Large Umbrella

So I was reading another thread and it got me looking at large 60"+ umbrellas. I have a few different soft box's and smaller umbrellas but I think I migh tpick up something large, I will be using 2-3 YN flashes fired into it.

If you had the choice would you go with a 60" that has a removable backing to make it shoot through, or a 72" that is strictly shoot through?

Which ever I go with will be used indoors in my studio with heavy duty stands, I do a lot of boudoir and senior shooting.

Paul c Buff PLM System. For firing muliple speedlights I'm not sure I'd go shoot through that large because of uneven coverage. I would rather go efficient reflective umbrella with a diffusion panel for the front.

gonzogolf wrote in post #17240362
Paul c Buff PLM System. For firing muliple speedlights I'm not sure I'd go shoot through that large because of uneven coverage. I would rather go efficient reflective umbrella with a diffusion panel for the front.

The 60" I am looking at has a diffusion panel for the front. I was worried about firing more then 1 flash into a shoot through, and figured 1 flash would not be enough power.

Shoot through umbrellas have always seemed silly to me. Buy a high quality, large softbox as it will be more versatile!

pyrojim wrote in post #17240769
Shoot through umbrellas have always seemed silly to me. Buy a high quality, large softbox as it will be more versatile!

A soft box with as much surface area as a 60" umbrella with diffusion panel is out of my current budget I do however have a 24 x 48 box and use it a lot.

Littlejon Dsgn wrote in post #17240783
A soft box with as much surface area as a 60" umbrella with diffusion panel is out of my current budget I do however have a 24 x 48 box and use it a lot.

Ohh what i said was NOT meant to be snipey. I too can not afford a giant softbox, but I'm just not sold on the UTILITY of a shoot through.

It seems that a quality reflective umbrella(preferably parabolic or semi parabolic) would be a great alternative! Ive called up the people at Paul C Buff and begged for a speedotron mount, but they won't do it (waaaahhhhhhhh). Id pay a lot of money to use their semi parabolic (the PLM) in a center mount on my speedotron lights! (UGH!)


I would imagine that you use a 2x4' softball a ton, my only softball is a 3x4 and i just can't get enough of it. its almost cheating its so easy to use, and produces such wonderful results.

pyrojim wrote in post #17240954
Ohh what i said was NOT meant to be snipey. I too can not afford a giant softbox, but I'm just not sold on the UTILITY of a shoot through.

It seems that a quality reflective umbrella(preferably parabolic or semi parabolic) would be a great alternative! Ive called up the people at Paul C Buff and begged for a speedotron mount, but they won't do it (waaaahhhhhhhh). Id pay a lot of money to use their semi parabolic (the PLM) in a center mount on my speedotron lights! (UGH!)


I would imagine that you use a 2x4' softball a ton, my only softball is a 3x4 and i just can't get enough of it. its almost cheating its so easy to use, and produces such wonderful results.

I did not take it as you being snipey At this point I think I will be going with the 60" reflective and not the 72" shoot through.

Littlejon Dsgn wrote in post #17241002
I did not take it as you being snipey At this point I think I will be going with the 60" reflective and not the 72" shoot through.

You could get the 86 reflective....