This review is for Impact’s 7′ Parabolic Umbrella. A parabolic umbrella is a 16 panel umbrella that produces a soft and large light source when used with strobes. When open, the umbrella is huge – this one has a 7 foot diameter – and results in extremely efficient light transfer.
Studio backdrops are a great way to transform a space. There are all different sorts of backdrops but I wanted a backdrop that folds up easily and doesn’t require lugging around a bulky backdrop stand. I also own some paper roll backdrops and it is so tough bringing out of the studio. What I like about this backdrop is that compact when stored, but unfolds to be the perfect size backdrop for shooting portraits. This is a review of the Impact Super Collapsible Background.
A reflector is a light shaping tool. When shooting indoors, I often like to have a reflector handy to bounce light back onto my subject. For example, if my subject is standing next to a window there is more light on one side, than the other side. A reflector is helpful to soften the contrast of the window light. Reflectors can be used to bounce studio lighting as well. This is a review for Impact’s Reflector Panel.
I love the size of this reflector. It’s quite large, 35″ x 70″ and is the perfect size for portraits. I used it length wise, and it pretty much covered the entire height of my subject. It folds up nicely for easy storage. There are two different reflective fabrics that come with it– one is white/black combination and the other is a gold/silver combination. I use the white/black combination the most, as that combo yields the most desirable results for me.
This is a review of the Impact Two Monolight Softbox Kit. If you’re interested in learning studio photography and have looked at purchasing some gear, you know that once you start purchasing lights, light stands and modifiers, it can get expensive very quickly. Fortunately, there are some inexpensive options available out there, but are they worth it? While I don’t consider myself a master in the studio, I do have quite a bit of experience with different types of lighting equipment and, with a little use, can tell if I’d use something on a regular basis or not. Want to know what I thought of this Impact kit? Read on…
2x 300 W/S Monolights
2x 24×32″ Softboxes
2x Reflectors
2x Sync Cords
2x Stands
There are times when you wish to manipulate light sources but don’t always have the luxury of having an assistant to position and hold a reflector. The Impact 42″ 5-in-1 Reflector with Lightstand and Holder Kit comes in handy during such situations, as it allows you to tinker with different lighting angles, position the reflector, lock it in place, and carry on with your shoot. It is like having an assistant when one is not available (albeit a rather silent one!). It also comes in handy when it is not convenient to take multiple lights with you on a photo shoot. The reflector kit can act as a “second light” by maximizing the effects of a single light.
Once again, Impact has done a good job of combining a few of their quality products into a useful kit at a value-based price.
Impact 5-in-1 Collapsible Circular Reflector Disc – 42″
Shape: Round
Size Open: 42″ (106cm)
Size Closed: 14″ (36cm)
Surfaces: Translucent, Silver, Gold, Silver-Gold, White
This is a review of the Bolt CBP-N1 Compact Battery Pack for select Nikon flashes. Whether used during a portrait session or at a wedding reception, a battery pack can greatly improve and extend the usefulness of an off-camera flash. My hopes for this battery pack are two-fold. First, I want it to extend the battery life of my flash’s batteries, giving me more shooting time without having to worry about changing batteries or waiting longer for my flash to recycle over the course of my shoot. Second, I want it to give me a consistently faster recycle time.
As you know from reading this site, Impact makes a number of excellent products that offer quite a bit of bang for your photography buck. The Impact 22″ Beauty Dish Reflector Kit represents a solid value for those that want to engage in portrait photography, but don’t want to pay more for a beauty dish kit than they paid for their portrait lens.
This is one well-built kit that will satisfy demanding professionals and amateurs alike.
This is a quick review of the Impact Portrait Kit. The kit includes a snoot and a beauty dish with accessories that include grids and colored gels. All of these modifiers are made to fit onto almost any on-camera flash. I was initially skeptical about how well they would work while shooting portraits, especially considering that on the packaging it only shows examples of product photography.
Mounts to Any On-Camera Flash
Dish Reflector with 3 Interior Discs
Three Grids
Neutral Filter to Reduce Light Output
Three Color Filters
Snoot for Narrow Circle of Light
Snoot has 2 grids
The Portrait Kit is shipped in three boxes: a beauty dish, beauty dish accessories and a snoot. Each box is the standalone retail box that you would receive if you were to purchase them individually. They are securely packaged inside of the boxes.
This is a review of the Impact 52” Silver/White Collapsible Circular Reflector Disc. It is commonly used for bouncing natural light or flash onto subjects when taking their portrait. I use reflectors with almost all of my portrait work and consider them to be an indispensable tool that I always have with me. I’m used to using a smaller, 30” Lastolite TriGrip by myself, so I was curious to see if I’d still be able to use such a big reflector without the help of an assistant.
As you can see, with a little creativity it can definitely be used without an assistant! This should also give you an idea of the size of this reflector.
This reflector has two sides, a white side that’s great for adding some fill light, and a silver side that can provide enough light to act as a key light or just add some much needed fill light to a portrait. I typically use a soft silver reflector (which has both silver and white lines on the same side), so I wasn’t sure which side of this reflector I’d end up using the most. I knew that because of the size of the reflector, I’d get some nice soft light, but would the white side give me enough light? Would the silver side be too harsh? There’s only one way to find out, so I took the plunge and started using it.
1. Shape – Circular
2. Size Open – 52”
3. Size Collapsed – ⅓ open size (18”)
4. Surfaces – Silver, white reflective
This is a review of the Lastolite EzyBox Speed-Lite, a small 8.6 x 8.6″ softbox designed to be used with a speedlight. One of the most dreaded situations for most photographers is walking into a venue that has dark walls, very high ceilings and no ambient light. No matter what camera system you shoot with, working in such environments without flash is simply not an option. Lack of light can create a myriad of problems, from focusing issues to image blur due to slow shutter speed. Shooting at super high ISO is often not an option – not when you will be delivering your photographs to a business client. So what do you do? You use a speedlight, often on top of the camera, because you need to move around when photographing the event.
