Westcott 4632 7-Feet White Diffusion Parabolic Umbrella

The collapsed length of this umbrella (almost 2 feet) has always put me off from purchasing it in-store or on-line since I'd imagine the hassle of getting it on a plane to travel back home. Finally, it was on offer for free overseas shipping! And yes, it's worth every penny. Strong ribs and well made central shaft. It was so sturdy, that when we used it as a diffuser for an outdoor shoot, a gust of wind made me hold tight - and imagined a Mary Poppins moment from a rooftop. Much easier to set up than a scrim - but just as dangerous with the wind outdoors.

I have been away from umbrellas for quite a while...moved to soft box modifiers to control the light. I was reviewing a Joel Grimes tutorial on studio lighting when he put up this monster! This Westcott product is wonderful. It throws a huge amount of soft light that is just pure cream on a subject. Purchased it right then and there! It takes up very little space in the carrying case and sets up in 30 seconds. As a shoot though or bounce it is a good piece of equipment. Price wise it is FAR less expensive than an octa-bank. The only down side is you should only use it in studio, I rather suspect if the wind caught it you would be in trouble, but at $99.00 it is easy to replace if you damage it. The build quality is very nice, fiberglass ribs with metal shaft, Westcott didn't cut corners here! I am going to purchase two more of these, however I recommend you get a diffusion panel to put over the open end of the umbrella to diffuse and soften the light even more. If you shoot portrait this is your baby!

I used on one photo shoot so far but the results are very good. First, I used this in combination with a Westcott 45" silver umbrella in a clamshell-like setup. I shot away from the subject into the silver umbrella and that light then came back toward the subject through this big white diffusion umbrella. I was shooting in a field of sunflowers on a bright morning and I may have needed a more powerful light (lost a lot of stops bouncing and diffusing the light opposite the sun). I then removed the silver umbrella and shot straight through. I had slightly brighter light that way but still almost as soft as the first configuration. Finally, I used this product as a diffuser to soften direct sunlight on my subject. This umbrella gives you a lot of solutions for shooting on bright sunny days.

This might be my new favorite portable light modifier. It collapses down to a reasonable size (about the same size as a lightstand), and when put together, is gigantic. I love the quality of light that you get with this. Is it an umbrella? Yep. So it's going to be a sail. You'll want someone to hold onto the light stand when using this ...or at least be nearby. It's also going to catch the wind like nobody's business. How does it compare to a softbox? Well, it's less expensive if you compare sizes. It's pretty easy to set up and take down too. You'll have to be the judge of whether it could replace a softbox for your lighting needs. But I like it. :)

The product I got was clearly used. Box arrived in bad conditions, the nylon bag the umbrella comes in was ripped, the umbrella was clearly used and broken. I returned immediately when I got it and it’s been over a month and haven’t got my refund. When will I get my money back?

I have a large parabolic diffuser for my strobe. I never would have thought about having something similar to use outdoors as a scrim. The sturdy bar can withstand the weight and the occasional gust of wind, depending on the strength of your assistant. The best part of this product is the large area it covers. You can get rid of the hard light and diffuse a couple, vs. trying to adjust and squeeze in two people with a flat scrim. Highly recommend for photographers who shoot outdoors and care about soft diffused light.

I've personally enjoyed using this. It's a great tool to have if you need a really Large soft beautiful light. The overall build quality is really good. I use it rather often during my corporate head shots. The light wraps around really beautifully.

I love this umbrella!

I just had to have this. When I use it I may review it. (or I may not)

Love it