Walking around the Photokina trade show can have a numbing effect on the mind. It's amazing to be surrounded by so much cool photography gear, but it can also make you lose perspecitve. So, I'm taking a moment to appreciate the fact that the Broncolor parabolic reflectors in this photo alone would set you back more than $40,000. And that's before you add a single light.
Broncolor is using an array of their giant parabolic reflectors to attract people into their booth. That big boy up there in the middle is a 330 FB Reflector Umbrella and it will set you back $11,300 all by itself. It measures 10.8-feet across with 24 supports and even the diffuser costs about $1,200.
The other players are a couple of 220 FB Parabolic Umbrellas that check in at $7,300 a piece, a 170FB, which costs $5,700, and the Para 88 FB in the foreground which gets up over $4,000 once you add a focusing rod.
It's the kind of gear that many pros will rent rather than buy, but they really are amazing if you get a chance to work with them. They wrap your subject in bright light, giving them a sort of glow that's amazing for high fashion work. Because of their very specific shape, you can also use them to throw light incredibly far, assuming that you have a powerful enough source.
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