Different modifiers for the same purpose?

[adartsesirhc]

I just bought my set of studio lights - an Alienbees B1600 and a B800. Among other goodies, I have the 7" reflectors and a 64" extreme silver PLM (with front diffusion fabric). Before this, I was just used to shooting with hotshoe flashes, umbrellas, and snoots. Now, as I'm looking for more modifiers, I'm getting more and more confused by different modifiers that achieve the same results.

For example, I've been thinking about buying a softbox or an octa for the lights, but is it really necessary? Is there any difference at all between an octa and the PLM with the diffusion fabric? I know that the PLM is more efficient (even with the fabric)... so is it just superior to an octabox? Or do octaboxes/softboxes have some other advantage I'm not realizing? Or just a different quality of light?

I also realized that I need to buy something to restrict light. But do I buy... snoots? Or grids? Or maybe longer reflectors? What are their advantages and disadvantages? For example, PCB makes an 8.5" reflector with a 45 degree beam spread, and an 11" reflector with a 28 degree beam spread. They're not much more expensive than the 40 and 30 degree grids for the 7" reflector. Similarly, the LiteMod 20 degree snoot is more than twice the price of the 20 degree grid... any advantage here?

 

[Derrel]

Snoots are of very limited use, and have a fairly limited range of modifications possible. Grids, on the other hand, come in different varieties, like 3 degree, 10,20,35- degrees, etc, and can be modified pretty easily by adding diffusers and barn doors. A snoot is not nearly as useful nor as versatile. In fact, I have found the snoots I hve acquired to be mostly useless, crude instruments; grids, OTOH, are superb tools.

Different modifiers work differently. Different modifiers that achieve the same results is a concept that I do not subscribe to 100%; different modifiers usually provide something ranging between subtly different results, and radically different results. As to reflectors, the 11 inch reflector with a 28 degree beam, spread is mostly likely what one would call a "sports reflector" or a "long-throw" reflector, designed to throw a rather narrow beam of light a long ways or with high guide number.

A light modifier that is more-efficient than another, different modifier is not by default a "better" modifier--but is instead just a "different" modifier. Peak efficiency is not always the main criteria for a good modifier; some people consider the "quality" of the light coming out of a light modifier to be more critical than the "efficiency" of the light modifier. If one has high-powered light sources, the most-efficient light modifiers are often no advantage, or even kind of a disadvantage as closer ranges. The PLM's uber-efficiency gives its light a somewhat garish look, IMHO...it's almost like pillow-talk, only uttered in to an electronic bullhorn...

I cannot comment on the LiteMod 20 degree snoot...not familiar with that at all...I have never heard of a 20 degree snoot...sounds like a fine-point 4-inch paintbrush...

 

[Mike_E]

Some things you just have to try for yourself. Single malt for instance.

As to the softbox/octabox question both will give you nice soft light but the softbox is more directional, especially with a grid.

The thing about good light is that having it is needful but getting good results is a lot like sculpting, it's not what you have but what you carve away that makes the difference.