Need recommendations on collapsible diffusers as a poor mans Scrim Jim

I use Westcott Fast Flags for really quick setups. It's a foldable open frame kit that works with a grip head. They hold up well in wind but are pretty small at 24 x 36. Pretty much enough to cover a reporter from the shoulder up in the field or good for shooting lights through to soften them. Digital Juice sells a similar, slightly cheaper Chinese made version that actually has more frames. I also have a 48 x 72 Cine scrim jim that can be used as a 4' frame since it's modular. Both kits have single and double nets which most collapsible reflectors don't have. I use those a lot to drop the brightness of backgrounds or windows. I also have a few cheap reflectors that I sometimes use indoors. But mostly I use the Fast Flags or scrim jim. Scrim Jims are on the expensive side but worth the cost. BH always seems to sell used kits. I bought mine used.
 
The foldable 5-1 things are too flimsy for the vast majority of things. You need rigidity and that's only going to come from a rigid frame.

I can throw a recommendation at the Westcott Skylite Rapid system. It's built for photography work (so won't take quite the beating that regular film gear can), but the speed of setup is brilliant, and allows you to put it to use far more often.
 
I keep a pretty good collection of rigid and breakdown frames on my Sprinter, but I also have a few collapsible 5 in 1's in various sizes. As inexpensive as they are you could consider them for your expendables budget.
 
I love my 42" Westcott 5 in 1, it's diffusion disc setup has basically replaced my Chimeras for my "supplementing existing lighting style where I don't care very much about spill" style I've been using to shoot a few documentaries lately. But they're a PITA for exteriors. Fortunately I don't shoot a lot of exteriors.
 
Imamacuser said:
Would it be crazy to use a collapsible diffuser as a poor mans Scrim Jim?
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Not crazy, no. But it may cause you more trouble than it's worth. I found the "cheaper" solutions like the 5-in-1 foldable disks rather painful because they are more difficult to setup -- flimsy and twitchy isn't what I'm after when I'm working.

If what you're after is just smaller and easier to transport (smaller and easier than Scrim Jim? Hmm....) you might look at Westcott Fast Flags. Multiple sizes, excellent light modifiers. I primarily use fast flags in diffusion, just place them where some hardlight needs softening. Easy to use, but stiff enough that I can place them quickly and accurately.

If you're just looking for cheaper, well, I was too. I would have saved money if I hadn't bought the cheap stuff first. I find the Scrim Jims and Fast Flags to be the lowest practical level that's useful. I personally don't advise you go cheaper than this, because you sacrifice stiffness, and therefore ease of placement and use. Flimsy equipment just doesn't get the job done IMHO.
 
I found the collapsible diffusers appealing because they're cheap, small, and light, and in a pinch I could conceivably set it up by myself. I wouldn't use a Scrim Jim enough to justify its purchase, and I don't currently have c-stands either.

It sounds like the consensus is that collapsible diffusers won't work for my stated purpose. On another note, are collapsible diffusers useful indoors, or am I still better off with solid frame diffusers?
 
As always, it depends. If you need to do quick setups, then the collapsible units are great inddoors/outdoors, but you need an assistant to hold it. There's just no good way to hold them with a clamping system outdoors, so don't consider that an option. I use them for outdoor interviews; mostly to shade the sun, but sometimes for bounce. In this case we're not going for any Academy awards in cinematography, we just want to quickly get the subject out of the sun. Scrim Jim is about the cheapest decent thing you are going to find for a rigid system, and even with that, I just don't like velcro. If you plan to use the system for a while, then you want a name brand like Wescott so you know you will have a continued source of supplies for new fabrics as needed in the future. If you are a DIYer, there are plenty of videos out there showing how people made their own.
 
You don't necessarily need c-stands. I mostly use Matthews kit stands which are much lighter and decently sturdy and I've used grip heads and arms on those. Just sandbag them. There are also collapsible frames that bridge the gap. Chimera and Lastolite makes a 4x4 that's made of shock corded tubes and they're quick to set up. I worked on a field shoot that had one and they seem decently rigid. Far better than just the standard collapsible reflectors. I never use collapsible reflectors outside because they tend to wobble in the wind which can make the light shimmer. And because they're round, you have to use a bigger one to get the same coverage from a frame which could be an issue inside if you don't have much space.

Chimera frame kit
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/304892-REG/Chimera_5610_Pro_Panel_Fabric_Kit.html

Lastolite skylite kit
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/prod...ite_ll_lr81243r_medium_skylite_rapid_kit.html
 
Imamacuser said:
I found the collapsible diffusers appealing because they're cheap, small, and light, and in a pinch I could conceivably set it up by myself. I wouldn't use a Scrim Jim enough to justify its purchase, and I don't currently have c-stands either.
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How can you live without C-stands? Perhaps the most useful tools in all of film and video.

Imamacuser said:
It sounds like the consensus is that collapsible diffusers won't work for my stated purpose. On another note, are collapsible diffusers useful indoors, or am I still better off with solid frame diffusers?
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They are perhaps *only* useful indoors. Even a small breeze can have them flapping like a bird outside, leaving visible artifacts on your subject. The more rigid you can make it, the easier it is to put it in position and forget about it. You'll have plenty of other things to worry about; a flapping/rippling light control demanding your attention is just not the ticket.
 
the collapsible will not work as a replacement for a frame. I keep a couple around for literal last minute changes though (usually white bounce or black). If you're really on a budget, make a PVC frame and buy some used p22 rags on eBay.
 
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