Adorama and Fotodiox have 2mx1.5m frames that come with DIffusion, silver, gold, black and white surfaces for around 150 usd... The frame is Aluminium, the folding parts too. The diffusion fabric is accetable, around 1/2 stop like yours with a cross pattern visible in reflections. The other 4 surfaces come in some kind of elastic shirt you put over the frame. To use it the way it comes is a real PITA. You have to cut it open and use the 2 fabrics in a more conventional fabric + bungie way. For me they are absolutely essential.They replace v-flats, are more portable and much more versatile. Combine 2 and you get a V-flat or a Booklight. They fold down into a bag 1meter long. And they open up in seconds. I use them with C-Stands.
I’ve been waiting for someone to make something like this forever and never understood why there was not an easier way to use diffusion frames. Thank you for introducing me! I will be using your links when buying later definitely
Same thing for me before I found them! As a mostly solo creator, I HATED the time it took to set so much stuff up, so these were a life saver. Thanks for the support :)
I’ve been waiting for someone to make something like this forever and never understood why there was not an easier way of making diffusion frames. Thank you for introducing me! I will be using your links when buying later definitely
Great review. The ease of assembly and included grid is what sold me on this. Even though it would take time to swap fabrics, alternate diffusion and a neg fill option would be nice. I just ordered one and expect that I will have to somehow add a second layer of diffusion, or have a custom diffusion option made. I suppose clamping Duvatene to the frame would serve as a neg fill, too.
Thanks for the support! And you are correct, even if you use some custom fabrics, just having the collapsible frame is really nice. You can definitely customize some of your own modifier fabric to hand on the frame pretty easily if you're handy enough to sew a little bit.
@@NewLayer I just received my Fast Frame and disappointed to find out the joints are made of plastic, not metal. I will baby it and hope it lasts, but wish I bought a Westcott Scrim Jim cine kit instead.
@@davidp158 Thanks for posting your feedback. The Scrim Jim kits I've seen and used also have plastic frame connectors as well, so I'm not sure they'd be any more durable in that sense. I personally would trust the pivot points in the Fast Frames more than the detent springs/system in the Scrim Jim, but I guess time will tell!
That's one of my favorite uses for them. If you're shooting in random areas of the house, or another location, you legit don't even need to bring a light and can just turn any window into a softbox. It's the absolute best for flat lays on location!
Great video, as always! The Portable Background Kit (that also comes with diffusion) recently announced from Fotodiox seem like a reasonable equivalent at a fraction of the cost. Would love to see you do a review on those, see how they stack up against the Intellytech Fast Frames.
Thanks! And yes, kits like those have been around a while I have one from 10 or so years ago. They are basically just pop up diffuser discs in a larger size and slightly different shape. They work, but have some limitations. Since they're pretty flimsy, it's hard to mount them in any direction except hanging vertically with the included stand. The Fast Frames are solid frames once locked in to place, so you can use them vertically, horizontally, at any angle, or stand them up and lean them on things, etc. The grid is another big selling point to me. Both have strengths and weaknesses and work for various purposes, so it just depends on whether that will cover all your personal needs.
That's one of my favorite things about Intellytech's products, they are so simple and intuitive that I've never needed to look at the directions. Although, I understand wanting to know exactly how it works before buying one.
I have these kind of panel since 1985, but now I just use one tripod with a superclamp and any 6~10 feet horizontal bar to make a "T" stand which I a-clamp cheap 10x10' diffusion material, so no need for any all around frame and its the same effect.
@@NewLayer If you can hang it, sure. At 10x10 angle or not, such diffused does not make any difference, its more the behind light placement that will. But its a fast install. I always have the 10x10 diff. material in my camera bag, so even if dont bring all my stuff somewhere I can rely on this prehistoric solution. There's always some kind of thing to hand from with 2 A clamps, a door, a tree branch... sure the full frame is more versatile if you have it with you. My 10x10 fabric cost me 6$.
