Who makes the most rigid reflector panels?

[Dave Wooten]

Foamcore with wooden 1x2 frames if you must.

yep

good stuff, white and silver backing is avaialble in the thick insulation type.


Can be cut and "folded" with tape, or just put them on your roof rack....

[JW Dewdney]

I find half inch sheet steel with a first-surface mirror coating particularly good for this application... a little hard to manoeuver however...

[vinny]

In the motion picture business we use 1" "bead board" insulation from the lumber yard covered with foam core on one side for rigidity. The edges are taped with 2" gaff tape to hold it together. That's generally as complex as it gets for anything up to 4x8 feet. 4x4 sizes can be hinged with the foam core to fold in half for portability. The light reflected off the bead board side is very soft and "creamy". Roscoflex in silver or gold can be strectched and taped to one side for more punch if there isn't direct light hitting your subject. One C-stand, sand bags, and a "Platypus" and you've got a solid bounce source that doesn't require a person to hold.
vinny

[David R Munson]

Vinny, you rock.

[CG]

Big sheets of cardboard - from refrigerator shipping packaging - are cheep or free, and painted flat white mostly.

Massive lightstands, weighted down, or strong people, are essential to keep things from flying away. Wooden battens on the back could help stiffen the reflectors.

C

[gregstidham]

I own both the California Sunbounce and Matthew boards.

California Sunbounce is good for a soft fill but will flex in strong wind.

Matthew boards are rigid and will hold the light on your subject in windy conditions. IMO, Matthew or other hard reflectors cant' be beat for directing light over far or short distances. As others here have mentioned, be sure to use a good c-stand with sandbags or keep a grip nearby to hold it down. When hard reflectors become airborne, stuff will get smashed.