The ends of the unit where the rods sit in a pocket felt like they could wear down over time, but after mentioning this to the Parabolix team, they said that an update for this piece was already in the works to improve the reflector's longevity. On the inside, the silver lining gives the same impression that it won’t chip and get ruined over time like some unfortunately expensive modifiers I’ve seen. The fabric of the modifier is tough and doesn’t feel like it would easily break. I’m sure there will be skeptics of the build quality, but I can assure you that it’s just as good as anything I’ve seen from Profoto. Any light you have will likely fit onto these modifiers. There’s even a universal adapter that extends out from the focusing rod offering a simple stuff to attach your light directly onto. The Profoto mount is a cage with a Profoto speedring on the end, perfect for Pro-B4 and Pro7/8 units. On that stud, you attach the actual light mount. The focusing rod has a stud on the end, as is typical of light stands or c-stands. From Profoto, to Alien Bee, to Elinchrom, and even speedlights, the Parabolix reflectors allow for any of it. Why specifically the Parabolix? Most of that reasoning is price, but there is also one thing that these reflectors do that the more expensive ones don’t: They will mount virtually any light you want. Those are the reasons that you’d want a parabolic reflector. This versatility is something I sorely missed once sending these review units back. If you need even softer light, there is an optional diffusion cover that can be attached to each para to create yet more even spread. The focusing rod will let you change from soft to harsh quickly and easily. I was able to use this to great effect as I often will shoot both harsh and soft light in the same shoot. If the rod is pushed all the way out, the light will be far softer. Should you pull the rod all the way back into the box, your light will be punchy, directional, and hard. The rod can be pulled in and out of the box to change how tight the spread of light is. This is thanks to the focusing rod that the light mounts to. Traditional softboxes and beauty dishes create different light qualities depending on where you point them because the light fires directly towards the subject and doesn’t bounce as well and diffuse in the same way.īut what if we want a different quality of light? Well, you aren’t stuck with one look due to the light’s even spread. Because the light bounces throughout the reflector and is not directly pointed at the subject, the spread of light is totally even from edge to edge. The advantage to this is the lack of any hotspot whatsoever. Meaning the light fires away from the subject and in towards the back of the para. Lights are also rear-facing inside of these reflectors. There isn’t necessarily a "better" look, it is personal preference really. If you were to put the Parabolix 50 inch up against a 48 inch or 50-inch octabox, you would surely notice a difference. The parabolic shape plays into the very even lighting that you get from these reflectors because the deep shape not only gives direction, but contrast as well. And that functionality has three parts: the parabolic shape, the indirect light mount, and the focus rod. Now, what makes the Parabolix modifiers special is the fact that they retain the same functionality as the more expensive alternatives. All together (focusing rod, light mount, and reflector), this would cost you no more than $1,000. The most expensive option that they currently produce is the 50-inch reflector. Never before has a modifier of this class and capability been so affordable. The eye-catching part of these modifiers is their price. Parabolix manufactures parabolic light modifiers in a variety of sizes from 14 inches (that’s right, 14 inches) up to 50 inches. To my surprise, it was true, and with no catch to boot.
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