Thanks! I really love these products, even though some people aren't a huge fan of their non-standard sizes. for me, the super quick 1-person setup is worth the trade off :)
I"m interested... I am a one-man on the run shooter. So, the extra dollars to cut down set up time and tear down is a no brainier. Probably get one in each size, Big diffusion to shoot the light through and the other would be negative fill and silver for day light bounce, exterior and the soft over head blocking direct light. Mic-drop, moving on.
Great points - I am wondering if it's just as useful to get one of those big pop out diffusions for indie corporate filmmakers? I have a huge one that is cheaper and folds down just the same. I've been wondering why filmmakers don't recommend these as much?
Are you talking about the circular pop up diffusions? Those are great as well, just a different beast. It's easier to rig something with a rigid frame in certain scenarios, and then you have the attachable grid, etc. so they are just two different tools.
@@NewLayer thanks for commenting. I suppose in that arena if I can get by with pop-up filters, I should. I'm a solo shooter and find them cheaper and easier to transport. But it makes sense the level of functionality with metal frames
Honestly, I've never even tried putting them on a c-stand because for portability, I've always just used my collapsible stands. An umbrella bracket, and many other styles of clamp, would work, so honestly I'd get the frames first, see how they all go together, and then decide what mounting options would work best from there. I usually like buying everything at once, but I think this is the way to go for these.
Thanks! And sorry for getting your hopes up, haha. You might give them a phone call, they are a great company and might be able to work with you on international shipping. If you do, tell them I sent you, maybe it will help :)
They look good. A long time ago, I made frames and sewed fabric diffusions with elastics. That worked out well. Does this diffusion material make for a cross star pattern or is it uniform? That is the problem with most cheap diffusion material out there.
It's good but it's a weird size for putting lights through. Is it just the same frame they use for their mega light mat packaged into another product? Would love an 8' x 8'.
The biggest complaint is that it is a non-standard size. I can totally see that being a deal breaker for people, although for a solo creator like me, I value the quick setup, etc. more because I don't have a real collection of standard modifiers like that. An 8' x 8' quick setup diffusion would be amazing though!
That's a really great scrim. We've been waiting for this! But yet another piece of gear that isn't available in Europe ... Anyone knows any alternatives?
@@NewLayer They did answer indeed! Shipping costs 85 Euros and they have no reseller in Europe ... yet. So we'll wait. Thanks for your review and for bringing this awesome scrim to our attention!
Sorry to say I've only used them in a light wind situation. Once they are locked open, they are pretty rigid, I imagine they would be fun up to a medium wind. I think the bigger issue will be weighing down your stands properly/enough rather than anything bad happening with the frames.
I too hope to see more diffusion options in the future. The 1/2 is perfect for a book light or shooting a soft box through for double diffusion, but I think a 1 stop would be great for shooting a COB or panel directly into.
Have owned non standard size frames like this in the past and ended up getting rid of them because of the limmit of of the shelf fabric options. If they made a standard 4x4 or 6x6 one I would be more interested.
Yep, if you’re working with a lot of standard fabrics or have other standard modifiers around, it may make sense to stick with your current system. If you’re a smaller production or building a new kit from scratch, then you may not care about that.
@@NewLayer Yeah I can see smaller productions or, I would have loved something like this back when I shot Broadcast News. Fast setup and teardown comes in handy there.
@@huyked No problem, you sound like me, haha. I try to be as concise as possible, at least in product reviews, but I'd probably watch my own videos on 1.5x speed 😂
I do wonder if they have a 2.0 version in development with any extra features, but I think it excels in speed and simplicity, leaving the extras to more traditional panels.
Not arguing there. They only make sense if you’re setting up and tearing down every day. These could easily save 10+ hours for people who use external diffusion daily, so it just depends on how you value your time and whether the efficiency is worth it to you.
DIY is definitely a waste of time and money. Plus if you decide to go a different way you can’t sell DIY creations. Your only option will be the trash can.
