Adorama Rovelight RL 600, thoughts?

digitalduck wrote in post #17675389
MalVeaux (or anyone) but you I think said you had a shoot through but also a 48" Octo.. since ive never owned a "non umbrella" softbox would you recommend I spring extra for the umbrella style for space that that i may get sick of assembling/tear down of the box, or is it not that bad? I would imagine fully assembled you cant leave it around, especially if space was tight... I do want to get a larger 48" suitable for two people, but should I just spring for the umbrella style and skip the hassle?

Thanks!

It depends on what you want to do. Umbrellas are cheaper, lighter, more portable, and you can get bigger surfaces for the money with them. I really like my 60" umbrella. It's so easy to use and portable and light that it's hard to not want to grab it instead of my heavier bigger and clumsier softbox. But, the softbox generally has nicer light at close distance and has way less spill so I can control it more. It's all about what you're trying to do. For a really detail oriented shoot where I have time to setup and really control stuff, I want my 48" octa softbox. For fun shoots, spontaneous shoots, lots of locations in a day, etc, I want my big umbrella. Ultimately I have both, and use both, but I would bet I use the Umbrella more over time in general strictly from ease and portability (which is also why I went with the Rovelight, ease and portability, with power).

My 48" octa is the Fotodiox EZ pro. It's an umbrella style softbox that you can collapse very quickly. It has an inner baffle you put in place with velcro, and an outter surface you place with velcro too. Controls spill very well. Big surface area. Wonderful soft light at closer distance (4~5 feet from subject). It was only like $100 from Fotodiox directly. Well worth it.

My Umbrella is a 60" Impact, it's a silver lined, white, black cover setup for $30. Also does gorgeous light and is bigger and lighter weight and a lot more simple to move around.

My real answer is to get both. I'd gladly spend $140 again, to have my 48" octa softbox & my 60" umbrella since that's all it cost new!

I have some examples in this thread & the light setup thread I'm sure you've seen, of both the octa & umbrella, and examples of the light I get with them in HSS in daylight. You almost can't tell the difference. I ultimately favor the look of the softbox, but realistically I favor the ease and simplicity and portability of the umbrella. I always fight myself over which one!

Very best,

Thanks Malveaux! My biggest problem is I have an Impact 60" but its only the white with black cover... no reflective silver.. cant find that specific one on Amazon without looking at other locations. So, Id be buying another... I still see how its worth it however..

MalVeauX wrote in post #17675253
Heya,

I too was tired of dealing with ND filters at the strength I was needing for Florida sun (to be able to use F1.4, F2, F2.8), it was getting to be too much, and the speedlites just couldn't begin to touch that sun. So it was time for something with serious output that was still very portable.

Yeap, one sync port cable to the YN622 and into the back of the Rovelight and you're set. You don't even have to use the stock transmitter. It's only good really for remote changing of power levels anyways. Just read the manual on how to put the unit (the Rovelight) into HSS and you're good to go. You do not need a cold shoe or any of that. I still remotely control the power from the transmitter (the stock one). I just put it in my pocket and use it when I need to. Otherwise, all I use is the YN622 on my camera and the YN622 + sync cable to the Rovelight. Nothing else. Does HSS like a dream, and mine does 1/8000s HSS no problem.



Very best,

Your solution here seems to make the most sense. You can shoot remotely with 2 small 622 and one cord for the 622 ON the Rovelight.. Have you tried the 622TX transmitter for controlling power on the Rovelight? Just curious.

ptcanon3ti wrote in post #17675407
Your solution here seems to make the most sense. You can shoot remotely with 2 small 622 and one cord for the 622 ON the Rovelight.. Have you tried the 622TX transmitter for controlling power on the Rovelight? Just curious.

Heya,

I haven't tried to control the power remotely, because I'm fairly certain that it won't work (I believe from reading FlashHavoc or another review, where they used YN622's in coldshoes and still had to use the stock transmitter for the power control remotely). I don't have the 622-TX to test it myself since I use the 560 III series for my speedlites and only got the 622's for the Rovelight (having read I couldn't change the power levels with the 622TX). But again, I cannot confirm this as gospel as I have not done it myself.

digitalduck wrote in post #17675404
Thanks Malveaux! My biggest problem is I have an Impact 60" but its only the white with black cover... no reflective silver.. cant find that specific one on Amazon without looking at other locations. So, Id be buying another... I still see how its worth it however..

I would just use it and learn the light. Buy something after you find a real reason from experience with the light itself. You can shoot through it, or use it as a bounce. I generally use the 60" as a close range bounce surface. It still outputs a ton of light. The white with black cover is made to be a big bounce surface and will give good soft light. Silver simply increases contrast a bit. I wouldn't try to shoot through the 60" outside. The means to set that up above your subject at 45" would require a ton of height and work. I use my 48" octa for "above my subject" lighting like that to give you an idea. I use my 60" again as a bounce surface.

