Question about grid "degrees"

Hi - a newbee here. Not completely new, but pretty new to studio and small flashes. I've yet to find an answer to this question. I know it is only a matter of searching, but I ran out of patience.

I know what a grid is - but what are the "degrees" in a grid? I assume it is an angle, but what angle? Is there any link to a site that explains and better yet, illustrates this.

I suppose my real question boils down to what does the differnt degrees mean to the light? Then I could play around and figure out what is best for what I want to do.

Thanks for indulging what is probably a silly question.

hope this helps

https://photography-on-the.net …php?p=9588654&p​ostcount=7

https://photography-on-the.net …php?p=9585232&p​ostcount=2

Grids for lights often come with different number of degrees of light spread, stated with the accessory.
For example, Dynalite makes 7" grids in 10, 20, 30 or 40 degree.

This web site can help you to visualize the difference, but unfortunately they do not rate the number of degrees, but use subjective terms.
http://www.bron.ch …&kategorie=vt_p​d_lg_sc_en

Thanks guys! That helps but as I read, I realized that maybe my question is also about "how to". I am just starting out and I also am a big DIY'er. I now understand the terminology better and see what different degrees do to the light.

But how does this look on the grid itself? Is a 10 degree grid only the angle of the resulting "cone" of light? Or is it the angle of the grid elements itself?

I know that a longer length of "honeycomb" (or drinking straws glued together) give a tighter ring of light. So maybe the "degree" of a grid is a function of the length or distance from where the light enters and exits the grid?

Am I getting on-track or still far astray?

its like a screen , 10 degree has smaller holes than a 20 an20 are smaller than 30 etc. is that what you wanted to kn0w

Jay T wrote in post #9716277
its like a screen , 10 degree has smaller holes than a 20 an20 are smaller than 30 etc. is that what you wanted to kn0w

Now we're getting somewhere! Thanks!

But is the only difference the size of the holes? I've already found that a longer honeycomb shoots a different light circle than a shorter one. (i.e., the longer has a smaller circle than the shorter when everything else is constant.)

So if I make/use a longer (deeper) grid, even with the same size holes, it makes it a smaller degree number?

kfyount wrote in post #9716162
Thanks guys! That helps but as I read, I realized that maybe my question is also about "how to". I am just starting out and I also am a big DIY'er. I now understand the terminology better and see what different degrees do to the light.

But how does this look on the grid itself? Is a 10 degree grid only the angle of the resulting "cone" of light? Or is it the angle of the grid elements itself?

I know that a longer length of "honeycomb" (or drinking straws glued together) give a tighter ring of light. So maybe the "degree" of a grid is a function of the length or distance from where the light enters and exits the grid?

Am I getting on-track or still far astray?

It's a function of both the thickness of the honeycomb grid (looking at it from the side) and the size of honeycomb cells (looking at it from the front or back of the grid).

Wilt wrote in post #9716091
Grids for lights often come with different number of degrees of light spread, stated with the accessory.
For example, Dynalite makes 7" grids in 10, 20, 30 or 40 degree.

This web site can help you to visualize the difference, but unfortunately they do not rate the number of degrees, but use subjective terms.
http://www.bron.ch …&kategorie=vt_p​d_lg_sc_en

Wilt, thanks for that link. I don't think I've ever seen that ability to compare different modifiers like this. You can really visualize some of the harder, contrastier light with the softer modifiers.

The simulations on this site will give you a better idea of effect of grids (in this case on softboxes) and the resulting light spread. LightTools are one of the premium (cough, $$$$) grid suppliers in the industry. Just click on a given softbox vendor's name to see sim of the effect of various grids from a standard 3x3 softbox. If you click on the grid size at the top of the page for a given vendor, you'll get the price - e.g Chimera -> 24x32 -> 40 deg = US$220

http://www.lighttools.​com/subgrouping.htm?ca​t=22520

Conner999 wrote in post #9719495
The simulations on this site will give you a better idea of effect of grids (in this case on softboxes) and the resulting light spread. LightTools are one of the premium (cough, $$$$) grid suppliers in the industry. Just click on a given softbox vendor's name to see sim of the effect of various grids from a standard 3x3 softbox. If you click on the grid size at the top of the page for a given vendor, you'll get the price - e.g Chimera -> 24x32 -> 40 deg = US$220

http://www.lighttools.​com/subgrouping.htm?ca​t=22520

Thanks! This was what I needed to understand it. Thanks to everyone for the help.

I love this forum!