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Thread started 08 Jun 2013 (Saturday) 15:09
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Beauty Dishes - White or Silver?

 
PacAce
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Jun 08, 2013 15:09 |  #1

White or silver? That's a question that's been asked by more than a few people, including myself, interested in using a BD. And although the question seems simple enough, the answer, unfortunately, doesn't seem to be.

Being the owner of the 28" Mola Setti White and, more recently, the 28" Mola Sollo Silver, I did a couple of tests with each dish with the results posted here to hopefully help you find your own answer based on your own requirements. :)

The first test was done with the BD placed to the left of the camera and above the subject. The subject was placed 4 ft. from a gray seamless paper background. The distance between the dish and the subject was 3.5 ft.

The camera settings were 1/250, f/5.6 @ ISO 100.

The light used with the dishes was a Broncolor Unilite head plugged into port B of an Elinchrom Ranger RX Speed AS pack. For the Setti, the pack was set to a power level of 3.7 (color temp metered at 4700º K) to give an aperture reading of f/5.6. The Sollo being 1 stop more efficient (as advertised by Mola Softlights) only required a setting of 2.7 (color temp metered at 4970º K).

Note: All sample images were color corrected using the gray box at the bottom of the Color Check chart, 3rd from the right.

IMAGE: http://tanseikai.com/POTN/Setti%20vs%20Sollo/Camera-Left.jpg

As you can see, the silver Sollo provides a more contrasty light due, as we'll see later, to the more directional characteristic of the light coming out of the Sollo. That is also the reason the background is darker with the Sollo.

Another observation to note is that, although the colors of the ColorChecker lit by the white Setti seem more saturated, that really is not the case as shown by following images. The reason why the colors in the above image for the Sollo seem less saturated is because of the light fall off characteristic of the Sollo, i.e. there is less light hitting the ColorChecker. As you can see in the images below where the ColorChecker Passport is placed closer to the model's face, the colors of both ColorChecker Passports look about the same.

IMAGE: http://tanseikai.com/POTN/Setti%20vs%20Sollo/Camera-Left-(revised).jpg

In the next test, the dishes were placed in front of and above the subject at a distance of 4 ft from the subject. The camera and the Ranger RX pack settings remained the same as in the previous test.

IMAGE: http://tanseikai.com/POTN/Setti%20vs%20Sollo/Overhead.jpg


As I stated earlier, the light from the silver Sollo is more directional in nature and this is easily seen by checking out the light pattern inside of each dish.

This is the pattern looking straight into the face of the dishes:

IMAGE: http://tanseikai.com/POTN/Setti%20vs%20Sollo/BD-face.jpg

The Sollo has more distinct and brighter rings of light than the Setti does but we can't really tell if the light is really directional from this angle. But stepping aside a little, we have the following images from two different angles:

IMAGE: http://tanseikai.com/POTN/Setti%20vs%20Sollo/BD-face-angled.jpg


Something else of interest is the shadows cast by the two dishes. The shadow (under the chin) in the following images seems to be made up of layers. I'm assuming this is caused by the rings of light reflected from the dish:

IMAGE: http://tanseikai.com/POTN/Setti%20vs%20Sollo/Chin-shadows.jpg


So, there you go, folks. Analyze the sample images and draw your own conclusions to select the appropriate BD for your needs. :)

...Leo

  
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chris_holtmeier
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Jun 08, 2013 16:19 |  #2

Nice write up!

Currently have a white Kacey, but your examples make me want to get a silver dish.



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FJ ­ LOVE
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Jun 08, 2013 23:45 |  #3

PacAce wrote in post #16012018 (external link)
So, there you go, folks. Analyze the sample images and draw your own conclusions to select the appropriate BD for your needs. :)

thanks for doing this Leo, i've always liked the white setti but have been curious about the silver :cool:


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bovverwonder
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Jun 14, 2013 00:48 as a reply to  @ FJ LOVE's post |  #4

Thanks for the review. I definitely prefer the white one but I liked the Sollo a little better when it was in front above the model. But overall I'd go with the white Setti. I'm waiting for my white Demi in the mail. :D


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Jun 14, 2013 09:45 |  #5

bovverwonder wrote in post #16029511 (external link)
Thanks for the review. I definitely prefer the white one but I liked the Sollo a little better when it was in front above the model. But overall I'd go with the white Setti. I'm waiting for my white Demi in the mail. :D

Yes, I agree. Overall, the white BD would be suitable for more scenarios, especially when it is the only source of illumination as it covers a wider area and, hence, lights not just the subject but the background as well.

The silver would be more suitable for isolating the subject from the background. Of course, this can also be achieved with a white dish with a mounted grid but will be less efficient as you will lose some light with the grid on.

For outdoor use during the day, I'm thinking the silver might be better due to its higher output (by a stop) with less light being "wasted" on the background.

The beam spread of the Sollo versus the Setti are shown below. I shot these in my garage since I didn't have a big enough bare wall in my basement. The dishes were about 3 ft. from the wall.

IMAGE: http://tanseikai.com/POTN/Setti%20vs%20Sollo/beam-spread.jpg


Looking at the two images above, it may seem like the light output of the Sollo is much lower than that of the Setti. However, that is not really the case. On the Sollo, most of the light is concentrated in a smaller center section of the beam. The following images show this clearly. The ColorChecker in both images is lit at f/8. Because the Sollo is one stop brighter in the center of it's beam, the power pack had to be turned down by a stop to get the ColorChecker to expose the same as with the Setti.

