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24x24 Softbox
divamum
Registered Users Posts: 9,021 Major grins
Inspired by using Llywellyn's fantastic Lastolite SB on our shoot last weekend, I'm considering adding one to my collection to use with my speedlights.
The Lastolite is fantastic, but it's also seriously pricey at over $200. I know you get what you pay for, but that's way outside my budget, and I saw a couple of folks over at Strobist mentioned this model. Anybody here ever use one?
Cowboy 24" softbox w/L bracket
I also see there's a 24x32 Westcott at Adorama is interesting (especially since you can add grids), but I'm wondering if the larger size will overlap with my 45" Photek and make it somewhat redundant (although it might be interesting to use it vertically). Also, it's not clear whether there's a speedlight ring/mount.
Alternatively, any others to consider?
The Lastolite is fantastic, but it's also seriously pricey at over $200. I know you get what you pay for, but that's way outside my budget, and I saw a couple of folks over at Strobist mentioned this model. Anybody here ever use one?
Cowboy 24" softbox w/L bracket
I also see there's a 24x32 Westcott at Adorama is interesting (especially since you can add grids), but I'm wondering if the larger size will overlap with my 45" Photek and make it somewhat redundant (although it might be interesting to use it vertically). Also, it's not clear whether there's a speedlight ring/mount.
Alternatively, any others to consider?
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I have the 16" model and find it pretty well built.
Tx!
(Edit: The 60" Softliter is approximately the same size light as a 36" square softbox. Don't be misled by the different methods of measurement.)
I do recommend the 8mm shaft that has a removable section, both for safety and to allow shooting closer to the subject.
http://www.adorama.com/PTSL60.html
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/75852-REG/Photek_SL_6000_Umbrella_Softlighter_II.html
Moderator of the Cameras and Accessories forums
But shooting outdoors the other day, the Lastolite SB was invaluable where the Photek would've been awkward: it was much easier to hold and manipulate on a handheld (VAL) boom; it didn't catch the wind as the umbrella-shaped items; less lightspill away from the subjects; light more directional than even the Photek (and I can imagine with grids that would be even moreso). It would also be great indoors on a second light for hairlight (with the Photek used for key) - the light qualities are similar, and I can imagine with the SG it would be nicely controllable. I use my homemade "soda carton" softbox a lot, but it's sometimes a little small (plus I can't fold it up to put in my gear bag).
I have to say I'm fairly impressed with the few examples that I see of the CowboyStudio version. For a head shot application it looks to be very nice.
Moderator of the Cameras and Accessories forums
I'm not familiar with Cowboy, but I'd trust most Strobist reader recommendations.
you can check for reasonably priced gear is www.alzodigital.com.
AZFred
Neil
http://www.behance.net/brosepix
Another question, Zanotti - any samples shot with the smaller 16" box? I'm beginning to think the 24" might be too big, and would be interested to see results from the smaller one...
http://www.arkreations.com
Nikon D700 | D300 | D80 | SB-800(x2) | SB-600(x2)
Nikkor Lenses: 14-24 f/2.8 | 24-70 f/2.8 | 50 f/1.8 | 85 f/1.4 | 70-200 f/2.8 VR II | 70-300 VR
I was going to suggest the Wescott Apollo's. I have a couple of them and really like them. Easy up and down and meant for speedlite use. Pop a 580ex on a lightstand with an umbrella mount and you're good to snap. Easy to move too. i have the Canon battery packs for my speedlights so there is plenty of power. Two of the Apollo's are lovely if you need help.
Flash Frozen Photography, Inc.
http://flashfrozenphotography.com
I also like my 60" Softlighter, but they serve different needs for me.
Natural selection is responsible for every living thing that exists.
D3s, D500, D5300, and way more glass than the wife knows about.
For you Nikon shooters, enamoured with CLS, be aware that the Apollo system involves locating your speedlight INSIDE the softbox, shooting back into the "umbrella" whilst surrounded by the blackout reflective fabric of the softbox. I have serious doubts that the signal from the on-camera commander would be able to reliably communicate with the hidden speedlight. If you use cords or radio slaves you should be fine. I chose to go with the Lastolite for this reason.
Natural selection is responsible for every living thing that exists.
D3s, D500, D5300, and way more glass than the wife knows about.
This would also be true of Canon wireless since it depends upon line-of-sight (LOS) and/or bounced light from the master flash to the slave flash. I believe that all of the manufacturer wireless units work the same way.
A radio wireless master/slave would probably be very beneficial with any light modifier that holds the flash inside the modifier and restricts LOS or bounced light from the master controller flash.
Moderator of the Cameras and Accessories forums
I use the Canon Speedlight with the ST-2 transmitter or another 580ex on master with the Apollo without a problem. I took Zack Arias One Light Workshop and he used the Nikon with the same set up - not an issue there either.
Flash Frozen Photography, Inc.
http://flashfrozenphotography.com
Natural selection is responsible for every living thing that exists.
D3s, D500, D5300, and way more glass than the wife knows about.
I like my Photoflex.
I think it works well alone or in combo! And, it really appeals to my Capricornian price/value quotient!
It does require an added bracket, but the price for the two is still under/around a hundred bucks. I think the key reason I like it is ease of use, set-up and control of light!
Hopefully this thread will prove useful for others shopping for SB's in the future, too - what a wealth of info is here at dgrin!
Natural selection is responsible for every living thing that exists.
D3s, D500, D5300, and way more glass than the wife knows about.
HA! Opera singers . . . You prolly can't decide whether you want a b&w or colour rendering either.
Natural selection is responsible for every living thing that exists.
