Hard vs Soft Beauty Dish Comparison

[@okeefest]

I bought a soft beauty dish (two actually) and used the egg crate grid. I couldn’t understand, at first, why I was getting such an odd pattern on the background. Looking closely, I could see a slight pattern on the subject too. I realized that the egg crate grid was causing the issue. When the dish was placed at an angle, the egg crate cast a checkerboard like shadow. I bought a hard beauty dish with a hard grid and voila, no ugly shadows/patterns. If you need/want to use a grid to control the light, the hard beauty dish and grid is the way to go.

[@AdamTV]

Could you clarify how the shallow dish shape affects the light quality compared to a regular Softbox.

[@merkin22]

Love such comparisons as they nicely (very) underline the 'look' one gets, generally with the modifier being used. Thanks, as always!

[@LastXwitness]

nice video Dan a lot of people do not realize how specific a beauty dish really is

[@DanielNortonPhotographer]

Very true!

[@JamesBrownPhotographics]

Hi Daniel, FWIW, I use a Speedotron BD with white interior and adapted it to other brands by replacing the speed ring mount. It is pretty much a clone of the Mola Demi which IMO is the benchmark for BD's. By swapping out the central diffuser with an opaque, diffuse or metal mesh I can change the contrast and look.

[@kennyrc51]

I love the mettle beauty dish Work great I got the Adorama one with 3 grids and a sock Love using it!

[@thomasriggs2914]

Very well done Daniel - you have identified subtle differences and their affect. Thank you! Even different brands of hard beauty dishes offer different light characteristics based on the contour and size you mentioned.

[@Bloody1369]

I have used to Glow EZ Lock for a couple years. Once I got used to it I no longer use a regular softbox for the typical shooting I'm currently doing. Great video Daniel. Thanks!

[@alun7006]

Thanks, Daniel. I have recently acquired a used 16" beauty dish, but haven't had the opportunity to use it yet. It's not the most flexible modifier, as the subject has to keep pretty still. I need to practice with it!

[@kennypringle4580]

You always teach us valuable lessons. Good job👍

[@josephchan4198]

Awesome!! Great content. If I had a business, I would consider the foldable beauty dish.

[@DaveJay656]

Hmm, yeah, I agree 100%. Both do a good job with subtle differences. I like them both. Very helpful. Thanks Daniel.

[@3obardThawn3]

Ur videos are always helpful... thank you

[@rickjbradbury]

If I can I will take my solid beauty dish on location, just can not beat the look they give. 21.6" white and silver versions with grids.

[@andyvan5692]

yes, Daniel, they are the elinchrom ones, which have the "deflector set" in them, which can have silver, white, or diffused (1\2 a stop, as compared to the white's 1 stop); but it would be nice if you compared the elinchrom gear with the profoto as well, if you have had any experience with them. Also I miss marisa, you haven't done a lot with the "mentoring marisa" series lately, and love the fun and chemistry you and her have on the camera.

[@ronin5th]

Thanks for the comparison. It could be another tool in the LX toolbox

[@goonswarm007]

But a dish makes every model smile 5:40 😂

[@250157andyw]

Does it matter that the Profoto B10 has a flat front compared to other makes which use a ‘bare bulb’ front in a beauty dish?

[@GTGeorgeW]

I loved the comparison... maybe next time you could add a normal parabolic soft box in the mix .. to show the other side effect. Thanks Daniel for the teaching moment.

[@andyvan5692]

also with the soft beauty dish would you add 1\2 to 1 stop more power to the light, to boost the face exposure, to the same luminance as the hard one?

[@AMPUK]

Nice vid -- Well I greatly prefer the images from the hard dash over the rest. And yes the images taken soft dash with a diffuser look dull/flat in comparison to those from the hard dish. Hard dishes come in various sizes and unfinished and white - have you tried / compared them? Looking at profoto (others are the same) the spread varies depending on the depth of head position within the dish -- With the silver finish "Light spread: 26° at position 4 on ProHead"; whereas with the White dish "Light spread: 65° at position 4 on ProHead". Well at least according to profoto's web site that is. AND Output at 2 m with 2400Ws @ the white dish provides ISO100: f/32.4 at zoom position 4 (on ProHead); whereas the silver delivers @ ISO100: f/64.1 at zoom position 4 (on ProHead) -- reflecting the more concentration of light and higher reflectivity of the silver finish

[@andymcgarty3099]

I don't think I've ever used a beauty dish in the studio. Lots of brollies and softboxes. Must look out for one next time I visit the studio and try it.

[@briefcasemanx]

There was no link to Cadence that I could see

[@justinoff1]

Not using a pro head hurts my soul

[@JohnChubbSr]

Why is it called a "beauty dish?"

[@jamesrobinson3663]

Is a baseball sized dent required to properly light the model? 🤣

[@DanielNortonPhotographer]

Yes, yes it is. When you use gear, it gets used 😊

[@AdrianBacon]

I'm sure I'm the only one who has this position, but I just don't do beauty dishes. I don't know if it's just me or my typical style of lighting, but I just don't see the appeal of it over what I typically do. I know other photographers who swear by and rave about beauty dishes, but when I see many of the pictures that they produce with them, 9 times out of 10 my reaction is "um.... OK..." and that one time where I go "whoa" it's not necessarily because a beauty dish was used. I'm pretty sure I could spend the rest of my career never using a beauty dish and still be totally fine. That being said, there's nothing wrong with them, and if people want to use them, great, but it's just not my jam.

[@ernie28ernie]

Well, I guess the same could be said about every light modifier out there. ;) I don't get these globes, but love my Mola Setti...

[@plemas]

The most overrated of all modifiers Imho