As the name "Switch" hints, Westcott has introduced a line of modifiers designed for rapid setup and swapping out of different brands of strobes and speedlights in seconds. The 24" Switch Beauty Dish is a good choice for full portraiture, fashion, or work on the road. The problem with metal beauty dishes has always been transport and the large, unwieldy cases used to protect them from dings and dents. Westcott gets around all that by giving the dish a lightweight (1.9 lb), collapsible design that opens and folds down in seconds like an umbrella. The Beauty Dish Switch has all the advantages of rigid dishes—that signature soft but crisp quality of light that is very kind to hair, fashion, make-up, and simple portraiture. Another benefit is the reflection of natural-looking catchlights in your subject's eyes.
As mentioned earlier, the Beauty Dish has a basic ring to hold it together, but instead of full speed rings, 13 "inserts" are available for a speedlight or 12 different brands of strobes. The quick release thumb-lock on the Beauty Dish Switch ensures the security of your light. Besides the benefit of speed, the dish is structurally sound with durable metal framework and heat-resistant fabric. The dish has an interior deflector plate that bounces the light backward and distributes it throughout the dish, thus defeating the hot spot. It also comes with a slip-on front diffuser for those who want to soften the light quality further. Its material has been thoroughly tested and found to be neutral, ensuring a true rendition of color. A carry case is included for storage and transport. Optional accessories include a 40° grid to narrow and control the dish's beam spread.