Bron Para FB - Plume Jumbrella -Photek Illuminata ?

[exi]

Hello Together,

been just new to this forum so I would like to ask the lighting-pros:

How does the above mentioned reflectors vary compared at the same size.

Thinking of getting something big so like to get some advice here

before investing in the wrong tool.

Need to lite a a sports scenes (one or two persons) with a single source.

Working out of Germany and mainly in sports and advertising, check me

out on www. thomas-exler.de.

Thanks and Regards

Thomas

[ellis_vener_photography]

these are all studio type tools, useful on location if you have a crew of gaffers or

assisitants to set it up and make sure it is securely tied dwn and sandbagged so that

doesn't crash to the ground in a slight gust of wind -- after all you are setting up a very

large parabolic sail.

[exi]

Thanks Ellis,

intend to use it mainly indoors. As the Bron Para FB goes for almost 4.000,-- Euro the Plume Jumbrella is a bargain at 1.000,-- Euro as well as the Illuminata Grande.

So my question was if there is a big difference in the lighting u get out of this reflectors.

Regards Thomas

[pablovi]

There's a lot of difference, the Para FB can be focus and defocused in a lot of position, changing the quality of the light you get, going from hard, yet surrounding light, because fo the size, to very soft light. The jumbrella is just a big umbrella, the Para FB is a parabollic reflector and gives you one of the most beutiful lights I have ever seen. If all you want is cover more space go with the jumbrella, but if you really want a one source beautiful light, there is nothing better as the Para FB if you can afford it. I've used the Para FB with continuos HMI light for a TV comercial and it's just beautiful. You can't go wrong with the Para FB except for the price, because it can give you many light qualities.

 

Regards and good luck

[exi]

Thanks Pablo,

is there not also the possibility to vary the postion of the light on the Jumbrella in terms of focus ? Otherwise handling must be very easy with the knew Para FB and as a longtimer with Bron I got to go with the Para. Just thought that the effect is maybe the same and then it makes no sense for me to spend 3.000, Euro on top. What also strikes my mind was the ProFoto 7' or 8' Reflector. But to my knowledge this modifiers will not accept Bron Pulso Light or is there a adapter solution around ?

Regards

[pablovi]

Thomas,

 

Yeah, you can change the position of the light in the Jumbrella, but you can't change the Shape of the Parabole, with the Para FB you can change the position of the lamp and the shape of the parabole, with that two variables you can create far more effects than with anyonther reflector or umbrella, and it's unique for that. And the quality of the reflection surface is also unique. But it is very expensive, if you only want to cover a large area go with the Illuminata or the Jumbrella but the Para FB is much more than just an overside umbrella.

[exi]

Thanks again Pablo,

 

you been a great help in this matter.

Will rent and test the Para as well as the Jumbrella before buying.

 

Regards from Munich,

Thomas

[shiver_me_timbrrrre]

Thomas, since you are in Munich you may want to give Wolfgang a call:

 

<a href="http://www.briese-lichttechnik.de">Briese</a>

[pablovi]

Wow!! that's some beautiful light control equipment!! But I bet is as expensive as Broncolor. Great Stuff. If you check it out Thomas, let us know the prices and availability, specially in 110 - 120v.

[exi]

Thanks for the response,

 

got to tell you that this Briese is a killer compared to Bron or Profoto when it comes to paying it. The Para is the same as the Briese Focus and to my Knowledge they had a fight in court about the construction.

Briese is doing better in USA than over here they say, so you may check out the usual suspects around the corner for prices.

Been since 1999 with Bron and very happy will make it hard to think of Briese.

Now I need a big source and there was the question of the Jumbrella 2m for 1.000,-- Euro or the Para 220 for 4.500,-- Euro. Unfortunately there are no Jumbrellas around here in Germany that makes it hard to compare for making the call.

 

Regards from Bavaria

 

Thomas

[steve_roark]

Hello, Thomas. I should be getting a 7 ft. Photoflex Octodome in the mail soon. If you're interested, you're welcome to take it for a test drive some weekend. I'm with the Americans just west of Weiden, but I never miss an excuse to drive down to Munich. The Octodome's are on sell for less than 1/4 of the units you describe. Would be curious to see how it compares to the other models listed above...

 

Steve Roark

[shiver_me_timbrrrre]

Perhaps Bron's got deeper pockets than Wolfgang Briese but to give credit where credit is due, Wolfgang Briese did come out with the giant focussing umbrella much earlier than Bron or Profoto or elinchrom.

 

Profoto withdrew its original ProBig from the market out of respect for Wolfgang Briese's design. Profoto went back to the drawing board and became the present day Giant Umbrella. It has to do with the parabolic curves of the brolly and its focussing feature; these features are owned by Briese. Bron's PARA is a faithful copy of Briese's FOCUS, right down to its parabolic shape and 24-panel construction.

 

Briese's FOCUS places its light perfectly axially. The FOCUS 220 umbrella is approximately EURO 3450.00 and FOCUS 330 EURO 11900.00. Complete with 2400ws flash-head, TUBUS, diffuser, set-up helper, counter-reflector, etc., they are EURO 6321.00 and EURO 17075.00 respectively. You need to supply a power pack or generator.

