Speedlights can drive a soft box how big?

M38A1

I have a 24" square soft box I drive with a single speed light (SB700/Nikon) and it seems to do just fine. Will standard speed lights such as this (I also have an SB900) drive larger soft boxes, like a 2x4 or 2x6 successfully? Or are we getting into studio strobe sizing at that point?

Looking at the light availability from the 2x2, I think I'd like to try and get a little more vertical light so standing shots are a possibility. Not sure the 2x2 can do that well unless I come up with an additional light from somewhere.

ziggy53

For still life and product shots in a subdued light environment a smaller light source can potentially work fine with almost any sized light modifier. A typical softbox, or other double-diffused light modifier, loses 2-3 stops of light efficiency within the modifier, so output may not be enough if there is much ambient light to overcome.

"Filling" a large softbox can be challenging and even difficult from smaller light sources, and may require an additional diffusor or defocussed Fresnel lens in order to provide sufficient coverage, further reducing light output.

Recycle times for small, battery powered lights can also come into play. If you have to do full-pops with each exposure the cycle times may be pretty long to maintain an effective workflow with live subjects.

Speedlights also lack a modelling light, which can be useful for setting up and positioning the lights and modifiers.

Ultimately, you can try using the softbox/speedlight combination with a few test subjects to see if it works for you. For my own purposes I decided that studio monolights with modelling lights were a better solution for most formal portrait work.

divamum

There's also these if you really want to stick with kspeedlights and a larger modifier.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=&sku=822107&is=REG&A=details&Q=

M38A1

Thanks guys.... you've given ma a lot to chew on with good input as always.

I went and measured my soft box. It's not a 24x24. Rather, 20" x 20".

I'll take your input and go poke around and see what I can come up with. Not knowing exactly what I'm doing, this should be yet another adventure!

Thx.

divamum

24 x36 on ebay. I love mine

lightcatcher2014

You will get mire light fall off on the edges of 2x4 and much more of 2x6 soft boxes with a single flash gun. There is just not much lights they produce to lid the larger softbox equally. The further from the source light travels the more falls off. So yeah you will get larger area illuminated with a larger softbox but the light will be uneven with smaller light source as flash gun. With 300W or 400W strobe this will not be the case.


Cheers