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Aaron Vang photo
1 Level
797 Review
35 Karma

Review on Fotodiox 40x60in Multi-purpose Collapsible Reflector Panel with Stand Kit - Enhances Photography and Video - Black, Gold, Silver, Translucent, and White Surfaces by Aaron Vang

Revainrating 3 out of 5

Great reflector but the setup needs some tweaking.

I'm not a newbie when it comes to building camera lighting systems. Prior to the arrival of this unit, I installed a CowboyStudio background support system, two Alien Bees B800 strobe lights on their stands, and had a set of tripods. Stand manufacturers have an annoying habit of not including instruction manuals in their packages (Alien Bees is an exception to that statement). I have to say that installing the Fotodiox stand and mount was the most frustrating experience. There is some physics and why support arms are (to a degree) self supporting. It took me a while to get the configuration right and the clips on the end of my arm are an absolute abomination. The easiest way to mount the reflector into the clip is before inserting the mount into the bracket. Of course, if you were tall enough to be able to control the clamp more easily, I figured you could do it while your hand was in the mount. Instructions would be helpful here. A photocopy of a page of paper costs 5 cents, I'm sure the extra 5 cents in the package price will improve the installation process. I give the reflector 4 stars, the tripod system 3 stars (this is normal but can be unstable), and the assembly/assembly 2 stars. Overall I'll give it a 3 - I think it's a working package, but it's not the best. If there were more detailed reviews of the stand design, I wouldn't buy this version and would get a more solid setup with better mechanics.

Pros
  • Complete set
Cons
  • Suitable for