Hands On: Alienbee Parabolic Light Modifier PLM
Posted under: This is just a quick hands on with the PLM, a more detailed review soon.
Paul C Buff, the founder of Alienbees and White Lightning, got everyone excited with his new Parabolic Light Modifier. I’ve always had my eye on a big deep parabolic umbrella, although the only one I could see on the market is the 32 inch Hensel. So I was rather excited a couple weeks back when my silver 86″ in parabolic arrived after months of being on back order. Just to note there are various versions of the PLM, with white linings or shoot through or umbrella softboxes. Since I already have a softlighter II, I really wanted a big reflective powerful modifier, hence the choice on the 86″ silver one.
As you can see it is a massive thing.
In the studio it doesn’t get any smaller, the thing is rather a handful. From first impressions on my shoot, the umbrella is very efficient to use, much more powerful than diffused softboxes or bounced umbrellas. So here are some photos from my first test with the PLM with Lane from Click NY
Furthermore, it is also a relatively focused beam of light for how big the light source is; even a small angle changes the regional intensity quite a big. It’s a very sensitive light source and it feels as if someone had put a grid in front of the umbrella.
The light quality is quite unique, I can’t put a finger on it just yet. Hope you can tell the light qualities from the photos.
Anyways, I will be playing with this modifier a lot more in the coming months and more detailed review of the light modifier when I have had more experience with it.
As this is a new blog series, any feedback would be appreciate it. Leave me a comment below, or if you have any questions or if there is anything I did not cover, feel free to drop me a line below and I would be happy to answer. In the meanwhile check out our other Lighting Of the Fortnight tutorials, Photo Breakdowns and past photoshoot recaps. Enjoy
Bo, nice post and great example shots with the parabolic light modifier. I’m not familiar with all the studio lighting options but I agree that this presents a very nice and distinctive affect, almost a glow…
Bo
Great review. Glad that you actually have photos too and great models. Most of the times you see reviews the models usually suck, lol
Anyway, I’ve used the PLM at our studio several times and loved it. It’s a little cumbersome to use at times and you need great support because of it’s weight but the light quality is amazing. The uniqueness of the light is something that I noticed as well. Very snappy, contrasty light that is directed. It almost feels like an extremely large beauty dish.
Ajani Truth
thanks tony, I plan to shoot with this a bit more to get a better idea. To me it looks almost like a ring light. Also got to see what it can do combined with other light modifiers
hey ajani,
ye I’m still just fooling around with it. studio 400 is big so you have room, mine studio is rather small and ye…cumbersome. I think i may use it more for full length shots…big light source big subject.
Are you using an Alienbee’s 1600 monolight with the 86″ parabolic light modifier?
I was just using the AB800. If my memory serves me right, the full length shot was with the PLM about 20ft from the model and the AB was NOT at full power
Curious, just the 86″ Silver PLM or any additional lighting (i.e., hairlight). Lighting look great.
Hi dave, the ones with the grey bg is just with the PLM, the one with the white had two lights on the bg
thanks for the review, looks like they have a great deal of potential, really nice images too.
thanks john
Quite often I use the ABR800 ring flash with the 56″ Moon Unit attached. The PLM lighting reminds me a lot of the setup I use. I use this combination off camera most of the time.
hey Lawrence, yes it did remind me of a ring flash, although that could be the way I used it, as I had the PLM right behind me and it essentially wrapped all the way around, simulating a ring light effect
I’ve been using a 86″ Silver V1 PLM for over a year. I use it with a Profoto AcuteB 600R on location and a Profoto D4 2400 in the studio. I like the light it produces, good wrap (due to size) while being very directional.
And the price is right!
I have yet to try it on the profotos yet, still have the pcb mount. Looking to be one of my better investments
Great shots. The part when you said it was 20′ has me thinking that this might be too big for my shooting space, about the size of a two car garage.
Would I be correct in assuming these were not shot using the diffusion material?
Thanks mpakt, I used it at 20ft, but you can definitely have it closer. Yes these were bounced on silver with no diffusion
Great review – just stumbled upon your page and look forward to reading more posts. The quality of light is really great – how much skin retouching did you do? Looks like quite the nice glow!
Thanks, in terms of retouching, there is the typical skin clean up and toning, but not any more than the other pics
Hi Bo,
Thanks for the hands on of the 86″ PLM. I shot with the 64″ quite a bit last year and was surprised at the different effects I was able to get. From full coverage on full length shots to more shadowed effects on head shots. I even shot with it closed down over the light and created some really interesting looks. Overall I’d say it’s a great piece of kit. I was using it with one of the Paul C. Buff Einstein units. I see you are already putting it to great use!
Mike
hey Mike,
I’m still trying to figure out how I like to use the PLM. it’s focused lighting can be rather annoying sometimes yet because of its size, it works magic as a fill light. I’ve used it for 5-6 shoots now, will update with a more thorough report.
-bo