BUTTERFLY GRIDS

Butterfly grids (also known as “butterfly light control grids” or just “grids” for butterflies) are essential in film, photo, and video lighting because they control and shape soft light—especially when you’re working with large diffusion frames (often 8x8, 12x12, etc.).

• Narrow beam spread:
  A butterfly grid narrows the spread of the soft light created by diffusion. This helps prevent unwanted spill onto the background, ceiling, or lens.
• More directionality:
  It adds a level of directionality to soft light, giving you a controlled, beautiful falloff—especially useful in interviews or close-up work.
• Maintains Softness
  It maintains the soft quality of a large diffused source while giving it shape—unlike flags or cutters, which hard-cut the beam.
• Better Contrast Control
  By controlling the spread, you reduce light wrap and flare, which helps maintain contrast in the image.
• Location Work
  On tight sets or outdoors, a butterfly grid helps contain the light, so you don’t accidentally light up background elements or bounce off things you don’t want.

The degree of a butterfly grid—like 30°, 40°, 50°—refers to the beam angle of the light that’s allowed to pass through the grid.

The Degree = Beam Spread

• A lower number (e.g. 30°) means a narrower beam—more directional, more controlled.
• A higher number (e.g. 50°) means a wider beam—less directional, softer edges.
• 30° = Narrow Spread and Tight control
• 40° = Medium Spread and Balanced, general use e.g. Interviews or portraits
• 50° = Wider Spread and Softer, Subtle shaping, large spaces

If you’re choosing one for your butterfly setup, think: how much spill can you afford?

• Need to control it tightly? Go 30°.
• Need more ambient spread but still shaped? Maybe 50°.

The degree is determined by the size of the cells in the grid, the depth remains constant on all our DoPchoice Grids.

BOX CELL Structure:

Pros:

• More directional control — sharper beam edges
• Less spill
• Tighter geometry — useful for lighting edges, faces, backgrounds
• Often better in windy outdoor setups (if made rigid as with all DoPchoice Grids)

Cons:

• May cast harder shadows if the light is too close
• Less forgiving in flex or odd mounting angles

HONEYCOMB Structure:

Pros:

• Smooth light shaping — gentle transitions, organic falloff
• More flexible material (can conform to slightly curved surfaces)

Cons:

• Less rigid in form (especially on large frames)
• Slightly less precise beam control compared to box cells
• Not ideal when ultra-sharp edge control is needed

Disadvantages of an Interlocking system:

• Less structural rigidity — the grid can sag or deform more easily, especially on large frames (8x8+).
• Edges are weaker — can fray or come apart under tension or over time.
• Setup is fiddlier — you may spend time aligning the cells or untangling it.
• Less durable long-term — they don’t like wind or rough handling.

Advantages of the fully sewn cells in every DoPchoice Grid:

• Very stable and precise cell shape — better beam control and cleaner shadows
• Fast setup — unfolds cleanly, no fiddling
• Stronger in wind and movement
• Much more durable — lasts for years, even in rental environments