IMAGE: http://tanseikai.com/POTN/Setti%20vs%20Sollo/beam-spread-(side-normalized).jpg

If you want to compare the raw light outputs of the Sollo and the Setti with all the parameters of the camera and the power pack set the same for both dishes, take a look at the following. You get one more stop of light from the Sollo (at the central section of the beam) and that might come in handy, especially when outdoors and trying to overpower the sun.

IMAGE: http://tanseikai.com/POTN/Setti%20vs%20Sollo/beam-spread-(side-raw).jpg


...Leo

  
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bovverwonder
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Jun 14, 2013 12:25 |  #6

Do you have sample photos of the Sollo used on location outdoors in the daytime with a model? I've been wanting a Setti for a while but it's been back ordered so I went with the Demi for now. B&H will have them in stock the first week of July. My other question is, for some reason I've seen different mounting brackets used for the Setti. There's a hefty "tube like" silver one, then there's a thin black one with "Mola" written on it. Is the silver a 3rd party bracket? Perhaps an older version of the current? Just wondering.


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PacAce
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Jun 14, 2013 14:51 |  #7

bovverwonder wrote in post #16030860 (external link)
Do you have sample photos of the Sollo used on location outdoors in the daytime with a model? I've been wanting a Setti for a while but it's been back ordered so I went with the Demi for now. B&H will have them in stock the first week of July. My other question is, for some reason I've seen different mounting brackets used for the Setti. There's a hefty "tube like" silver one, then there's a thin black one with "Mola" written on it. Is the silver a 3rd party bracket? Perhaps an older version of the current? Just wondering.

Sorry but I have not used the Sollo outdoors yet as I've only had it for a month (it took 2 months for me to actually get it from the time I ordered it online :|).

Re swivel handle of the Setti and the Sollo, mine look like this (image courtesy of Mola Softlights http://mola-light.com/accessory/gr​ip/ (external link) ):

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The silver tubular one you referred might be from the older Setti models.

...Leo

  
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Jun 14, 2013 16:03 |  #8

Nice post Leo.
I like the shadow transition of the Setti in the crops of the neck. Less of a mid step(s).

IMAGE: http://tanseikai.com/POTN/Setti%20vs%20Sollo/Chin-shadows.jpg

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Jun 14, 2013 17:59 |  #9

windpig wrote in post #16031523 (external link)
Nice post Leo.
I like the shadow transition of the Setti in the crops of the neck. Less of a mid step(s).

I think the number of mid steps are the same in both. They're just not as noticeable for the Setti due to the lower contrast between the shadow and the lit areas.


...Leo

  
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Jun 14, 2013 18:14 |  #10

I was at my office when I checked this out on my crappy monitor. I'll have to cogitate this now.


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Jun 14, 2013 18:47 |  #11

windpig wrote in post #16031860 (external link)
I was at my office when I checked this out on my crappy monitor. I'll have to cogitate this now.

Don't do it for too long though, hear? Stop as soon as you smell smoke or see it coming out of your ears (if you happen to be in front of a mirror). :mrgreen:


...Leo

  
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Jun 14, 2013 19:04 |  #12

I don't look at myself in the mirror anymore. I'm tired of the nightmares.

But, I guess if I figure my audience is viewing my portraits on crappy monitors, I sound get a white Seti.:D


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la ­ canon ­ amateur
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Aug 25, 2013 14:24 |  #13

That's a specialty dish if there ever was one. Thanks for posting this Leo. Your post is very informative, and will help with my decision when it comes to a beauty dish.

I wonder how much difference there is in the new MOLA Sollo and the old Mola silver lined Setti?

Hall


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Aug 25, 2013 18:51 |  #14

la canon amateur wrote in post #16238748 (external link)
That's a specialty dish if there ever was one. Thanks for posting this Leo. Your post is very informative, and will help with my decision when it comes to a beauty dish.

I wonder how much difference there is in the new MOLA Sollo and the old Mola silver lined Setti?


Hall

Since I've never seen the old satin finished Setti, I can't say for sure what the difference is between it and the Sollo but if I were to make an educated guess, I would say that there probably isn't much difference. The silver finish on the Sollo is not the polished kind like what you would see on, say, the Elinchrom reflectors. Instead, the Sollo finish looks more like brushed silver. It looks like it's been painted on rather than plated on to the inside of the Sollo.


...Leo

  
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la ­ canon ­ amateur
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Aug 25, 2013 19:36 |  #15

I was shocked in the difference, definitely much more directional than the setti. Surely MOLA want quit producing the Setti. I was thinking about buying the Sollo but after seeing this I think the Setti will better suit my uses. Though I would definitly enjoy using the SOLLO as wellMy portrait's are of the more traditional type.

Have you had a chance to use the Sollo with a model yet. And how about outdoors. If so how do you feel about what its producing and what you are able to do with it? Any regrets or is it what you expected?

Would love to see some shots from a session if and when you have some your willing to share with us.

Thanks for sharing the info Leo.

Hall


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Beauty Dishes - White or Silver?
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