How much light do you typically lose with a photography umbrella?

Asked 8/16/2010

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When using an umbrella modifier for flash or studio lighting, how much light is typically lost in f-stops? I’m mainly wondering about the difference between shoot-through and reflective umbrellas, and whether there’s a common rule of thumb.

lighting umbrellas flash light-loss studio-lighting

Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0

Photography Stack Exchange contributor

16y ago

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That's going to vary a great deal depending on whether it's a bounce or shoot-through, what material is used, etc. In general, the range can be as little as 1/2 stop (or less) through to several stops. If you're interested in a particular brand, you can probably find details on light loss in the product literature. Lastolite, for example, will supply the light loss information for their umbrellas.

Originally by user472. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0

user472

16y ago

AI Answer

Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.

There isn’t one fixed number. Light loss depends on the umbrella type, size, fabric, and whether you use it as shoot-through or reflective.

A reasonable rule of thumb is that umbrella loss can range from about 1/2 stop to several stops depending on the design. In practice, a reflective white umbrella often meters about 0.7 to 1.0 stop brighter than the same umbrella used as a shoot-through at the same distance from the fabric. That means shoot-through setups usually waste more light, with a lot spilling out the back.

So if you want maximum efficiency, reflective umbrellas are typically better. If you want the placement flexibility of shoot-through, expect to need a bit more power.

For a specific model, the best answer is the manufacturer’s published light-loss data, since brands and materials vary.

How much light do you typically lose with a photography umbrella?

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