Westcott 7 foot 2.2m Parabolic Umbrella - Silver

Happy with the product. This is a must-have item for a portrait photographer.

Es hermosísimo el resultado de usar esta sombrilla

I originally purchased an Impact 7' umbrella and got some very goods shots with it. However, there were workmanship issues with that particular unit, so I opted to spring for the Westcott and do a quick comparison. There are differences to these 2 umbrellas, which are very subtle and I would imagine that most people won't notice or mind the differences. For me, they are significant enough to warrant spending the extra $20. That, and Westcott's quality is very well known, with serious photogs telling me they've had their Westcott gear for decades! I've included a few pics to show those differences. (first pic shows them both side-by-side; Westcott on the left, Impact on the right and 3 feet further away, which is why it looks smaller! ;) ) First, is the build quality of the umbrella: you can see that the material at the apex of the ribs is assembled differently (2nd pic, Westcott; 3rd and 4th pic, Impact). This, to me, show a slightly closer attention to detail for the Westcott. The 4th picture is a crop of the 3rd, showing the 'patch' of material at the top of the umbrella. It doesn't have an effect on the light, but it shows the difference in the attention to assembly quality. Yes, it's a minor thing, but it's telling, nonetheless. The difference in the quality of the silver reflective material is also a bit better on the Westcott; it's reflective without being 'shiny', which translates to a more diffuse lighting. You really can't go wrong with either of those umbrellas, as they will both work great for those tight areas. But for me, there is just enough small differences, when added together, to warrant the upgrade to the Westcott. I'm still very happy with the prom shots (see other reviews) that I got using the Impact umbrella, and firmly believe that this size is essential for single light photo shoots!

Ich nutze diesen Schirm nun eine Zeit lang und bin mit den Ergebnissen sehr zufrieden! Der Schirm wiegt jedoch schon ein wenig mehr als der übliche Standartschirm und man sollte ihn mit einem wertigen Schirmhalter verwenden, sonst neigt sich der Schirm mutmaßlich absehbar in Richtung Boden...

Muy buen reflector parabólico. El único pero es que pesa bastante y si no se sujeta bien con un contrapeso es difícil de mantener en su sitio.

Parapluie vraiment très efficace et directionnel. Pour obtenir le meilleur, à mon sens, à utiliser avec un flash de type bare bulb et sans bol réflecteur (de toute façon vu la dimension du parapluie, il n'est pas vraiment possible de shooter dans un endroit exigu, le spill et les rebonds ne sont donc pas très préoccupants). A utiliser aussi comme un parabolique semi-focusable, en jouant sur la distance flash / fond du parapluie, on obtient une focalisation réellement différente. Lampe pilote plus que recommandée (je dirai obligatoire) pour jouir au maximum de ce que ce parapluie peut offrir. Les dimensions généreuses assurent une lumière homogène sans ombre, si on le désire, mais pas plate du tout pour autant. Bref, bon parapluie, surtout à ce prix. Avec la toile de diffusion (que j'ai reçue décousue...), on obtient une gigantesque softbox.