We photograph quite a few flowers and smaller rock abstracts and the light is often too harsh by the California sun. We already looked at the Lastolite Translucent Tri-Grip Reflector in a previous field report. We like the handling very much but have also seen a few shortcomings:

• sometimes not large enough
• also takes too much light away

That is why we investigated into alternative solutions and found the products of the company Westcott. In the end we selected two products:

1. Scrim Jim

Scrim Jim

This is a very interesting solution as you can get many different diffuse fabrics and they start at 1/4 stop China Silk. The downside is that you have to mount the set (frame and fabric). This means it is not really a solution for using on a hike.

2. One-Stop Silk (36x48")

One Stop Silk

This panel has a good size, if brighter than the Lastolite solution and is easy to transport. The only downside is that you should not have too much wind or otherwise the pressure maybe to strong on the panel.

The One-Stop Silk is now our standard diffuser in the field.

Here is a comparison of the diffusion both tools provide:

darker (One-Stop Silk), lighter (Scrim Jim 1/4 Silk)

The Scrim Jim is way brighter but may also get you deeper shadows. Overall we would like to see a 1/4 to 1/2 stop Silk in the form factor of the One-Stop Silk product.

Both Products are highly recommended

Westcott Website