Diffuse with a sheet vs. Diffuse with a tissue on a frame

[Pietro Impagliazzo]

Hi everyone.

So I was pondering here about the practical difference between between diffusing using a small Rosco sheet attached to the light vs. diffuse using a large frame with silk or muslin.

Do the results differ substantially?

Unfortunately I don't have neither of those here, so I can't make a practical test.

Thanks for the input!

:thumbsup:

[Peter Majtan]

I think the main difference is that You end up with a lot larger white surface with the big frame/muslin, which affects a lot the reflections on highly glossy objects, such as cars... (assuming the diffusion level and light color stays the same) :D

http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c179/obentley619/k67p67/Shoot%203/Kurtis1.jpg

http://cache.jalopnik.com/assets/resources/2008/01/54482-b-lex-.jpg

You couldn't get this with rosco...


PS: These are not my photographs - they are only as a reference to illustrate the effect of large white sheet reflecting of a glossy object...

[Pietro Impagliazzo]

I guess I'll go with sheets for now then.
Thanks Peter.

[Peter Majtan]

Just make sure that this is the effect You are after. One solution is not better then the other - You just use them for different situations... :D

[Yannick Hagman]

Wanna buy a few of those? :)

http://www.kinoflo.com/Lighting%20fixtures%20with%20Remote%20ballast/Blanket%20Lite/Blanket-Lite.htm

[Pietro Impagliazzo]

Just make sure that this is the effect You are after. One solution is not better then the other - You just use them for different situations... :D

Well, I won't be doing product and expensive car shots, so...
And I need some diffusion now, I can get away with cheap sheets for the time being.

:)

Wanna buy a few of those? :)

http://www.kinoflo.com/Lighting%20fixtures%20with%20Remote%20ballast/Blanket%20Lite/Blanket-Lite.htm

Looks...
Expensive!

[Yannick Hagman]

They are! :) You mean rosco frost? Are you using fresnels? Silk is much softer I believe.

[Pietro Impagliazzo]

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=cart&A=details&Q=&sku=163157&is=REG

Considering this and the 1/2 version too.

[Yannick Hagman]

You have to try. I didn't ever used them. Will you attach it right at the barndoors?

[Pietro Impagliazzo]

Yes...

[Peter Majtan]

I have used similar stuff (not the same brand). The main advantage as compared with the big sheets is the lack of need for another stand and quick modification of lighting, as You don't need to move the sheet accordingly every time You move or redirect Your light. But the sheets tend to be more softer and You can get them lot closer to Your subject... :D

[Kyle Presley]

I have some of the Rosco brand stuff. It works great. Very easy to use and very quick to change out if you don't need it. Just don't get it too close; it melts. I speak from experience :furious3:

[Pietro Impagliazzo]

Thanks for all the input guys.

Very helpful!

[Cedric_Akins]

Hey this may need to be in the lighting section, but I don't know.

[Pietro Impagliazzo]

Hey this may need to be in the lighting section, but I don't know.

I forgot about this section man and didn't see It when I was about to post! :(

But It doesn't make too much sense.
Isn't lighting part of cinematography?

Anyway...
That was my reasoning to post here. :)

PS: Just reported this thread so a mod moves it.

[Shane H.]

Sometimes I just use a sheet attached to the same frame as a reflector clipped to a small stand. This gives a really nice soft light.

[David Rasberry]

I use bounce off of 4x8 sheets of foam core too. Again a different look. There are all kinds of cheap polyester silk sheers at fabric stores that you can use too. A staple gun and some 1x2's tacked and glued together with plywood cleats at the corners will give you the kind of large scrims used in those car shots for very little money. Just don't put lights to close to them or the fabric will burn.

[Stefan Christou]

You can buy huge 5 in one fold out reflectors from ebay for $30 that happen to have silk in the middle once you unzip the outside. Hang that in-front of a redhead and you've got a really big soft light-source. Works really well

[Pietro Impagliazzo]

Cool tip Def.

Thanks.

[Stefan Christou]

Thanks. That is especially useful for night shoots where you need a lot of soft fill

[Pietro Impagliazzo]

Just bought a cheapo 5-in-1 for 10 bucks.

[Andrew]

Hey, those look great. Are the 22" ones a little small? I'd prefer something closer to 1 m across. I found an old white sheet and I thought of just buying some electrical conduit, making it into a 1.2 m by 0.8 m frame and making an really cheap diffuser but this sounds heaps better.

EDIT: Ahh, the 32" ones look better.

[thommes]

You can buy huge 5 in one fold out reflectors from ebay for $30 that happen to have silk in the middle once you unzip the outside. Hang that in-front of a redhead and you've got a really big soft light-source. Works really well

I second you. Cheap, quick, flexible. As an amateur I never thought of this as fill in night shots, THANKS!

Th:)mmes