Softbox or Octobox

SoulfulRecover

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Looking to get one or the other for location shooting. Specifically to start shooting HS seniors.

My beauty dish is ok but not a big enough light source for me.

Everyone keeps saying to go Octobox but why? Just because its the latest craze?

I shoot with a D600, 85mm with ND filter, Alienbee 800 or 1600 if any of that would influence the decision.
 
I dont see how an octobox is really any different than an umbrella with a diffuser panel...except that one is significantly easier to fold up and travel with.
 
Everyone keeps saying to go Octobox but why? Just because its the latest craze?

Probably. I've never heard the term so I can't really say. What I can say is the the larger you make your light source relative to the subject, the softer the light on the subject. What you are doing with all of these modifiers is enlarging the light source. The simple answer is that you should use the modifier that produces the light character you want for your image by producing the correct size of light source. You can also move the light source closer or further to adjust softness. Closer for softer and further for harder.
 
Thr key point is whether or not the octobox has a recessed print panel so that you can feather the light. If it doesn't, than yeah, no real difference. If it does, then it mainly comes down to the shape of the catch lights.
 
The key point is whether or not the octobox has a recessed print panel so that you can feather the light. If it doesn't, than yeah, no real difference. If it does, then it mainly comes down to the shape of the catch lights.

Id have to go with the Paul C Buff octo since Im using their strobes.

Paul C. Buff - Foldable Octaboxes
 
You could get an umbrella box, one that has "double diffusion", meaning the light hits the inside of the umbrella, and is diffused, and that reflected, scrambled light then passes through the front diffusing fabric. The diffusing fabric is closed either by three shirt zippers, or by a sleeve that has a cinch drawstring in it, and the majority of the light unit (SMALL, Alien Bee) goes mostly INSIDE the diffuser panel, and the sleeve is cinched closed, or the zippers are closed; with bigger light units (ancient monolights, for example), only the reflector goes inside the diffuse panel, and the sleeve cinches closes or the zippers zip closed, leaving the rear of the light OUTSIDE the diffusing fabric.

In this type of umbrella box--again,you get DOUBLE diffusing...the light hits the interior of the umbrella, and then you get soft, diffused light that goes thru the front panel.

The Lastolite Umbrella Box is a good example of this...it has eight ribs/eight sided catchlight; there are also 10-ribbed, almost round umbrella boxes (Like the ones Annie Liebovitz uses so,so often). Liebovitz uses the Photek Softlighter; it has been iterated to version II, and has more features now, like changeable inset fabrics in silver or gold.

These umbrella boxes do not cost a lot of money...Made in China ones in 43 inch size are $34.95 each....easy to pack, easy to carry, inexpensive,instant set-up, no speed ring needed, work on standard umbrella shaft mounts. The Lastolite Umbrella Box costs more than the non-name Made in China ones; the Photek Soflighter II is more costly; many octaboxes cost "more", per size. Lastolite uses a soft, dull-finished interior that gives a slightly softer light quality (a little bit less specular light) than the cheaper, Made in China types I also own.

The light quality of the Lastolite Umbrella Box is very good; it has a SOFT, DULL white interior, not silvered, not satiny silvery-white, but a DULL, FLAT, matte white vinyl, so the light is very,very soft and low in specularity.

The ONE BIG advantage with these: you can EASILY install an 11-inch reflector inside the umbrella, and get a neat doughnut-with-hole black-dot catchlight at close range...the standard 5" or 7" reflector will not tend to leave this black dot in the center of the catchlight, but the "big" reflectors will tend toward the black-dot-inside-the-white catchlight.
 
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Ive seen these used in videos before and was kind of curious about them but never looked into it
 
SoulfulRecove said:
Ive seen these used in videos before and was kind of curious about them but never looked into it

If you have seen a few Annie Leibovitz shots (many of which are five and even six-figure campaign shots), you have seen the way people lighted with a 10-sided Photek Softlighter look. Her most recent video that I saw was Annie lighting and shooting Keith Richards, in a hotel room, lighted with a Softlighter on a short,light-duty boom arm.



One of the bigger issues is portability, speed of set-up, and what type of light stand is necessary. There's a big difference between being able to pop open an umbrella, slide a light unit on an umbrella shaft, and then slap the pairing up in 15 seconds on a simple, lightweight light stand, or a flimsy boom arm, as opposed to needing a mounting ring (aka speed ring), a 22-pound C-Stand, a boom arm, and then a 15-pound counterweight for some $389 "octa" light.

But again...consider the exact, specific light unit: does it require a speed ring? A special attaching mechanism? WHICH way does the light "face"? Are you first reflecting and then diffusing? or is the light merely being blasted straight forward, and simply "diffused" by the front face nylon?

Do you really want an 8-sided catchlight at quadruple the price? Or would you prefer an almost-rounded umbrella with 10 ribs, or even a bigger, 16-rib umbrella

Do you want a studio light? Or an on-location light?

Oh....and YES....the octobox **is, indeed** the latest craze.
 
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Gonna be hard to beat that price.

Im going to see if I can get my hands on these and test them out. ive always liked soft boxes, a buddy shoots with an octo and ive always been impressed with his results, ill ask around if anyone has the soft lighter.
 

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