12" x 80" or 14"x 62" Strip Softbox That is the Question????? Ok im looking to get two Fotodiox Pro Strip Softbox Strip Softbox's I cant decide on size....

Lee-Lee Loc: Houston

Ok im looking to get two Fotodiox Pro Strip Softbox Strip Softbox's I cant decide on size.... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B008CBCSQI/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=2L6MLXAPNJVVC&coliid=I25TXZX4L90XY7&psc=1 or https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00FSFA4S0?psc=1

It will be used for home in small bedroom and the field/outside.... Do anyone have one or the other???? and Pro and conns for each?????????

80" is a lot for home but would love to have it outside.

Reinaldokool Loc: San Rafael, CA

Lee-Lee wrote:

Ok im looking to get two Fotodiox Pro Strip Softbo... (show quote)

Unless you have a specific need for the long thin softbox, the other is more practical for most subjects. Either one of those is very large. I've never used a softbox that large. 62 inches is over five feet. The speedrings are different which may determine your answer. If one fits your lights and the other doesn't.

Notorious T.O.D. Loc: Harrisburg, North Carolina

62" would be much more useful I would say.

Best,
Todd Ferguson

Lee-Lee Loc: Houston

I want to start playing around with lighting a little more..... I have beauty dish, large square softbox and a Impact 7' Parabolic Umbrella (Silver) ....... I want to get an octagon softbox and light ring also.

Lee-Lee Loc: Houston

Notorious T.O.D. wrote:

62" would be much more useful I would say.

Best,
Todd Ferguson

that's what i'm thinking also!!!!!!!!!!!!

Notorious T.O.D. Loc: Harrisburg, North Carolina

What lights are you using these modifiers with when shooting?

Best,
Todd Ferguson

Lee-Lee Loc: Houston

Notorious T.O.D. wrote:

What lights are you using these modifiers with when shooting?

Best,
Todd Ferguson

Paul Buff 1600

E.L.. Shapiro Loc: Ottawa, Ontario Canada

I have a number of theses strip soft boxes and I use them for certain jobs. Unless you have specific requirements for theses light modifiers, they may not be worth the investment because they are not really intended for general usage. So here's the information that may prove helpful for you.

In my commercial work, I use them for creating elongated highlights on beverage bottles and certain types of glassware. This works well well when the strip light is placed at 90 degrees to 135 degrees to the camera/subject axis. I also use a strip light on a boom arm, over the set, for panoramic-like food layouts. Most of the time, however, a standard square or rectangular soft box can do the job as well. The addition of a go-bo or black flag can be used to thin out the light beam from an ordinary soft box.

In portrait work, the strip light can be use on a boom arm, overhead and slightly behind the subjects to provide a nice hair light for group subjects.

As per size; the rule of thumb for softness of lighting is that the closer the light source is to the subject softer the transition from highlights to shadows will be. Larger soft boxes will tend to yield softer lighting at slightly grater distances but they too will yield considerably harder light as the are moved away form the subject. If you are working in a limited space as smaller soft box may do the job if it close enough to the subjects such as as the distances you may encounter in a table-top commercial shoot. If however you are shooting a full-length fashion shot or a larger or taller object you may require a lather soft box to provide adequate coverage and softness at a grater distance.

Strip lights, generally speaking, do not make for good main lighting for portraiture because they create thin vertical catch-lights in the eyes which look kinda strange, however, they can serve a good “kicker” or accent lights when place at about 135 degrees to the camera/subject axis. This can be effective when the main light is a standard soft box or a parabolic umbrella lighting unit.

Single or double kicker lights can be applied to theatrical portraiture or body-builder type shots in which case the strip lights would serve you well while using a standard soft box or parabolic lighting unit for a main and fill light sources. When using lights for kickers ,at steep angles of incidence, it is important to make sure that exposures for theses lights are in balance with you main and fill lights. The kicker lights may have to be powered down because at steep angles of incidence the lighting tends to be stronger and more pronounced.
I hope this helps and good luck with your lighting experimentation. Practice makes perfect.

Lee-Lee Loc: Houston

E.L.. Shapiro wrote:

I have a number of theses strip soft boxes and I use them for certain jobs. Unless you have specific requirements for theses light modifiers, they may not be worth the investment because they are not really intended for general usage. So here's the information that may prove helpful for you.

In my commercial work, I use them for creating elongated highlights on beverage bottles and certain types of glassware. This works well well when the strip light is placed at 90 degrees to 135 degrees to the camera/subject axis. I also use a strip light on a boom arm, over the set, for panoramic-like food layouts. Most of the time, however, a standard square or rectangular soft box can do the job as well. The addition of a go-bo or black flag can be used to thin out the light beam from an ordinary soft box.

In portrait work, the strip light can be use on a boom arm, overhead and slightly behind the subjects to provide a nice hair light for group subjects.

As per size; the rule of thumb for softness of lighting is that the closer the light source is to the subject softer the transition from highlights to shadows will be. Larger soft boxes will tend to yield softer lighting at slightly grater distances but they too will yield considerably harder light as the are moved away form the subject. If you are working in a limited space as smaller soft box may do the job if it close enough to the subjects such as as the distances you may encounter in a table-top commercial shoot. If however you are shooting a full-length fashion shot or a larger or taller object you may require a lather soft box to provide adequate coverage and softness at a grater distance.

Strip lights, generally speaking, do not make for good main lighting for portraiture because they create thin vertical catch-lights in the eyes which look kinda strange, however, they can serve a good “kicker” or accent lights when place at about 135 degrees to the camera/subject axis. This can be effective when the main light is a standard soft box or a parabolic umbrella lighting unit.

Single or double kicker lights can be applied to theatrical portraiture or body-builder type shots in which case the strip lights would serve you well while using a standard soft box or parabolic lighting unit for a main and fill light sources. When using lights for kickers ,at steep angles of incidence, it is important to make sure that exposures for theses lights are in balance with you main and fill lights. The kicker lights may have to be powered down because at steep angles of incidence the lighting tends to be stronger and more pronounced.
I hope this helps and good luck with your lighting experimentation. Practice makes perfect.

I have a number of theses strip soft boxes and I u... (show quote)

I love it ....Thanks so much for your help!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Notorious T.O.D. Loc: Harrisburg, North Carolina

Thanks for sharing your input E.L. Interesting stuff!

Best,
Todd Ferguson