Westcott2336 43 inch Octagonal Apollo Orb

I've only had this for a month but as far as the light effect I get from it I am very pleased. The problem with the shaft falling out of place is a minor problem and certainly not a deal breaker. Also the shaft is no longer hollow, Wescott obviously read a number of negative reviews and put a steel post in the shaft, other manufacturers should also read reviews, so the DIY solutions for this aren't needed anymore. The only potential problem I actually found is how the ribs are attached at the front of the box. The stitching seemed to be totally inadequate so I had a friend who knows how to sew, reinforce those tips. I also out a few drops of Krazy Glue on it to make it more secure . The stitching along the ribs is also very sloppy but since they only hold the ribs in place not a big issue. But for a 130 bucks I would expect better. Overall I think the quality is decent with some room for improvement, obviously. The quality of the light is excellent. And for those who use this or any other softbox or umbrella on a windy day, use your heads. These things become sails and damage will probably happen. Finally, Westcott could do much better on the pricing of this. They're a company that has been around a very long time and using their name to bump it up. Or alternatively, improve the quality and retain the current pricing.

I attempted to use the Apollo Orb and diffuser with a Nikon SB700 Speedlight. With the speedlight set at 1/1 power, I could only get a light reading from my Sekonic 308S of F2.0 at 1/160 shutter speed, ISO100, 6ft distance. Too little power output for my taste. It is possible to crank up the ISO in the 1000's range...but why? It's not optimum for my needs. Then I tried using a FlashPoint Rovelight 600W monolight with the Apollo. The monolight barely fit into the umbrella. A couple test shots revealed that I didn't get a full light spread since the body of the monolight filled much of space in the umbrella. I guess you could try using two or three speedlights in the Apollo Orb to get the right amount of power output...but why? The cost of two or three speedlights plus the cost of the Apollo Orb doesn't make sense. Money would be better spent on a monolight and a softbox. Also note if you want to use speedlights, I recommend using RF triggers. Why? Because if using the cameras onboard commander mode, the flash doesn't consistently fire since it is enclosed in the umbrella behind a diffuser.

Hatte mir den Artikel von Westcott bestellt, da ich dachte ich würde Qualität erhalten. Leider musste ich feststellen,dass ich wohl Chinaware einfach nur mit einem teuren Logo bestellt habe.Kurzum die Halterung zum Aufspannen hielt nicht mehr und bereits nach einer Woche löste sich eine Strebe beim Aufspannen.Der Super-GAU war jedoch als die Softbox "einmal" umfiel. Alle Streben verkeilten sich, so dass die Softbox umbrauchbar wurde.Naja ich habe aus dem Fehler gelernt und "günstig" über Ebay Ware aus China geordert.Vorteile: 10cm größere Softbox, mit Grid und Tragetasche und für weniger als die Hälfte des Preises. Sollte diese ebenso kurzlebig sein, tut es wenigstens nicht ganz so weh.Kann den Artikel somit leider nicht weiter empfehlen.

Mine arrived without the front panel difusion - FPD. I checked carefuly before throwing it's box away. I contacted the seller and was informed that they checked its weigh record during transportation and there was nothing wrong. I wonder if the lack of the fornt panel difusion could be detected this way...I've been informed too that they do not sell the FPD alone, then I had to buy a piece of white fabric and have my own FPD produced (this was the main reason I killed one star). Anyway, even with this "3d party" FPD, it gives me a lovely soft directional light. In fact, 2 FDPs with different fabrics have been produced and I only like the results of one of them (the more translucent fabric).If you plan to buy it during a visit to the USA and take it home, beware this thing is too long! You'll find it hard to make it fit int a case or something like that.

I got this Apollo Orb the same month I got the Apollo strip. I use this one for main light. Here are my observations:Pros: Perfect size for my needs (portraits/merchandise). Super easy to set up.Cons: No travel bag included and you will need to find a long carrying bag (I am still looking for one). It is overpriced but lucky for me, I was able to find one in like-new condition very cheap (saved almost $50). Otherwise, I would have probably gone with a different brand. I love my Orb, but as much as I love it, I don't think it is worth the price Wescott is currently charging on their website as well as most other online sites.