Which to use umbrella vs box

Hackbone

Got this link in the email today and said "Hey, we all need to see this".

http://www.adorama.com/ALC/Article.aspx?alias=Softbox-vs-Umbrella-Which-One-Should-You-Use&utm_source=ET&utm_medium=Email&utm_campaign=EmailALC022412

Moving Pictures

Observation: you can't beat umbrellas for portability ...

Bryce Wilson

Moving Pictures wrote: »

Observation: you can't beat umbrellas for portability ...

Which is why, at least for now, I'm digging the Apollo umbrella style soft-box from Westcott.

divamum

SB's are also helpful outdoors since they avoid Mary Poppins syndrome....

I just got an Apollo-style SB which I can't wait to try soon - it's bigger than any of my other modifiers at 2x4' (although I believe that's about the equivalent of the 45" Photek, the shape will mean I can do different things with light falloff on shoulders depending on how I position it. At least that's what I hope!).

Thanks for the article, Charles! I do find it interesting they would use a parabolic for the comparison, since most people wind up using your basic shoothru or bounce version initially. As I understand it (and do correct me if I'm wrong) parabolics distribute the light in a very different way, and are much brighter, meaning a significant difference from the look a SB gives than, say, an ordinary white shoothru.

VayCayMom

Perfect timing. thanks!

Hackbone

Softboxes are just as easy now to put up as umbrellas. Dennys has come out with a box that works just like an umbrella,,,,,,,,no excuses now!

Art Scott

Still the look of the umbrella catch light is more pleasing than any thing rectangle shaped... I have one SB and it is headed for ebay real soon.... it is great for products where I do not want nice catch lights but I hate them for portraits ... jmvho ...

Hackbone

Never had a client make a comment about shape of catch lights only photographers. We seem t
o be our own worst enemt.

Art Scott

Hackbone wrote: »

Never had a client make a comment about shape of catch lights only photographers. We seem t
o be our own worst enemt.

I have had clients ask about it when I have done shoots with both and they see the catch lights...it was years ago, but that made me go to umbreallys only...now we do have oct. SB's ... which could be an option ... ... ... but they take up more storage room also..

Yes ... YES .. you are so correct ...we are our own worst enemies ... ..

Nikolai

I thought I'd pitch in, as a have used all those modifiers a couple of times...

Umbrellas:

Silver ones deliver pretty much 100% output and, in some cases, can focus the light thus delivering more light that a bare bulb (I'm not talking about a bulb with a good parabolic reflector) in a local area.

Spillage is moderate.
The white ones do tend to lose at least 1 stop (if not more) and spill like crazy. The only thning worse spill-wise is the brollybox (shoot-through umbrellas)

Parabolic umbrellas, though more expensive, deliver higher quality and less spill. I have an 86" Paul Buff's PLM and it's a total joy to work with, espcially on location (indoors):



And yes, as Diva mentioned, outdoors they fly away like there is no tomorrow...

Softboxes:
while some light loss is inevitable due to (usually two) diffusion layers, the light quality is hard to beat and the spillage is minimum, especially if you put on a grid. Naturally, the quality comes at a price and a certain (but not over the top) complication during the setup.

As for the shape of the catchlights... To each is own. I personally prefer rectangular ones since at least they imitate the window shape. Round catchlight is a single tell-tell sign of the artificial lighting, and there is nothing round in nature - except, naturally, sun and moon, but neither produces anything bigger than a tiny spec where the shape is undistinguisheable.
The only one catchlight shape I personally hate with a passion is a donut shape of the ring flash. But that's just me :-)

divamum

See, and I'm the opposite to Art - I prefer complex catchlights most of all (eg from large natural light sources such as multiple windows/doors/skylights etc), and then I prefer the window-shape of the square ones. Fortunately, we can cater for all tastes these days as so many choices available!

Since I shoot speedlights instead of studio strobes, it's GREAT that there are finally so many options for smaller flashes now. Sure, it's fun to use the big kid "real" strobes, but in my home studio space speedlights are not only cheaper, but WAY more practical both in terms of footprint and power (or lack thereof). David Hobby really started a movement going, and it's nice to be able to benefit


ETA (I was writing while Nik was posting)

As for the shape of the catchlights... To each is own. I personally prefer rectangular ones since at least they imitate the window shape. Round catchlight is a single tell-tell sign of the artificial lighting, and there is nothing round in nature - except, naturally, sun and moon, but neither produces anything bigger than a tiny spec where the shape is undistinguisheable.

Bilsen

Nice article Hack, thanks.

jpc

Hackbone wrote: »

Softboxes are just as easy now to put up as umbrellas. Dennys has come out with a box that works just like an umbrella,,,,,,,,no excuses now!

Cool product, but $200 for a 32" x 40" is definitely an "excuse", at least for me. I leave mine assembled and put them in the back of my truck.

VayCayMom

I attended a workshop a few days ago by Scott Kelby, he was not promoting products but he did say a octa softbox was the one thing that was a must have if you were to buy anything.

Nikolai

VayCayMom wrote: »

I attended a workshop a few days ago by Scott Kelby, he was not promoting products but he did say a octa softbox was the one thing that was a must have if you were to buy anything.

I have a huge respect for Mr. Kelby, so I *respectfully* disagree.
There are lot's of things in studio lighting gear you may need to get BEFORE or INSTEAD OF getting an octabox. OB's really just another modifier, not a mandatory angel of the totem pole.

Hackbone

Ditto Nik.

reyvee61

Bryce Wilson wrote: »

Which is why, at least for now, I'm digging the Apollo umbrella style soft-box from Westcott.

Indeed!

divamum

A recent Adorama article about softboxes to add some more fuel to the fire....

zoomer

Not much studio work here...but I use a $40. umbrella style softbox, 42". I use this outside and inside.
Pop it open, put it in the slot on the stand and good to go...if the wind blows it over it will bend...I can unbend it a couple times before I need to replace it. Another $40.

Nikolai

FWIW softboxes/brollyboxes are advantageous over umbrellas for the outdoor work as the have less "wind catching" capabilities. They may fall (as their crossection is still large), but they will hardly fly.

At any rate I prefer to work with bare (gelled) flashes outdoors for the following reasons:

1. I'm always trying to get my images to look as natural as humanly possible. The natural light source here is SoCal is a direct sun - the harshest light ever, as we almost never have any clouds to diffuse it. Mixing it with artificially softened light just doesn't feel right
2. No light loss in the fight against the power of the aforementioned sun
3. Less (*way* less) chances of the light(s) being knocked down by the wind
4. Less equipment to carry/care about