Can I? use the D4 without any modifiers?

I know there's no directional control if I don't stick anything on the end, but what would my results be?

Reason I'm asking is I have a gathering and I'd like to light the room itself if I choose to not use my 550s either on camera or off.

Sure! Bare-bulb photography is popular with some wedding photogs. Try it, you might like it.

No reason why not Hawk. Be careful of flare and stray light entering the lens, but it's no different than pointing your Speedlight at the ceiling or wall and firing.

Well, it's a little different, because there'll be direct as well as bounced light hitting things. Just think of it as lighting the room with a single table lamp. You're going to get rapid falloff in the area close to it, and more even (but much less) light farther away. No reason not to, though...

it's a 90th birthday party so I'll give it a go. I'm somewhat concerned about the front of the unit, but I'll gorilla tape them down as best I can. I have caution tape too; overkill?

Also, would I be better to aim them at 45deg to the ceiling?

Depends. If you want to see more direct light, angle it, or even point it towards your subject(s). If you want to see softer, more diffuse light reflected from the ceiling, point it straight up at the ceiling: put it in a corner as far from the subject(s) as possible, if you want to maximize diffuse and minimize direct lighting.

I tried the bare bulb strobe couple times, found that the light straight from the flash tube is just too brutal for portraits, and cast ugly shadows on the wall even the strobe is point to the ceiling. The standard reflector comes with strobe does lot better job controlling the spills.

Lotto wrote in post #6024916
I tried the bare bulb strobe couple times, found that the light straight from the flash tube is just too brutal for portraits, and cast ugly shadows on the wall even the strobe is point to the ceiling. The standard reflector comes with strobe does lot better job controlling the spills.

We don't get a standard reflector in the kit with the d4 or d2. I have to buy them, and they are $60 each and the umbrella is not included.

You can always fashion some sort of shield, flag, gobo, cutter, etc.. to block or direct light. It's far from ideal but if you have no reflector then the answer to your original question is "yes you can" but it's not going to be easy or fun

I figure I just need to place my order for the 3 additional D2 lights, and might as well piss the wife off more and put 2 or 3 reflectors in the bag also

Yeah right- I wanna stay married to her.

The reality is (and perhaps your wife will understand) that unless you're using softboxes the strobes are useless without reflectors.

Some form of modifier is needed and for general purpose work, either the standard 8.25" or 6.25" reflectors would do the job. The larger will acoommodate grids, barn doors and accessories, whereas the smaller has greater coverage but will not accept accessories.

Considering the cost and quality of the strobes and the ability to upgrade and use any Elinchrom strobes or modifiers I think it's worth it. For starters, only get the reflector(s) you need rather than trying to outfit an entire kit. If one strobe will always have a softbox on it then there's no need to have a reflector for that strobe.

I've got my kit softboxes almost permanently attached, but I'd like the diversity of a reflector/umbrella combination. Her reality is the cost of all this gear. Lucky for me I've started to make some money on this "hobby"

No doubt it's a money pit Hawk

The ~$100 you spend on 2 reflectors will be well worth it. Even though it seems there's no end to the spending, if you do it right you can assemble a great kit that more than does what you need and want and will make you money, and you can halt the spending while you get some cash in the bank.

If you're not doing professional work then a good deal of the time it's want and lust for gear rather than need.

Both of those reflectors are brilliant, BTW. The 6.25" reflector is the best umbrella reflector I've used (I had some Bowens stuff some years back), and the "standard" 8.25" reflector is just as good! All the Elinchrom accessories are really well made and perform as advertised.

Rudi- what would you suggest I buy then for a versatile reflector/umbrella combo?