Westcott 2016 45-Inch Optical White Satin with Removable Black Cover Umbrella

It took me a while to decide between the Westcott 2016-45 Optical White Satin with Removable Black Cover (the one I'm reviewing) and the Westcott Compact 43 inch White Satin with Removeable Cover - Collapsible. Both were offered at $29.90 and both were assessed by some reviewers as being flimsy with very sharp tips with the cover removed. The 1016-45 was on sale from a regular price of $99, has a measured diameter of 42 inches from tip to tip when open, and a length of 29.5 inches when closed. Having now worked with the 2016-45, I can only conclude that one or more of the reviewers were confusing this product with the Compact 43. The sample I received has excellent build quality. It has eight ribs and no sharp rib tips. Light quality is excellent. The cover is easily removed. I have no experience with replacing the cover since I use it as a shoot-through but I have used the cover as a flag without difficulty.

Overall feels very solid and the shaft is solid metal. The arms seem like they can withstand some bending, the fabric is of thicker quality and has a Velcro strap to close. The end of the arms all have ball-tips rather than the needle-like ones another reviewer posted, so there's no ninja action on my version. Slipping the black cover on and off is very quick and easy - just make sure the umbrella is not extended, gently bend each arm and it pops right off. Only con is the clear plastic holder is cheap- as if it was designed to be thrown out after opening instead of a reusable holder I wish it came with. The opening of mine came torn out of the box from the workers stuffing the umbrella into it. All in all, it works great and the price is right.

I made the mistake of trying to go with the cheapest convertible umbrella I could find thinking that they are all kind of the same right? WRONG. I returned my previous purchase of some cheaper umbrellas and then ordered this product (which I debated on in the first place). WOW, am I super happy I bought this. It comes in a plastic sleeve, and the umbrella is miles better quality than my last purchase. This umbrella has solid materials, from the shaft, to the cover material, through to the FIBREGLASS construction of the support ribs. I couldn't be happier and the light it produces on shoot-through is wonderful. It does NOT have a silver reflective cover on the black portion which is removable, and I really haven't compared the bounce light to an umbrella that does have a black removable cover with a silver side... so I can't say if there is a difference. The white material has a nice sheen to it and it does bounce so I can safely say that it works very well in both types of configurations. If I need another umbrella of any kind in the future I will not waste me time trying to save a few dollars and just go with this brand from now on. Arrived in a timely fashion, exactly as described in perfect new condition.

I bought this umbrella to use for a wedding with my slaved flash units. It felt a little flimsy in terms of construction but mo more so than any other I have used. I believe if its handled with reasonable care it will hold up for sometime. The black cover is cleverly done and easy to remove. When its in place it blocks most but not all light out and makes the umbrella much more reflective. For the wedding I used it for the formal photographs of the party and the larger family portraits. It worked perfectly to diffuse the light and soften it. A bit of a hot spot near the center of the umbrella so I'd say that an extra thinking of material in the center might be in order for the next generation. Overall I have to say it was a great bang for the buck.

I own a Photography and video company for many years and After using and destroying several of the regular metal frame umbrellas and seeing how NOT durable they are (can't resist a small drop without starting to bend and soon break) I decided to pay a few $ more for this Fiberglass frame umbrellas and I realized I should have done it from the start, the fiberglass frame of this umbrella makes it very flexible and durable, it has been blown down by strong wind to the ground while on my stand and didn't have any damage at all, the light quality is very smooth and flattering plus you have the option to remove the black fabric and use it as a shoot through umbrella. Personally I like better using it as a reflective umbrella and it does an awesome job of diffusing the Flash light. Get it and stop wasting money on replacing damaged metal frame umbrellas/softboxes. Highly recommended for professional use!

This is a great umbrella for shooting through or using as a reflector. I almost bought the cheaper one that is shoot through only, but I'm glad I didn't. I usually use this on one of my camera tripods and when using it for shooting through it doesn't allow you to aim it down as much. This has been an issue when shooting photos of my daughter who just turned one and so I started using it as a reflector. Whichever way you decide to use it, it allows for great lighting with a speedlight. I have been able to get some amazing studio quality shots of my daughter in our living room. I feel like it's a good value and works well and so it's great for an amateur or anyone just getting started as well as more advanced users.

carry a expensive laptop in your backpack and want a umbrella large enough to cover you and your backpack? this is the one to go for. great size and has a deeper dome to cover lite wind. the vents in the top have saved it from wind flip a few times. works great opens and folds well. push button release is smooth. fits into its cover well. colors are also good. the grip is soft. really great for this price.

Das ding ist so schön, das es fast schade ist zu verwenden :-) Super Qualität und tolle Ergebnisse, Da man das Schwarze teil auch nur halb runternehmen kann, kann man schönen unterschiede machen in Hand und Gesicht Lichtstärke, was nicht unwichtig ist bei einen halb oder Ganz Körper Aufnahme, damit haben die Hände nicht die gleiche Lichtstärke wie das Gesicht und bleibt der Fokus auf dem Gesicht. Fazit, macht genau das was es soll und das in exzellente verarbeitung

Great, versatile umbrella. Build quality is very different from the cheaper eBay umbrellas I have bought in the past. Paying a little bit more for a proper branded product does make all the difference. Yes it does work the same as any old umbrella, but working with quality material makes a job a lot more pleasurable. The light output from this umbrella is a little bit better in my opinion because of the reflectiveness of the white lining material. it isn't as mat as regular umbrellas, but has a pearlescent sheen to it which helps with bouncing back light. Note: 45inch may not seem like a lot, but this umbrella is big. This one is certainly not suitable if you plan on shooting outdoors in the open. For that I would suggest to use the 32 inch. Unless you want your gear to have a Mary Poppins moment.

Me encantó, cumple con mis expectativas.

Satisfecho con el paraguas. Buena construcción. Poco peso. La funda negra exterior es fácilmente desmontable. Lástima que no disponga de recubrimiento interno en material reflector. No obstante, sirve a mis propósitos.

Great value. The umbrella is the single-fold type so it packs down long but narrow. The quality of light, both when used as a reflector and as a shoot-through, is fine. I do tend to shoot with the cover on because it's a bit of a pain to replace the cover, but most umbrellas are like that.