Resale value is definitely something to consider when making or buying gear! It's not always a 100% loss, and some high value items can be resold for 80%+ of their original value, so it's a great investment to buy while you need it!
Do you think these are as genius as I do? Or would you rather stick to DIY diffusion panels or old-school modifiers?
Adorama and Fotodiox have 2mx1.5m frames that come with DIffusion, silver, gold, black and white surfaces for around 150 usd... The frame is Aluminium, the folding parts too. The diffusion fabric is accetable, around 1/2 stop like yours with a cross pattern visible in reflections. The other 4 surfaces come in some kind of elastic shirt you put over the frame. To use it the way it comes is a real PITA. You have to cut it open and use the 2 fabrics in a more conventional fabric + bungie way. For me they are absolutely essential.They replace v-flats, are more portable and much more versatile. Combine 2 and you get a V-flat or a Booklight. They fold down into a bag 1meter long. And they open up in seconds. I use them with C-Stands.
I’ve been waiting for someone to make something like this forever and never understood why there was not an easier way to use diffusion frames. Thank you for introducing me! I will be using your links when buying later definitely
Same thing for me before I found them! As a mostly solo creator, I HATED the time it took to set so much stuff up, so these were a life saver. Thanks for the support :)
Been looking into big frames lately and these are now high on the list. Thanks for the review.
These are great, and part of my permanent collection for sure. No easier way to set up a huge external diffusion that I know of.
I’ve been waiting for someone to make something like this forever and never understood why there was not an easier way of making diffusion frames. Thank you for introducing me! I will be using your links when buying later definitely
Just saw this comment for some reason, haha. Thanks for the support. Did you ever end up getting one? If so, how do you like it?
Thanks for the review. It looks like a cool tool. Light and fast is important. Most overheads are a chore to rig.
I really like it, still have it, which I can't say about the majority of gear I test :)
You and this video rock! Thanks for taking the time to share!
Glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for the comment.
Great review. The ease of assembly and included grid is what sold me on this. Even though it would take time to swap fabrics, alternate diffusion and a neg fill option would be nice. I just ordered one and expect that I will have to somehow add a second layer of diffusion, or have a custom diffusion option made. I suppose clamping Duvatene to the frame would serve as a neg fill, too.
Thanks for the support! And you are correct, even if you use some custom fabrics, just having the collapsible frame is really nice. You can definitely customize some of your own modifier fabric to hand on the frame pretty easily if you're handy enough to sew a little bit.
@@NewLayer I just received my Fast Frame and disappointed to find out the joints are made of plastic, not metal. I will baby it and hope it lasts, but wish I bought a Westcott Scrim Jim cine kit instead.
@@davidp158 Thanks for posting your feedback. The Scrim Jim kits I've seen and used also have plastic frame connectors as well, so I'm not sure they'd be any more durable in that sense. I personally would trust the pivot points in the Fast Frames more than the detent springs/system in the Scrim Jim, but I guess time will tell!
These look amazing!! Love how you put it in front of your window. That’s cool 🤩👌🏻🎥 deffo looking out for these. Thanks man
That's one of my favorite uses for them. If you're shooting in random areas of the house, or another location, you legit don't even need to bring a light and can just turn any window into a softbox. It's the absolute best for flat lays on location!
@@NewLayer such a great idea man. When I get my new place, it’s happening for sure. 🤩🤩🤩 thanks man
Great video, as always! The Portable Background Kit (that also comes with diffusion) recently announced from Fotodiox seem like a reasonable equivalent at a fraction of the cost. Would love to see you do a review on those, see how they stack up against the Intellytech Fast Frames.
Thanks! And yes, kits like those have been around a while I have one from 10 or so years ago. They are basically just pop up diffuser discs in a larger size and slightly different shape.
They work, but have some limitations. Since they're pretty flimsy, it's hard to mount them in any direction except hanging vertically with the included stand. The Fast Frames are solid frames once locked in to place, so you can use them vertically, horizontally, at any angle, or stand them up and lean them on things, etc. The grid is another big selling point to me.