D3s, D500, D5300, and way more glass than the wife knows about.
There is a bracket that connects to the flash stand included. Its a little wonky, but I got mine adjusted well - you need to make sure the flash doesnt fall off.
The 16" is fine, but of course the larger one would be better. If you have confined space, the 16" is fine, expect to clone it out in some photos, becasue it works out better close in.
I dont really catagorize my photos by flash diffuser type, so I had to look for square catch lights!
Here is more of a snap, but you get the idea:
Z
I had some concerns initially as well. However they were quickly put to rest. I have had NO problems firing an SB-6/800 inside an Appllo with the built in commander on both my D300 and D80, as well as with the SB-800 commander in a typical studio environment. More than adequate for my needs...
http://www.arkreations.com
Nikon D700 | D300 | D80 | SB-800(x2) | SB-600(x2)
Nikkor Lenses: 14-24 f/2.8 | 24-70 f/2.8 | 50 f/1.8 | 85 f/1.4 | 70-200 f/2.8 VR II | 70-300 VR
My only reservation about the Cheetah is its depth - in my tight space, I could see that being tricky sometimes (hence why I still haven't decided which way to jump - I still have a few days before I need to order for an upcoming shoot).
It's really nice to have so many choices - I guess the high-profile presence of Strobist & Co has really spurred interest in light modifiers for speedlights, which is great for those of us who are kind of limited to them for portability and size needs. It's great!
\
Z
@Icebear - the Photek Softliter also requires that the flash is inside the diffuser (in fact, except in shape, it's rather a similar product to the Apollo by the look of it) - I've had zero problems using it with either the STE2 or 7d Canon flash commanders. I do ensure that I have the IR panel facing the camera (which means turning the flash head if I move the stand to the other side) but I've had very few misfires on that score.
Outside is another story, but even there it WILL work, just not as consistently and you really have to make sure the line of sight is clean. But then the limitations of IR flash triggering outside are pretty universal, which is why you have PWs, Radio Poppers and all the others!
FWIW (somewhat OT - threadnapping my own thread!) the only reason I haven't gone to radio triggers is that only one of my flashes has a manual mode (I use a 420ex as my 2nd flash) and I really do like using ETTL - for all its automatic-ness, it has served me very well and is one less thing to worry about. If I ever wind up with more than one flash that can run in manual-mode, I'll probably invest in some radio triggers, but until then it's ETTL all the way....
Well, from the feedback here on the Apollo, it looks like I may have reasoned myself into spending $40 more for the Lastolite for an imaginary issue. There is an additional factor though in that the Lastolite has two layers of diffusion, and the Apollo only one if I'm not mistaken. Perhaps thats a non-factor since the speedlight fires into the back of the Apollo, and forward in the Ezybox. Anyway, I really like my Ezybox.
As for the Softlighter, I tested the heck out of that one. The sock is not lightproof like the fabric sides of the Apollo, and the speedlight is not buried up inside the umbrella. I don't get too much use out of it. It's just huge. And with the lightstand in front, it's more awkward to manipulate, especially in a tightish venue.
Natural selection is responsible for every living thing that exists.
D3s, D500, D5300, and way more glass than the wife knows about.
Good points John, and my same feelings regarding that piece. That is why I went ahead and took a mounting clamp and fitted it to the top of the umbrella. When I did that I figured I'd break it off in a few minutes. But no. It held. I have used it that way with the top of it mounted onto a mono-pod and hand held so it could follow a moving target or be held skyward with ease. I do not use the softlighter as much anymore favoring my smaller and easier to set up SB's.....but hanging that softlighter from the 'top' end made it a whole new piece for me.
Picture! Picture!
Natural selection is responsible for every living thing that exists.
D3s, D500, D5300, and way more glass than the wife knows about.
In my lighting journey over the past few years, I've realized there are pretty much three main types of hot shoe soft boxes.
1. The Lastolite Ezybox Softbox and the various clones (including cheetah). It's basically a small double fused shoot-thru softbox with a bracket designed for hot shoe flashes. The real one and the clones work very well, but folks who shoot with the sb900 need to take extra care (with the clones and the lastolite). The older lastolites cold shoe is too small for the sb900. I don't know about the various clones, but the only the newest ezybox have the coldshoe that is big enough for the sb900.
2. The apollo (don't know if there are clones yet of this) is a reflected single diffused softbox made by Westcott. I find it's the easiest to open and close/setup.
3. If you have up to four flashes, you can add the Four Square to your shopping list. It's a big, beautiful single diffused softbox. If you have more lights, you can copy Dave Black and turn it into an eight square (without the softbox). It's a creates a beautiful light, but like most bigger softboxes, it take a while to set up and take apart.
I've used all three and actually own two of them. I started with the ezybox and purchased the apollo after a few chats with Syl Arena and a few other well known photogs; they picked the apollo over the ezybox due to the larger size and the better quality of light since it wraps reflects internally before being reflected out. The CLS system works very well with all three of these and the STE-2 works just as well as the STE-2 in a normal situation (always so-so in my book); CLS is going to win.
In the end, what matters is the volume of light, quality of light and how close it is to the subject. It's up to the photographer to craft the appropriate light for the situation no matter what tool is available.
Note: I can't show any specific examples of the ezboy or the apollo because as i went looking through my images, I can't tell which softbox I used.
In the end, you can't really go wrong with soft beautiful light.
If you asked me to pick based upon price point, easy of use, and quality of light, I would recommend the apollo since it's bigger and the light wraps more due to the reflective nature of the box.
If I am photographing people all by myself without a VAL, my modifier of choice, without any hesitation is an orbis.
Just sharpened; otherwise, SOC