Nothing wrong with the white/black one you have, use it! You don't even need to buy anything right now.

Very best,

What is the difference between the "Flashpoint" and "Bowens" mounts? The Flashpoint is $399 and the Bowens is $479.

MalVeauX wrote in post #17675410
Heya,

I would just use it and learn the light. Buy something after you find a real reason from experience with the light itself. You can shoot through it, or use it as a bounce. I generally use the 60" as a close range bounce surface. It still outputs a ton of light. The white with black cover is made to be a big bounce surface and will give good soft light. Silver simply increases contrast a bit. I wouldn't try to shoot through the 60" outside. The means to set that up above your subject at 45" would require a ton of height and work. I use my 48" octa for "above my subject" lighting like that to give you an idea. I use my 60" again as a bounce surface.

Nothing wrong with the white/black one you have, use it! You don't even need to buy anything right now.

Very best,

Good advice Malveaux, in a pinch, could I also use my regular old Apollo like soft box (non mount), for say one person?

ptcanon3ti wrote in post #17675444
What is the difference between the "Flashpoint" and "Bowens" mounts? The Flashpoint is $399 and the Bowens is $479.

The difference in the mounts is that Flashpoint is their own style mount for Flashpoint brand modifiers. The Bowens mount is a common one found on any number of manufacturer's products. Personally I went with the slightly more expensive Bowens mount as it gave me a far larger range of modifiers to choose from, in a wider range of quality/price points. No idea if it is actually easy to get adaptors to mount Bowens stuff on the Flashpoint mount units, I didn't find any at the time I was looking when I ordered.

Luckless wrote in post #17675502
The difference in the mounts is that Flashpoint is their own style mount for Flashpoint brand modifiers. The Bowens mount is a common one found on any number of manufacturer's products. Personally I went with the slightly more expensive Bowens mount as it gave me a far larger range of modifiers to choose from, in a wider range of quality/price points. No idea if it is actually easy to get adaptors to mount Bowens stuff on the Flashpoint mount units, I didn't find any at the time I was looking when I ordered.

Thank you for explaining.

digitalduck wrote in post #17675497
Good advice Malveaux, in a pinch, could I also use my regular old Apollo like soft box (non mount), for say one person?

Yes! It would just need less power, or you could get more distance, depends on the look you want.

Also, you can get a big beauty dish and use it at a big distance for another option of portable good light. Like a 22~28 inch beauty dish.

Very best,

Heya,

Just to help out with modifiers, power in bright sun in Florida, and all that, here's some quick examples I just did in the yard. Nearly died of heat stroke! But any reason is a good reason to have a sweet pipe and take some photographs. Nothing ground breaking, just wanted to show the difference real fast between a 48" softbox and a 60" bounce umbrella at relatively similar distances to subject and what kind of light can be had at full power (1/1) with the Rovelight in full sun (Florida!).

Rovelight 600B (600Ws) at 1/1 full power & 1/2 power, in HSS mode, snail recycle (I keep it slow to get more shots per charge).
Yongnuo YN622c with PC Sync cable into back of Rovelight, velcro'd to the light.
Modifiers: Fotodiox EZ Pro 48" Octa (two linings) in Bowen's Mount & Impact 60" Silver lined White Umbrella with Black cover.
Stand: Cheetahstand Boom Stand with counter weight bag (4x 12oz cans of water and some cables & stakes in there).
Camera: 5Dc with a Tamron 90mm F2.8 VC, YN622 trigger, and a remote radio trigger to take selfies (Pixel Oppilas wireless remote).
Settings: 1/2000s F2.8 ISO 100 (flash at 1/2), and 1/4000s F2.8 ISO 100 (flash at 1/1)

I dropped ambient light significantly to see how much I could get back from the Rovelight via the two modifiers.

Overall, I was able to drop exposure a little in post, so it was more than enough to over power the sun here at full power and decent distance (4~5 feet or so).

***************

Softbox: Fotodiox EZ Pro 48" Octa ($110 new)

First image: 1/2000s, F2.8, ISO 100 - No lighting! To show ambient and back-lit forced into shadow subject.
Second image: 1/2000s, F2.8, ISO 100 - Rovelight at 1/2 power in HSS.
Third image: 1/4000s, F2.8, ISO 100 - Rovelight at 1/1 (full) power in HSS.

IMAGE LINK: https://flic.kr/p/xydX​RN

IMAGE LINK: https://flic.kr/p/xhxe​kv

IMAGE LINK: https://flic.kr/p/xhqS​TS

IMAGE LINK: https://flic.kr/p/xwpz​ku

IMAGE LINK: https://flic.kr/p/xydT​mL

IMAGE LINK: https://flic.kr/p/xzDy​ER

IMAGE LINK: https://flic.kr/p/xhqX​kh

MalVeauX wrote in post #17675772
Heya,

Just to help out with modifiers, power in bright sun in Florida, and all that, here's some quick examples I just did in the yard. Nearly died of heat stroke! But any reason is a good reason to have a sweet pipe and take some photographs. Nothing ground breaking, just wanted to show the difference real fast between a 48" softbox and a 60" bounce umbrella at relatively similar distances to subject and what kind of light can be had at full power (1/1) with the Rovelight in full sun (Florida!).

