Ike C : Why did you choose this umbrella over the convertible umbrella--shoot through and reflective? Isn't the convertible umbrella more versatile?JOEL H : For me it was just plain convenience. I have one shoot through and two reflective. I just grab what i need and go. No disassembling and no fumbling and saves time.DAVID K : I wanted an umbrella that would diffuse direct sunlight on my subject, such as a wildflower, to give nice even light without distorting the color spectrum. The Photoflex umbrella meets my needs in that regard. I never considered the possibility of a convertible umbrella. To get reflected light, I use a separate disc-shaped gold reflector, which also works fine for me. I also have a silver reflector, which I seldom use.CURTIS R : Shoot through gives better diffusion and softer shadows on portraits and shoots using external lighting. Reflective umbrellas make the light very stark and can be harsh. I always use shoot through.GARTH S : I have the 60" convertable version and never use the black backing. In my tests, using the black backing doesn't affect the light bounced off the umbrella.
There are, however, two benefits of the backing. First, it can minimize the spill off walls that could bounce back on your subject when bouncing the flash off the umbrella. Second, when shooting through the umbrella, you can use the backing to mask part of it to make the light more directional.
So, yes, the backing does offer an extra degree of flexibility. It just isn't something that I do with the 45" umbrella. I'd use the 60" for these things.
Over the years I have collected many Photoflex umbrellas. My most used umbrellas are the 60" convertibles and this white satin 45". The 60" is my first choice and one I highly recommend. This 45" is a must-have for those times when the 60" is too big or for secondary lighting on the subject.BRUCE C : I was specifically buying for shoot- through application and trying to do it as I expensively as possible. Works great, good price. MICHAEL M : Because this was much less expensive at the time and I already had a convertible. I also prefer the light that comes from the shoot through. The funny thing is that I rarely use either of these umbrellas now. I use mainly a soft box or a beauty dish. Beauty dishes are super easy to make and incredibly effective. I made mine for five dollars.
Shopper : Can you tell the length tip to tip when closed?GARTH S : Length when closed is 27 5/8".
Ribs are 25" long.
Open diameter along ribs is 42" (at widest point).
Open diameter between ribs is 38" (at narrowest point).
Approximate depth of umbrella itself when open is 10".SHAWN D : Yes, I can tell. Oh, wait, you wanted the actual length, too? It's just under 28". ;)JERRY W : 27.5 inchesNOEL DEL P : Hi! It is 27 inches.
Shopper : The shaft on this umbrella looks like it's thicker than on my JTL umbrellas. Will the shaft on this umbrella slide through the groove of my Flashpoint 320 Mono Light?WES B : yes with no problem. its just a bad picture. ours is exactly the same size.STEPHEN T : The diameter of the shaft is 7mm.MICHAEL H : The umbrella shaft is standard size and will work with any monolight setup and its built very strong compared to many other brands that are out there. I bought mine and put it to use that very day and have used it over 20 times since then and have had no issues with it. Great Umbrella for the price and excellent results with the sheen on the inside of the umbrellaTAMAYO A : hi friend, it works the same for all standard
