Westcott 2011 43-Inch Optical White Satin Collapsible with Removable Black Cover Umbrella (Black)

by Westcott

• Easy to use and easy to carry wherever you need them
• Reflects more light
• Easy to assemble/disassemble, compact and easy to store

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 1 x 1 x 1 inches ; 1 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S.
• ASIN: B001OKBLEE
• Item model number: 2011
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (41 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank:
  • #15 in Camera & Photo > Camera & Photo Accessories > Lighting > Lighting Controls & Modifiers > Umbrellas
• Date first available at Amazon.com: June 17, 2003

Product Description

This umbrella softens and spreads light and offers a very natural and pleasing effect onto your subject.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

20 of 20 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars The Strobist Umbrella March 16, 2010

By Algernon Ong

This is ideal for traveling. Lightweight, small and versatile. Contrary to some people say, the black cover isn't hard to take off or put on. Don't fully extend the umbrella when taking off the black cover and when putting it back on, the umbrella should be fully opened and make sure the screw on top is slighty loose when attaching the pins. It is however a little combersome to fold the umbrella with the back cover on as it easily comes off. The solution is just to store the back cover separately. As for the hollow shaft, put a small piece of pencil into it for durability-a tip by the Strobist himself. I hope this helps.

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful

2.0 out of 5 stars does what you expect it to, just not very sturdy July 28, 2009

By T. Eddy

I bought this assuming I was going to use shoot through more than bouncing it as it gives the illusion of a bigger softbox and you don't have to set the flash as high. With that scenario this umbrella works fine.

I didn't find it difficult to remove the black cover. Just don't fully extend the umbrella and it's easy to unhook the cover. Putting it back on is another story. Once you get the center screw in it gets really frustrating to get the pins to stick in each of the spokes. It would have been better if they snapped in so they didn't fall out when putting it on or when collapsing the umbrella for storage. I have yet to figure out the trick to get the umbrella with the cover to collapse and stay on umbrella while getting it slim enough to fit in case. The black cover is just sitting in a box now. Without the cover it's a little easier to get in the case and now it's bungeed to the portable light stand. very compact. And it's nice that if I ever do need a bounch umbrella I'll have it. Judging on the trouble it takes for me to get the cover on I'll probably never use it though.

The pole is indeed rather flimsy. When attaching to swivel mount tighten it just enough so it doesn't slide. Any more and you're likely to punch a hole through it.

Am I happy with it? sure. Would I buy another one? probably not. The cover just isn't worth the hassle. Shoot through should work for pretty much anything.

Also I've read on some other umbrellas that adorama puts their logo on the shoot through umbrella. I'm happy to say that's not the case here. Only logo is the westcott and it's on the cover that won't bleed into the image.

14 of 17 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Awesome Umbrella September 28, 2010

By N. Rodriguez

Amazon Verified Purchase

I bought this umbrella for the removable black cover. For me the more options the better. I was a little worried when i read all these reviews about how hard it was to get the cover back on and fold it down. This is not true whatsoever. I just barely opened the package opened the umbrella took the cover off and put it back on with ease in about a minute or less. Whoever wrote these bad reviews either 1. Don't have opposable thumbs 2. Tried putting it back on with there feet? or 3. They are mentally challenged. As for the weak shaft, there is no one reason whatsoever unless you are trying to torture and punish your umbrella shaft that you should have to tighten down on it enough for it to break or become damaged. I love this umbrella already and cant wait to take some amazing photos with it =)

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Can't strobe without it March 22, 2011

By Levi C. Sim

Amazon Verified Purchase

I have the zumbrella version of this marketed by David Ziser (only it costs twice as much and doesn't include the cover) and it has served me well for two years as I have hauled it around the world in my backpack with a few speed lights and a Justin Clamp. The compact folding size makes it ideal for anyone with space concerns, but it also means that it extends larger than the other umbrellas available, creating a larger light source, and thus a softer light source.

This tool also produces very attractive catchlights in the eyes of subjects, and can be used not only as a shoot through umbrella, but also as a diffuser that produces a convex light that is more sculpt able than a flat diffuser. By the way, shooting light through this umbrella is the only way to go--it double the power of your light and allows for a softer quality of light without the specular highlights create by the silver reflective cover. Place your speedlight at the end of the stick (as far from the fabric as possible) to fill the umbrella with light instead of just having a small hot spot shine through and move the fabric as close to your subject as possible, and Bob's your uncle, you've got amazing portrait light. Or still life light. In fact, try just opening the umbrella over a wildflower in a sunny field and amaze your friends with images produced by your ultra portable light tent. Spray it with silicone water proofing and extend your shooting conditions to include Spring in the Northwest.

This umbrella really is that great. I just bought two more because after two years one of the spokes was stepped on and is *almost* broken.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Fix for the cover falling off May 17, 2012

By Jo

Amazon Verified Purchase

I love the compact size for travel! I was pleasantly surprised that it now has a metal pin in the end of the shaft, so I didn't have to strengthen it with a piece of pencil as suggested elsewhere.

I did find it a little frustrating to fold the umbrella to fit back in the sleeve with the black cover on, but I crafted a solution: First, I set the fully open umbrella, with the black cover fully on, upside down on a table. Then, for each tip, I took a 6" piece of white elastic cording (available at fabric/craft stores) and threaded it under the metal spine between the spine and the white nylon fabric, near the tip. Then I tied the elastic cord into a small loop to hold the black cover's metal tip on from the inside. Trim the excess from the elastic loop, and repeat for the other 7 tips. The elastic loops keep the metal tips of the black cover in place by providing just the right amount of tension from the inside. All the tips stay on when folding the umbrella with the cover attached, and even when squeezing it into the sleeve. To remove the black cover, just flip the elastic loop off each tip (the loops stays attached to the inside of the white umbrella) and remove the cover as usual.