Anyone own or use the Hudson Mozzie, how have you liked it?

L

Lkorver

Well-known member
Curious what folks have found using the Mozzie as a key light?

Looking to change my interview key lighting from an Area 48 shooting through 4x4 frame of diff to the Hudson Mozzie plus their Stealth 42" softbox+grid. I'm looking for a larger source something more controllable, but also smaller footprint and I'm thinking the Mozzie could do the trick. Coming in at only 3lbs (compared to the 10lb Area48) and being really flat, rigging the Mozzie head should be much easier and offer more flexibility.

As as 200w light, I THINK the Mozzie has enough output since the 122w Area 48 has been just enough pop for most situations.

I've read folks are really digging bouncing the light into the 7ft umbrella, could be a really nice soft source when spill isn't an issue.

I'd love the Redback, but can't afford it and I want to stay somewhat "small" with my travel kit. Redback + softbox would definitely need a c-stand which wouldn't work with me flying to 90% of my gigs.
 
A couple months ago, I shot for a network interview series that spec'd Hudson Redbacks (into the white umbrella) as the key... since those were essentially impossible to find local rentals, I made do with a low-mounted Lupo SuperPanel 60 (~220W?) into a Westcott 7' white umbrella. Seemed to match the references well enough, although I'm sure it rang in heavier and clumsier than the proper Hudson setup (albeit 1/3 cheaper).

Not at liberty to share any screen grabs, but I'm using that 7' umbrella setup all over the place now... even used it on a travel job filling it with an Astra 6x (not fighting windows with that level, but it's lovely in semi-controlled interior settings).

A couple notes regarding the 7' umbrella...
- the challenge in it can come if you're also expected to shoot the 'usual' off-axis profile-ish 2nd angle. It's a BIG source, wraps beautifully, but works best if you get it far more side than frontal. As a result, it often winds up threatening to overtake the background in your desired profile shot.
- IIRC Hudson sells egg crates etc. for their umbrella implementations to control spill. For more pedestrian un-Hudson photo umbrella based solutions, I'll often fly a flag on the upstage side of the light to help reduce its influence on the background. The parabolic design has the inherent benefit of being its own 'flag,' reducing the amount of undirected spill outside of the focus of said parabola. Outside of your subject, the light falloff is pretty steep and the ratios aren't that impossible to control as apposed to, say, a huge direct-diffused light.

Hopefully something in there was helpful. I'd be eager to try the Hudson arachnid fixtures properly, but haven't quite hit that level of budget yet.
 
Very helpful Mcbob, i've heard good things about the umbrella as well but good to know more of the details from you. My first light kit ever, back in 2006 or so was CFLs shooting into umbrellas. The color was beyond terrible!
 
Very interesting, mcbob. I'm looking at this 7' impact parabolic white umbrella now - https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/prod...up_7wbi_7_parabolic_umbrella_white_black.html

Same thing, right?

Have you thought about stretching some wrong-sized egg crate across at least one side of the umbrella? Sometimes I clip something onto a softbox or whatever and tape it or let it hang over as much as it will cover. Something is better than nothing, no?

I imagine that using a COB instead of a panel won't be quite as soft and may have a harder time filling the umbrella at close range but otherwise should look pretty similar, no?
 
ahalpert said:
Very interesting, mcbob. I'm looking at this 7' impact parabolic white umbrella now - https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/prod...up_7wbi_7_parabolic_umbrella_white_black.html

Same thing, right?

Have you thought about stretching some wrong-sized egg crate across at least one side of the umbrella? Sometimes I clip something onto a softbox or whatever and tape it or let it hang over as much as it will cover. Something is better than nothing, no?

I imagine that using a COB instead of a panel won't be quite as soft and may have a harder time filling the umbrella at close range but otherwise should look pretty similar, no?
Click to expand...

Yep, that's actually the one I have (thought it was Westcott, but was mistaken).

I'm sure you could reporpoise other egg crating, would only realistically need to cover ~1/2 the umbrella on the side that needs the most flagging. Using flags or nets like huge barndoors seems to work fine, of course not always feasible with stand real estate and available man-hours for setup.

COBs (or indeed about any light) will work, but they may need a smidge more distance or other treatment depending on their beam angle... I did a setup using two Intellytech X100's initially, full flood, worked OK, added an LC-120 for slightly more level, but of course the PITA of all that COB wiring and ballast salad wasn't ideal. The Lupo Superpanel is really spotty (but has massive output), so I typically just throw a swatch of 1/4 grid over it to make it fill the umbrella in a small space... still handles window backgrounds.

If I knew I needed this setup a lot and had limited help, I'd definitely put some extra coin towards the Mozzie for simplicity's sake.

come to think of it, I have a couple setup photos that should be clear to share (with minor adjustment)

example of the roughed-in Superpanel 60 setup. South-facing windows in the alcove would be dealing with a setting sun, so needed to control and replace them as a light source. Used the book case to partially flag the umbrella of the background, and let some of the bounce pop the book spines in the background. Note the single-stand setup on a Gary Coleman stand with a 20" grip arm, to keep the whole thing as one "unit" to make adjusting final placement a non-PITA.