Both have strengths and weaknesses and work for various purposes, so it just depends on whether that will cover all your personal needs.
Very cool. This would be nice to have the option of a grid on book light setups. 👏🏼
Definitely, they make me actually want to use external diffusion because they're so quick and easy.
I'm gonna guess that lighting at @4:36 was inspired by that one freaking awesome Sherlock Holmes scene?
I've never seen it actually, haha. But it's a pretty common setup, with each movie/show adding its own flare.
Nice breakdown, thanks for putting this together.
I'll tell you what has a nice breakdown... the Intellytech Fast Frames. Eh? EH!? I'll be here all week.
@@NewLayer 😅😅😅
Great review. I’m also looking for someone to make a video of how to put it together easily. No one made a set up video.
That's one of my favorite things about Intellytech's products, they are so simple and intuitive that I've never needed to look at the directions. Although, I understand wanting to know exactly how it works before buying one.
These diffusions panels look working very well l !
They do, I love them!
I do like how quick it is, but I unfortunately need 8 x 8s most of the time and they don't seem to make it in that size.
That's most people's biggest complaint, the non-standard sizes.
I have these kind of panel since 1985, but now I just use one tripod with a superclamp and any 6~10 feet horizontal bar to make a "T" stand which I a-clamp cheap 10x10' diffusion material, so no need for any all around frame and its the same effect.
That's definitely a good solution. Does that allow you to angle it or have the diffusion horizontally above someone?
@@NewLayer If you can hang it, sure. At 10x10 angle or not, such diffused does not make any difference, its more the behind light placement that will. But its a fast install. I always have the 10x10 diff. material in my camera bag, so even if dont bring all my stuff somewhere I can rely on this prehistoric solution. There's always some kind of thing to hand from with 2 A clamps, a door, a tree branch... sure the full frame is more versatile if you have it with you. My 10x10 fabric cost me 6$.
This is AMAZING
Thanks! I really love these products, even though some people aren't a huge fan of their non-standard sizes. for me, the super quick 1-person setup is worth the trade off :)
@@NewLayer this is the dream for me 🙌
@@justcallmesando As Shia LaBeouf once told me, "don't let your dreams be dreams!" 😅
@@NewLayer 😎😎
I"m interested... I am a one-man on the run shooter. So, the extra dollars to cut down set up time and tear down is a no brainier. Probably get one in each size, Big diffusion to shoot the light through and the other would be negative fill and silver for day light bounce, exterior and the soft over head blocking direct light. Mic-drop, moving on.
That's kind of my thoughts. I almost always shoot stuff alone, so whatever saves me a sliver of time is worth it to me!
Great points - I am wondering if it's just as useful to get one of those big pop out diffusions for indie corporate filmmakers? I have a huge one that is cheaper and folds down just the same. I've been wondering why filmmakers don't recommend these as much?
Are you talking about the circular pop up diffusions? Those are great as well, just a different beast. It's easier to rig something with a rigid frame in certain scenarios, and then you have the attachable grid, etc. so they are just two different tools.
@@NewLayer thanks for commenting. I suppose in that arena if I can get by with pop-up filters, I should. I'm a solo shooter and find them cheaper and easier to transport. But it makes sense the level of functionality with metal frames
Oh man I want these.
There's been a few times I pop them up to cover my window for flat lays and it looks reaaal nice.
Very cool idea.
I agree, these things are pretty genius!
I got one of these. what are some of the clamps/adapter used to hold a frame from a c-stand?
Honestly, I've never even tried putting them on a c-stand because for portability, I've always just used my collapsible stands.
An umbrella bracket, and many other styles of clamp, would work, so honestly I'd get the frames first, see how they all go together, and then decide what mounting options would work best from there. I usually like buying everything at once, but I think this is the way to go for these.
these are amazing, great review! the best products are always available only for usa :(
Thanks! And sorry for getting your hopes up, haha. You might give them a phone call, they are a great company and might be able to work with you on international shipping. If you do, tell them I sent you, maybe it will help :)
What adapter are you using on the top of your light stand to mount it?
