California Sunbounce

Hi,

I have been looking at the california sunbounce products. I really like their portability and usefulness. I am interested on ont of their micro-mini, or possibly mini sunobunce units. I would also like to play with one of the larger sunbounce kits too.

Does anyone make a cometing product? The micro mini is $179 and I want to know if there are less expensive alternatives out there before I order one.

I dont know of any competing product to the sunbounce micro/mini system.

I have the Micro mini bouncer with the flash bracket and grip head.

Its a nice product even though i personally feel its a bit overpriced. The fabric isnt as high quality as i expected. My Skylite fabrics are of higher quality.

Still the Micro/Mini system is neat and very portable and works quite well.

But if your just after a reflector or a scrim i would pick up lastolite unless you need very larger scrims of course.

There is:

Westcott
Chimera
lasolite

and cheaper

Photoflex
calumet

Just to clarify, i was reffering soley to the micro/Mini system with a flashbracket.

THe Lastolite Skylite's are excellent. Similar design, well made, easy to work with on location and in the studio. Personally, I like them a bit more than the Sunbounce.

I just got the micro-mini, and I'm impressed with the quality. You can save some money by buying one new at www.mpex.com (cheaper than anywhere else i saw).

Did you get the black and white or the white/zebra?

I have to agree with Paul. The fabric used for the Sunbounce is no better than my Photoflex collapsible reflectors and in very short time I was seeing the classic peeling and inconsistencies in the reflective surface.

The material used with the Lastolite Skylite is much better.

Yes i was suprised actually, dont get me wrong the Sunbounce frame is smart, but the fabric is not on par with skylite.

So again if your not using the Micro/Mini with a flashbracket there are alot of cheaper reflectors (it dosent work that well as a scrim due to the cross handle going in the middle) one thing that bothered me on the mini frame (havent used any bigger) is that it flexes , not as much as a cheap collapsible but enough to be annoying. This also happens with the micro, but since its so small its not as much of a problem.

TMR Design wrote in post #10144771
THe Lastolite Skylite's are excellent. Similar design, well made, easy to work with on location and in the studio. Personally, I like them a bit more than the Sunbounce.

+1 to what Robert said. I looked at the CSB initially (but have never actually used) but went with the Lastolite Skylites. Their build quality and fabrics are just excellent.

Thanks.

From what I see on their site, they seem to be a bit different? The CSB micro mini can be held by one hand while you fhoot with the other, right? Not ideal, but it can be done. An assistant would be better.

Does the lastolite operate the same way?

CxThree wrote in post #10151614
Thanks.

From what I see on their site, they seem to be a bit different? The CSB micro mini can be held by one hand while you fhoot with the other, right? Not ideal, but it can be done. An assistant would be better.

Does the lastolite operate the same way?

Yes but if your using it as a reflector a collapse reflector likte the tri-grip is just as easy and even more portable.

The Lastolite Skylite comes in 3 sizes, smallest being 1x1m its alot more heavyduty and not that easy to hand hold while shooting.

But again if your looking to use the CSB micro mini with the flashbracket lastolite dont have a similar product that is as portable and easy to setup.

Here you can see the CSB mini with with a Quadra mounted, and also a skylite (2x2m) which the B&G is standing under.

Byte size: ZERO | Content warning: NOT AN IMAGE

I haven't personally bought any one yet but from my research (over at FM) chimera won high praises from working pros, even more than westcott scrim jim system. For things like sun swatter etc. there weren't any equivalent systems from other mfg.

bobbyz wrote in post #10153476
I haven't personally bought any one yet but from my research (over at FM) chimera won high praises from working pros, even more than westcott scrim jim system. For things like sun swatter etc. there weren't any equivalent systems from other mfg.

Unless Chimera put out a whole new product range, both scrimjim, lastolite CBS (especially CBS) has equivalents when it comes to scrims and sun swatters.

MR do little wrote in post #10153511
Unless Chimera put out a whole new product range, both scrimjim, lastolite CBS (especially CBS) has equivalents when it comes to scrims and sun swatters.

I though CSB was the only one with frames like CSB sun-swatter?