Rovelight 600B (600Ws) at 1/1 full power & 1/2 power, in HSS mode, snail recycle (I keep it slow to get more shots per charge).
Yongnuo YN622c with PC Sync cable into back of Rovelight, velcro'd to the light.
Modifiers: Fotodiox EZ Pro 48" Octa (two linings) in Bowen's Mount & Impact 60" Silver lined White Umbrella with Black cover.
Stand: Cheetahstand Boom Stand with counter weight bag (4x 12oz cans of water and some cables & stakes in there).
Camera: 5Dc with a Tamron 90mm F2.8 VC, YN622 trigger, and a remote radio trigger to take selfies (Pixel Oppilas wireless remote).
Settings: 1/2000s F2.8 ISO 100 (flash at 1/2), and 1/4000s F2.8 ISO 100 (flash at 1/1)

I dropped ambient light significantly to see how much I could get back from the Rovelight via the two modifiers.

Overall, I was able to drop exposure a little in post, so it was more than enough to over power the sun here at full power and decent distance (4~5 feet or so).

***************

Softbox: Fotodiox EZ Pro 48" Octa ($110 new)

First image: 1/2000s, F2.8, ISO 100 - No lighting! To show ambient and back-lit forced into shadow subject.
Second image: 1/2000s, F2.8, ISO 100 - Rovelight at 1/2 power in HSS.
Third image: 1/4000s, F2.8, ISO 100 - Rovelight at 1/1 (full) power in HSS.

IMAGE LINK: https://flic.kr/p/xydX​RN IMG_8277 by Martin Wise, on Flickr

Results:

IMAGE LINK: https://flic.kr/p/xhxe​kv IMG_4834 by Martin Wise, on Flickr

IMAGE LINK: https://flic.kr/p/xhqS​TS IMG_4838 by Martin Wise, on Flickr

IMAGE LINK: https://flic.kr/p/xwpz​ku IMG_4841 by Martin Wise, on Flickr

***************

Umbrella (configured as a Bounce Surface): Impact 60" Silver Umbrella with Black Cover ($30 new)

Please forgive that I managed to move or miss focus, but the point is the light anyways.

I kept the same exposure values from before, but simply swapped to a different modifier and moved it a little bit.

Image: 1/4000s, F2.8, ISO 100. Rovelight at 1/1 power, bouncing off a silver 60" umbrella.

https://flic.kr/p/xydT​mLIMG_8283 by Martin Wise, on Flickr

Result:

https://flic.kr/p/xzDy​ERIMG_4844 by Martin Wise, on Flickr

***************

So the take home message is the light.

Again I love the look of the softbox. But the ease of the umbrella is so much lighter, portable, simple. I love it too.

Overall neither are bad to use, and I suggest both types!

Here's both modifiers and the Rovelight on the stand as I moved it outside for this today:

https://flic.kr/p/xhqX​khIMG_8286 by Martin Wise, on Flickr

The softbox breaks down like an umbrella, just a bit bigger.

Hope that helps you figure things out.

Very best,

just wondering if you can control the light output with the YoungNuo 622tx?

PhilF wrote in post #17675864
just wondering if you can control the light output with the YoungNuo 622tx?

No, not currently.

But you can control the light power from the included transmitter that comes with the Rovelight. I keep it in my pocket. When I want to change power, I just press the +/- buttons. It beeps and increases or decreases power in 1/3rd stop increments. It beeps when the power level changes, so you know it's changed. I generally am always around 1/8th power to 1/4th power, to full power, so it doesn't take me long to change power levels. 3 beeps per full stop basically and I know where I'm at with power.

Very best,

PhilF wrote in post #17675864
just wondering if you can control the light output with the YoungNuo 622tx?

No not possible

nprotz wrote in post #17672769
So since it's best to use the Yn622 triggers on both the camera and light for reliability, can you also use a Yongnuo flash with this setup and control it's power from the camera?

Would it work in high speed sync along with the Rovelight?

Anyone? Has any of you tried this? I've been looking at the Godox V850 flashes too. I know you can put the f16 trigger on top of the YN622 and control the power of the V850 flashes. Seems like this would work along side the Rovelight?

agreed. The speedlite did a bang up job but I had to place is really close to us to overpower the sun. The only modifier I brought with me was a small 8x12" velcro attachment to the speedlite.

There was no way I could have brought a dedicated strobe up to those locations. Plus, I'm sure the wind would have blown it away haha