 

You may buy an adapter called the ADAPTION [sic] for EURO 350.00 from Briese which allows you to use a Broncolor, Profoto, elinchrom, Hensel pack with the complete FOCUS umbrellas.

 

I have heard that the Briese FOCUS + pack has a rather long flash duration. It may be a characteristic of the Briese pack and not the Briese flash-tube, for all I know.

 

It's a beautiful light as Pablo described of the Bron PARA. You can rent the Brieses at big rental houses cum studios like Pier 59 in NYC.

[exi]

Thanks for the Info T.M.S,

 

as mentioned before I heard that Briese took Bron before Court of the Para Design and in some countrys they can't sell the product or whatsoever.

When it comes to the design of the Para/ Focus then there is the parabolic curve in the Plume Jumbrella as well or I'am wrong.

Because if them so and there is also the possibility to focus then the light must be in some way equal to that of the Para/Focus.

Shed me some light on this issue, worked so far only with big softboxes and looking for some crisp in the looks ... have enough of flat / even lighting.

Looking forward to get more infos,

 

Thanks

Thomas

[ellis_vener_photography]

I'd also look at the profoto 5 ft, 7ft., and 8ft. reflectors: The beam from these can also be

focused by means of adjusting the pole length and the position of the head .

 

Link to profoto's english language site:

 

http://www.profoto.com/newsItem.php?q_catId=7&q_newsId=12

 

What sports are you photographing that you might use this for?

[exi]

Thanks Ellis,

 

was looking at Profotos 7' and 8' as well but there are no adapters for Pulso Heads here in Germany available.

Like these reflectors a lot, saw them in action and must say that's a very handy design for working on location as my work mainly is.

Would go for them , as well for the price but unfortunately they no good for Broncolor.

Need the setup for sportsfashion ( Tennis ) 1 to 4 people in action and as u know German wheather u got to be ready to shoot it indoors on locationas well as of the timeframe of the main testimonial in that campaign starting in 2006.

Let me know if there are adapters around in USA for using Pulso Heads on a Profoto 7' or 8' Reflector.

At that point wan't rule out the Plume Jumbrella Size 2m but don't know how the handling of this monster will be at a location shoot.

IF you compare the Profoto 7' and Jumbrella 2m there can't be too much difference in the lighting you will obtain or ?.

 

Thank you very much in advance for the input,

 

Regards

 

Thomas

[exi]

Hi Steve,

 

thanks for the offer.

Let me know how this monster is to setup and dismantle as well how the lighting without the fron baffle.

 

Servus nach Weiden

Thomas

[shiver_me_timbrrrre]

The Plume is a big umbrella but it does not have the parabola of the Briese Focus or Bron PARA.

 

Thomas, are there no rental houses in Munich or a city nearby? If it is for a one-time shoot, it may be better to just rent the Bron PARA. And if you're going to use it often, why not just bite the bullet and buy the Bron PARA? You are assured of getting a lighting effect and look that you want and sometimes god lies in the little details.

 

You did not mention the elinchrom Octabank but I thought that you should check it out as well. It comes very close to the Profoto ProBig in lighting effect and may suit you well. elinchrom may have an adapter for a Bron Pulso G head.

[exi]

Thanks SMT,

 

you are right about it. At the end it makes no sense to settle for second best.

Like Ellis and Pablo mentioned before, the Quality of the Light just makes the call.

Will rent the "Turbine" firsthand here. There are a lot Places for Renting that kind of Equipment around Munich.

 

Thanks again for clearing me up on this one,

 

Regards from rainy and too cold for this time of the year Munich.

 

Thomas

[steve_roark]

Thomas,

I get your point about the Octodome being less portable. I hope its not much harder than a softbox...I don't want to strap a seven foot sail to my VW Polo (unless the wind is at my back). If you find a good rental house in Munich (or Bavaria) please pass it on.

[exi]

Hi Steve,

 

think you will be o.k. with the photoflex 7' in terms of putting it together on location. Photoflex got good reputation about the handling quality of their stuff.

Rental Places here in Munich are.: Foto Dinkel, Calumet Photographic and lot of them more.

Just check the web, think for you it's even closer to look at some places in Nuernberg.

Good luck and fine results with your "Monster".

 

 

Regards

 

Thomas

[wick beavers photographer]

The para is killer. Don't think any of the others are anywhere in the same league. 100%

rating. I use Profoto head with a little adapter. Unreal light, often only by itself.

If you need to take to location, it's foldable twice, and requires a couple more minutes than

umbrella. I only use close up (5-15 feet maybe), so can't say what happens from too far

away... but would think it's a waste of money at more than 30 feet.<div></div>

[exi]

Hi Wick,

 

thanks for the input, will get one but still got to make the decision for what size.

It will be either the 1.7 or 2.2 Para.

What Size are you using ?

 

Regards from Munich

 

Thomas

[wick beavers photographer]

220ff

[exi]

Got the 220FB as well and love it.