Comments about Westcott Westcott Portable Studio Kit 2 Standard (28" Recessed Apollo, 45" Halo & a 42" Silver/White Illuminator Reflector):

All three products in the kit are well made and efficient. The Apollo is a great small softbox which gives nice soft portrait light in close and can give a nice punchy/soft light when a bit futher from the subject. It's quick and easy to set up. Works great with either studio lights or with hotshoe strobes. The only drawbacks are concessions to the design" 1. the strobe is placed within the softbox which negates use of Nikon CLS (because no line of sight once the strobe is in the box). Also, I've found that the SB900 heats up rather quickly inside the softbox so be careful if using non-fan cooled strobes. My AB1600 works well in the Apollo and it's internal fan keeps the unit cool. The other issue with internal mounting of the strobe is that it's a pain to adjust strobe output (though I am going to pick up the RPs to solve that) as you have to open the diffusion panel to access the strobe; 2. The design of the Apollo (and the Halo as well) makes it difficult to tilt the light down toward the subject. However, if you mount it with the strobe pressed close to the back of the box you can tilt it about 30 degrees.

The Halo has the same drawbacks (internal mount, access to the strobe and tiltiing issues) as the Apollo but is also a great product. It's more directional than a shoot through umbrella and less so than a bounce umbrella. I use it when I shoot kids a lot. I use it to light an area when following a child around in a house environment to let the child and me move about freely during the session. I also use it high above the camera axis as a fill light the way one would use a ringlight.

The reflector is excellent..with a soft white side and a highly efficient silver side. I love the light from the silver reflector especially and it's a great size for portrait work. In all, it's my favorite of the three products followed by the Apollo and then the Halo.

In all, the products are very well made, and very reliable. The Apollo is part of my main location kit now as is the reflector. The build quality will stand up to years of use.