Not sure why I'm just seeing this comment. They come with the adapters needed for mounting!
They look good. A long time ago, I made frames and sewed fabric diffusions with elastics. That worked out well. Does this diffusion material make for a cross star pattern or is it uniform?
That is the problem with most cheap diffusion material out there.
We've all done the DIY thing for sure! I haven't noticed any patterning like that with these, hopefully that helps.
It's good but it's a weird size for putting lights through. Is it just the same frame they use for their mega light mat packaged into another product? Would love an 8' x 8'.
The biggest complaint is that it is a non-standard size. I can totally see that being a deal breaker for people, although for a solo creator like me, I value the quick setup, etc. more because I don't have a real collection of standard modifiers like that. An 8' x 8' quick setup diffusion would be amazing though!
That's a really great scrim. We've been waiting for this! But yet another piece of gear that isn't available in Europe ... Anyone knows any alternatives?
If you email them directly, I wouldn't be surprised if they helped you out! Tell them I sent you :)
@@NewLayer They did answer indeed! Shipping costs 85 Euros and they have no reseller in Europe ... yet. So we'll wait. Thanks for your review and for bringing this awesome scrim to our attention!
How do these frame panels hold up outside with a light, medium, and strong wind?
Sorry to say I've only used them in a light wind situation. Once they are locked open, they are pretty rigid, I imagine they would be fun up to a medium wind. I think the bigger issue will be weighing down your stands properly/enough rather than anything bad happening with the frames.
I prefer 1 stop light version. Half stop is not very soft.
I too hope to see more diffusion options in the future. The 1/2 is perfect for a book light or shooting a soft box through for double diffusion, but I think a 1 stop would be great for shooting a COB or panel directly into.
Have owned non standard size frames like this in the past and ended up getting rid of them because of the limmit of of the shelf fabric options.
If they made a standard 4x4 or 6x6 one I would be more interested.
Yep, if you’re working with a lot of standard fabrics or have other standard modifiers around, it may make sense to stick with your current system.
If you’re a smaller production or building a new kit from scratch, then you may not care about that.
@@NewLayer Yeah I can see smaller productions or, I would have loved something like this back when I shot Broadcast News. Fast setup and teardown comes in handy there.
@@jamesandcamera Good point, when you need a quick and mobile minimal setup is where they shine I think.
Where did you get the table lamps in the background from?
I talk about them in this video, and links are in the description there! th-cam.com/video/q08F5Aerasw/w-d-xo.html
Still prefer a Scrim Jim
Fast frame. Why did you not show how fast it took you to set it up?
Sounds like you didn't watch the whole video. th-cam.com/video/DZH6xzR0BdE/w-d-xo.html
@@NewLayer
My apologies! I did skip through using the thumbnails. Sorry about that!
Thank you for taking the time to find the time stamp for me.
@@huyked No problem, you sound like me, haha. I try to be as concise as possible, at least in product reviews, but I'd probably watch my own videos on 1.5x speed 😂
@@NewLayer
Haha! I appreciate the camaraderie. :D
If it only came in 6'x6' and had a gobo ear.
I do wonder if they have a 2.0 version in development with any extra features, but I think it excels in speed and simplicity, leaving the extras to more traditional panels.
Very expensive. Lot of 4x6 for under 200
Not arguing there. They only make sense if you’re setting up and tearing down every day. These could easily save 10+ hours for people who use external diffusion daily, so it just depends on how you value your time and whether the efficiency is worth it to you.
DIY is definitely a waste of time and money. Plus if you decide to go a different way you can’t sell DIY creations. Your only option will be the trash can.
Resale value is definitely something to consider when making or buying gear! It's not always a 100% loss, and some high value items can be resold for 80%+ of their original value, so it's a great investment to buy while you need it!