PLM™ Color Balance
All configurations of PLM™ introduce less than +/- 150K color temperature shift and under +/-2 units of Green/Magenta tint. Certain knockoff copies introduce up to a 600K color temperature shift and up to 16 units of Green/Magenta tint
These examples are from measured performance with our Einstein™ E640 monolights, which have exceedingly low UV emission thanks to their UV-coated Borosilicate flashtubes and added frosted Pyrex domes. On other flash units without UV tubes and Pyrex covers, UV emission is much higher and can result in color temperature shifts on copycat brands up to 1500K, with strong Blue/Magenta casts.
All shots below were taken in the same tightly controlled session. The camera, a Canon 40D, was fixed at the same tripod position and each modifier was in the same position at 14 feet from the grey wall. Only the aperture was changed from modifier to modifier to compensate for output differences. All shots were set in Adobe Bridge to the same 5100K and 2CCM to neutralize the slight lack of neutrality of the wall. Color shifts were determined by RAW measurement of the WhiBal card in the center.
Comparision of bright silver modifiers
Optimal performance of bright silver modifiers requires equal brightness from the modifier center and and perimeter. Equal "spokes" in bright silver modifiers contribute to the desirable specular punch, yet result in large, soft shadows. Note the "dead center" of the Flashpoint modifier degrades catchlights and shadows.
Comparison of soft silver modifiers
With the Soft Silver PLM™, the face of the PLM™ appears as a nearly perfect circle and results in essentially round, spokeless catchlights. Many of the knockoff copies of PLM™ fail miserably in these regards, producing distorted catchlights and shadows.
Comparison of white modifiers
PLM™ Arc Shape and Face Evenness
Optimal performance of white modifiers requires low color shift and even illumination across the face of the modifier. Note discrepancies in both parameters in knockoffs of PLM™
The shape of the PLM™ arc has a profound effect on the quality and precision of the projected pattern. Dramatic improvements in arc shape were made from our original PLM™(V1) to the second generation (V2). Virtually all knockoffs copied the original V1 shape and produce inferior patterns. (We have now dropped the V1/V2 designation and refer to all current models simply as PLM™.)
Not only must the design produce an even projection of light, it is of utmost importance that, when viewed from the subject position, the light radiate equally from the center to the perimeter of the fabric. If it does not radiate equally, the shadows and catchlights do not take full advantage of the large light source size and they can become distorted and uneven.
With the Extreme Silver PLM™, it is physically necessary for the light to appear from the subject view as 16 radial spokes. This creates the high specularity and punch, and also results in some multiplicity in the shadows. Since the spokes are even from the PLM™ center to perimeter, the quality of the catchlights and shadows are optimized. With the Soft Silver PLM™ and White PLM™, the face of the PLM™ appears as a nearly perfect circle and results in essentially round, spokeless catchlights. Many of the knockoff copies of PLM™ fail miserably in these regards, producing distorted catchlights and shadows, as seen in the images above