Review on Westcott 4633 7 Feet Parabolic Umbrella by Paul Philippe

I first bought a 7 inch crashing umbrella and got some very good shots with it. However, there were some quality issues with this particular unit, so I settled on Westcott and a quick comparison. There are differences between these two umbrellas that are very subtle and I believe most people won't notice or care about the differences. To me, they're significant enough to justify the extra $20. That and Westcott quality is well known and serious photographers tell me their Westcott gear has been in the field for decades! I have attached some photos to show these differences. (in the first photo both screens are side by side; Westcott is on the left, Impact is on the right and 3 feet away so it looks smaller! ;)) th photo, Westcott; 3rd and 4th photo, Impact). I think this is an indication of a greater attention to detail for Westcott. The 4th photo is a crop of the 3rd showing the "section" of material at the top of the umbrella. This doesn't affect the light, but it shows the difference in the attention paid to build quality. Yes, a small thing, but significant nonetheless. The difference in quality of the silver reflective material is also slightly better with Westcott; It's reflective but not "shiny," meaning more diffuse lighting. You really can't go wrong with either of these umbrellas as they're both great for those hard-to-reach spots. But small differences are enough for me to justify a change to Westcott. So far I'm very happy with the final photos (see other reviews) I've gotten with the Impact wing and I firmly believe this size is essential for single light photo shoots!