results, mainly in how the shadow looks where the light falls off to the edge. Mind you I have tried these on a speedlight strobe not a proper studio one but I think the results may translate across.


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## Big Mike (Aug 13, 2007)

That sounds right to me.  While they basically do the same thing, there are subtle (or not so subtle) differences.  The fall off, for example.  Honeycomb grids, in a reflector dish, have little or no light spillage.  Some barn door are terrible for spillage...which may or may not be important to you.  I had an instructor who said that the grids were worth their weight in gold, so that's what I went with.


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## gizmo2071 (Aug 14, 2007)

I'd go more along the lines of honeycombs and snoots being similar rather than Barn doors, and then again it depends on what degree honeycombs you get.
I personally like barn doors, I think I have more control even if they do have some light spill. Like using them wide open like a normal reflector, but maybe having just the top or bottom gate partically closed to act as a flag and give more direction sort of thing.
But I also find that having snoot/honeycombs very useful for harsher light in specific areas.

So I'd have both barn doors and honeycombs, but not a snoot if you have the honey combs or visa versa. (I much prefer honeycombs to snoots aswell)


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## Nimitz (Aug 14, 2007)

thanks all, that's kinda what I thought.  I've played around with barn doors before but was looking at getting a full set of honeycom grids with my new studio strobe setup.


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## Sw1tchFX (Aug 15, 2007)

focusing spotlights with barndoors are pretty useful as a background light since you can control the shape of your light. You can't do that with gridspots.


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