Added background window light replacement via LC-120's taped to glass (again, dealing with setting sun on a ~2hr interview), 4x floppy for top & side neg fill, Ushio'd Diva at near minimum for frontal fill, boxed & crated Astra at near minimum for a wee edge motivated by the desk practical.
IMG_5894.jpg

rough results of the aforementioned Superpanel 60 setup (added blur, and it's an old iPhone photo, so contrast isn't properly represented, but you get the idea).
IMG_5898s.jpg

Earlier setup when Superpanel was on another job, rigged using X-100's and way too many tennis balls. Other generalities of setup are similar. Way more spartan of a location, but through the labors of my AC/set designer, final result (not pictured) wound up feeling good.
IMG_5847s.jpg
 
That's a cool setup. I have never seen anyone in production utilize a 7' umbrella before. It looks like you prefer this approach to bouncing off bead board. Is it much faster to set up?
 
mcbob said:
Note the single-stand setup on a Gary Coleman stand with a 20" grip arm, to keep the whole thing as one "unit" to make adjusting final placement a non-PITA.
Click to expand...

Loved this idea.

The final result using S60+umbrella looks great!
 
QuickHitRecord said:
That's a cool setup. I have never seen anyone in production utilize a 7' umbrella before. It looks like you prefer this approach to bouncing off bead board. Is it much faster to set up?
Click to expand...

I don't know about "faster"... faster to set up and tear down than the ScrimJim, at least. As to beadboard or other bounce board, probably by a bit, needs one less stand... but is much, MUCH easier to transport. My usual "production vehicle" is still my 2012 Outback. Heck, I flew with the umbrella (as well as a slider, grip, tripods, and several light stands) in a HPRC rifle case.

ahalpert said:
Cool looks pretty, thanks for sharing

What's "ushio'd"?
Click to expand...

The Diva is modified with the now-impossible-to-find Ushio LED bulbs, for roughly double the output and non-sickening color. Doug did a pretty extensive writeup on them before Ushio claimed that some wattage imbalance would simultaneously disassemble and reassemble every molecule in our body and pulled them off the market. Nonetheless, I've been using it regularly for almost two years and haven't undergone total protonic reversal, nor been neutronized. (unless..... did my LEDiva cause 2020????)
 
mcbob said:
I don't know about "faster"... faster to set up and tear down than the ScrimJim, at least. As to beadboard or other bounce board, probably by a bit, needs one less stand... but is much, MUCH easier to transport. My usual "production vehicle" is still my 2012 Outback. Heck, I flew with the umbrella (as well as a slider, grip, tripods, and several light stands) in a HPRC rifle case.



The Diva is modified with the now-impossible-to-find Ushio LED bulbs, for roughly double the output and non-sickening color. Doug did a pretty extensive writeup on them before Ushio claimed that some wattage imbalance would simultaneously disassemble and reassemble every molecule in our body and pulled them off the market. Nonetheless, I've been using it regularly for almost two years and haven't undergone total protonic reversal, nor been neutronized. (unless..... did my LEDiva cause 2020????)
Click to expand...

Damnit, Kevin! They warned you. Now you’ve doomed us all. Doomed us all to hell!
 
mcbob said:
I don't know about "faster"... faster to set up and tear down than the ScrimJim, at least. As to beadboard or other bounce board, probably by a bit, needs one less stand... but is much, MUCH easier to transport. My usual "production vehicle" is still my 2012 Outback. Heck, I flew with the umbrella (as well as a slider, grip, tripods, and several light stands) in a HPRC rifle case.



The Diva is modified with the now-impossible-to-find Ushio LED bulbs, for roughly double the output and non-sickening color. Doug did a pretty extensive writeup on them before Ushio claimed that some wattage imbalance would simultaneously disassemble and reassemble every molecule in our body and pulled them off the market. Nonetheless, I've been using it regularly for almost two years and haven't undergone total protonic reversal, nor been neutronized. (unless..... did my LEDiva cause 2020????)
Click to expand...

Do you have any links to the ushio incident?
 
In the first umbrella set up, weren't you getting too much bleed from the 7' umbrella on your BG? Hard to tell distances and fall off.
In the second image, looks perfect, definitely enough distance for fall off. I have a big umbrella like this one but I find I rarely use it
as I don't like light bouncing all over the place and I no longer have a big truck to carry a lot of flags and scrims.

I prefer to use my 47" parabolic softboxes with their grids, it's much more efficient when working small crew than having to rig a lot of flags and scrims.
We only have large enough rooms to use big diffusers about 50% of the time. Usually it's more like we don't have large enough room and I am
fighting inadvertantly lighting the BGs with my key sources. That's also why I bought half a dozen softboxes, it's nice to have 47", 35", 27", etc. I can just pick the
biggest one I can use in the situation. We all love big sources for the softness but realistically, I only use such large sources on shoots where I have
a grip and or gaffer and the grip gear to make it all work. For one-three person crews, the softboxes with grids are just so much more time and gear efficient
than giant umbrellas, 4x4, 6x6 or 8x8s. But it's different for everyone.
 
Completely agreed, it’s not for every situation but works dandy when the situation fits. I also have the giant soft box and grid for the Superpanel, but like the ‘natural’ feel the umbrella yields when the space allows. The umbrella bounce is somewhere between a gridded soft source and a big flat diffusion/bounce... it does dump some on the background, but is slightly more directional.
 
Grid the umbrella! Grid the umbrella!

I mean, you'd have to keep your light inside the opening of the umbrella. Or just grid the downstage side like mcbob said
 
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