mcraven

does anyone here use speedlight softboxes for portraits? if so what is the best kind? I use shoot through umbrellas right but looking at reviews it seems like the softboxes make a beter photo. any thoughts on that? thanks photo friends.

Dyeager Loc: Michigan

Depends on what you want to do with the light, I use a five ft umbrella quite a bit. It's a little easier to control he light with a softbox if you only want to light part of your subject,you can shoot reflective and just shut your umumbrella down over your light. Wescot makes nice a nice softbox for speedlights, they have an umbrella frame inside so are easy to set up. A cheaper alternative is godox on ebay. I'm sure there area lot more online too

mcraven

thanks dyeager..

jcboy3

There are a several different types of soft box that can be used with a speed light.

Traditional; put together with rods and speed ring, uses an adapter ring and mount that holds a speed light.

Collapsible; metal bands hold the sides (like a collapsible reflector) with an adapter ring that slips into the back.

Umbrella style; these open/close like an umbrella, but form a box and have a diffusion cover. For some, the speed light mounts on an adapter in the back and shoots forward. For others, the speed light mounts inside like a regular umbrella and shoots backward.

Umbrella with diffusion cover; not actually a soft box, but an umbrella with diffusion cover so the light is softer.

Key to all of these is the use of a diffusion cover to soften the light. If the flash faces forward, there are usually two panels (inside and outside). If the flash faces backwards, there is usually just one.

Things to look for:

1. Recessed front diffusion panel. This provides more control of the light, keeping it from spilling sideways.

2. Grid. If the diffusion panel is recessed, then often there is a grid available to insert into the recessed area. The grid provides even more direction to the light. Especially useful if you are using it sideways and want to keep light from hitting the background.

I use most of these types, depending upon application. I like the Westcott Apollo style; its a reflective umbrella style soft box. But the flash is enclosed in the soft box, so you need to be able to adjust intensity remotely or you will be ripping off the diffusion panel to get at the flash. Recessed front with grid available. If you are using a single flash TTL, you will want to use an extension cable. I use Cactus V6 radio triggers to remotely adjust the flash; these work with analog TTL (older flashes) but not digital TTL.

I like the Photek soft lighter, its an umbrella with diffusion panel. I use the smaller sizes with flash, larger with strobe. Not recessed, no grid. So I only use it facing the subject. I use a mount adapter for horizontal mount of the flash (otherwise the flash sticks up too much from the umbrella shaft).

The collapsible style (Lastolite, Interfit, etc.) is recessed, takes grids. I use the 24" versions. They can be folded up, but I just lay them flat and slide them into a bag. Okay for portable use outdoors, but not really big enough to provide soft light. Bigger versions might be available, but then you will want to fold them up and thats basically folding 4 reflectors at once; just a bit tricky.

Wescott makes a Rapid Box series; they set up quickly and the flash mounts outside. I haven't tried them; they are expensive and small.

I use traditional style soft boxes; in studio you can just set them up and leave them. For portable use, I use the Calumet Speed Ring to set them up. I use the Bowens mount on the speed ring and use a flash to bowens adapter to mount the flash. These do take time to setup, but the speed rings probably cut that time in half and remove the frustration level significantly.

So it depends upon your needs and how you want to control the flash. For straight on use, I usually recommend the Photek soft lighter (Paul Buff makes a similar design). If you are used to umbrellas, these are similar in use. For outdoor use, I recommend the collapsible style (Lastolite, etc) for rigidity.

mcraven

thanks jcboy3..a lot of choices to make..i will consider some of this..

Rick36203 Loc: Northeast Alabama

jcboy3 did an excellent job of describing options. I will only add a little. I use the 26" version of the Wescott Rapid box. It does a nice job for head and shoulder shots, and mimics a beauty dish with the optional reflector. The larger duo version lets you add a second speedlight for more power. They are a bit expensive.

For ease of portability, I choose only umbrella style softboxes. Some offer even more flexibilty by not limiting you to just speedlights (as do the Rapid box units).

With a large Apollo Orb type box you can use multiple speedlights, regular strobes, or CFL light sources using the standard umbrella mounts for each type of light.

Some relatively inexpensive softboxes like the Fotodiox 'EZ' Pro series have external light mounts with speedrings available for both studio strobes and speedlights. They are umbrella style for easy portability, have the double recessed diffusion panels, optional grid panels, and include the beauty dish reflector at no additional cost. These may not hold up as well as Wescott products, but I have two of these, and they are doing fine with occasional use.

mcraven

thanks rick. I see there is a lot of choices and information on softboxes. I appreciate your expert advise...

GoofyNewfie Loc: Kansas City

Like jcboy, I sometimes use a studio softbox (Plume Wafer) with a speedlight with an adapter that will take my Bowens speed rings, but for one person location portraits, I've been using a Neewer Photo Studio 32 x 32 softbox quite a bit lately.
Takes hardly any time at all to set it up.
At first I was leery of the speedlight mounting system (it clamps onto the speedlight body), but now prefer it to one using a hot shoe.
It also has a Bowens mounting system, allowing me to use my reflectors with grids and other accessories from my monolights, which rarely go on location anymore.

BillieG Loc: Oklahoma

I have the Westcott rapid box. It's a 26" octo. I like it and it's easy to set up.

SharpShooter Loc: NorCal

Mc, I just ordered a Rogue Softbox Mini that will be here tomorrow. So have never used it but have been told it ok.
I'm shooting a quinceanera over the weekend and needed to do some small group shots and was told I'll not be able to set anything up, so thought I'd give this a try. It's camera mounted so I'll see, but can't comment on it yet.
Cost was $50. Good luck. ;-)
SS

jcboy3

If you mean the Rogue Flashbender, I use them often. I use the Large size; large enough to give some light control but not too large. I have the XL size, but it's too heavy for on camera use.

This picture was taken with an umbrella and two large flash benders.

Laura72568 Loc: Anderson TX

I just looked at the Westcott Rapid Box and the Speedlite Speedbox at a trade show last week. Both are well made and easy to put up and take down. The ones I looked at were pretty small - 26". In a class I took at photography school last week, we used white/black parabolic umbrellas and just "feathered" then for different lighting styles. I have also been considering the Westcott Ice Light with barn doors, but that's a different subject altogether! :-)

Dyeager Loc: Michigan

Also remember the larger the light source the softer the light so size is a major factor when buying your soft box

Gene51 Loc: Yonkers, NY, now in LSD (LowerSlowerDelaware)

A softbox, or an umbrella that is reversed with a diffuser covering the opening (brolly box) so it creates a round light similar in quality to a softbox are great.

I use several Chimera softboxes, small, medium and large. The speedlight(s) are mounted in a DIY arrangement into a speed ring similar to this:

http://strobist.blogspot.com/2007/07/diy-ball-bungee-speedlight-soft-box.html

I have put two speedlights together in the above arrangement, each with radio triggers, and it works very well.

The quality of the light is softer, and there is more "light wrap" effect. A shoot through is good, but it does have a center hot spot that is unmistakable. It works well with certain subjects and not at all with others.

Bret Loc: Dayton Ohio

Iv'e been using this one....small...light weight.
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1132676-REG/vello_fabric_softbox_kit_with.html

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