Softbox suggestions for speedlights

[DaveAndHolly219]

Amazon.com : Godox 32"/ 80cm Umbrella Octagon Softbox Reflector with Carrying Bag for Studio Photo Flash Speedlight : Camera & Photo

I've had super good luck with that octabox. $23. Then again, I've never worked with anything else besides my reflecting umbrella. A couple of examples...

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Looks like the downside is I'd need an assistant in order to angle the light using this product. Still looks like a good deal though.


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[JonA_CT]

Amazon.com : Godox 32"/ 80cm Umbrella Octagon Softbox Reflector with Carrying Bag for Studio Photo Flash Speedlight : Camera & Photo

I've had super good luck with that octabox. $23. Then again, I've never worked with anything else besides my reflecting umbrella. A couple of examples...

View attachment 138565

View attachment 138566

Looks like the downside is I'd need an assistant in order to angle the light using this product. Still looks like a good deal though.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Nah. It attaches to an umbrella mount. I can't get quite as steep as my reflecting umbrella, but both of those pics are angled down on my stand.

 

[Derrel]

With these Godox boxes, you have to reach up inside the box to adjust the angle of the front face, right? And there is a somewhat restricted angle of light movement that might be an issue in some types of photography, like say table-top product work, right?

 

[JonA_CT]

With these Godox boxes, you have to reach up inside the box to adjust the angle of the front face, right? And there is a somewhat restricted angle of light movement that might be an issue in some types of photography, like say table-top product work, right?

Correct...about 45 degrees is it.

 

[JonA_CT]

Although, I did take these with the Godox. Flat lay work is probably out though.

What's in a title?

 

[bluewanders]

Amazon.com : Godox 32"/ 80cm Umbrella Octagon Softbox Reflector with Carrying Bag for Studio Photo Flash Speedlight : Camera & Photo

I've had super good luck with that octabox. $23. Then again, I've never worked with anything else besides my reflecting umbrella. A couple of examples...

View attachment 138565

View attachment 138566

I used one of these for a while. It was one of my first attempts at a "soft box" and it taught me a lot about what I wanted in a light modifier.

The lack of a recessed face showed me that trying to feather my light was a lot harder. It also made it really hard to find a grid and get it attached (as in I had to make a grid out of gaffer tape, I worked on a shoestring budget for a long time)

Because the flash mounted and aimed very far off center I found the light output wasn't very even it was consistently hotter at the bottom than the top. And mine had a noticeable cool spot in the center where I assumed the flash and mount were blocking some of the light.

Because it went on an umbrella mount inside the soft box I always felt limited in how I could position and angle the light source. Most egregious was the inability to tilt very far in a downward angle... And to get it to the lowest angle I could I had to adjust the umbrella really close to the mount which made the cool spot much more noticeable.

Because the flash was inside the umbrella I couldn't reliably slave it optically which meant buying a radio trigger (not a purchase I regret)... And adjusting any settings on the flash was a complete pain in the pants and very disruptive to my flow. I ended up buying flashed with built in radios and a commander... But before that leap in quality of life I had come to truly dislike that modifier... Any adjustment to my flash settings inevitably caused me to take time to readjust the position of the box again and more test frames to get the shadows back where I wanted them while avoiding the cool spot.






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[Derrel]

As far as umbrella softbox type modifiers, here are some URLS and a comment or two:

Umbrellas For Speedlights
Steve Kaeser Enterprises: Umbrellas etc at
ACCESSORIES - Softboxes, Umbrellas and Reflectors - Steve Kaeser Photographic Lighting
A PAIR of 42-inchers sells for $29.95, Softbox Umbrella Reflective 42inch

I own a pair of these—pretty decent, especially for the cost. PROS: light unit is at the front face of the umbrella, so triggers work, and the light can be swung up and down at steep angles if needed, even up to 90 degrees on a boom arm, so it can be placed over a table, or over a person, and the light ”rained down” directly as a hair light, etc. The monolight can be either inserted INTO the entire unit, OR can be allowed to stay outside! These will work with a monolight reflector as large as the Speedotron M90’s 8.5 inch diameter bowl reflector, and with ALL 7-inch monolight reflectors, and with all speedlight flashes mounted to an umbrella swivel mount. The drawstring closure system is fast and easy: I prefer it to the 3-zipper system the Lastolite Umbrella Box uses.

B&H Photos list of 19 models of “Softbox umbrella” products Lighting Umbrellas | B&H Photo Video

The Photek Softlighter II is a more-rounded, 10-ribbed unit, for a more-rounded catchlight.

****AS mentioned above--this type of modifier typically does NOT offer either a grid accessory, nor a recessed front face; for those options, a rectangular or square softbox-shaped modifier is the most logical choice. Sometimes a grid accessory is super-helpful! At other times, not so much! The recessed face of a square or rectangle box keeps side-spill to a minimum, and that can be handy to have that controlled without needing to "flag-off" side-spilling light rays with a card and another light stand.

 

[DaveAndHolly219]

Ended up going with this kit. Shows as on backorder but a quick chat session with their sales department got me one. (They just got a shipment in and I snagged one).

Glow S-Type Bracket

 

[Designer]

.. a quick chat session with their sales department got me one.

It's not really a secret, but surprisingly few people will take the trouble to give them a call. I have received excellent customer service from Adorama.

 

[table1349]

Late to the party, but here are a couple of ideas. Complete kits with a nice size box:
Impact Parabox Softbox Speedlight Solution Kit for Nikon Cameras
Impact Parabox Softbox Speedlight Solution Kit for Canon Cameras

Again, it is a reach in type.

Or this if you want an octibox box kit. Impact Dual Speedlight Modifier Kit B&H Photo Video

 

[DaveAndHolly219]

.. a quick chat session with their sales department got me one.

It's not really a secret, but surprisingly few people will take the trouble to give them a call. I have received excellent customer service from Adorama.

Turns out the speed ring mount IS on backorder, so the hunt continues.

 

[ronlane]

@DaveAndHolly219, search for that same speed ring mount on Amazon, under the Godox brand. (It's made in the same factory) I purchased a bowens mount s type from there for my Glow parapop octabox.

 

[DaveAndHolly219]

@DaveAndHolly219, search for that same speed ring mount on Amazon, under the Godox brand. (It's made in the same factory) I purchased a bowens mount s type from there for my Glow parapop octabox.

So just to clarify, order this softbox: Glow Softbox for Bracket

And use it with this mount: Amazon.com: Godox S Type Bracket Stable Bowens S Mount Holder for Speedlite Flash Snoot Softbox Photo Studio Plastic Umbrella Mount Bracket: Electronics

Alternatively, isn't this product suggested by an earlier poster essentially the same thing with extra goodies (grid etc)?: Amazon.com : Godox S-Type Bracket Bowens Holder+ 80x80cm Softbox + Grid + Bag Kit for Camera Flash : Camera & Photo

 

[adamhiram]

@DaveAndHolly219, search for that same speed ring mount on Amazon, under the Godox brand. (It's made in the same factory) I purchased a bowens mount s type from there for my Glow parapop octabox.

If you look at the reviews from some of the Glow softboxes, several people also recommended sticking with the Bowens mount and adding the Godox S-type adapter for easier mounting anyway.

@ronlane: I'm curious what size Octabox you went with, and do you use it with a speedlight or studio strobes? I've been eying the 38" ParaPop, but worried it might be too big to light with a single speedlight.

 

[ronlane]

@DaveAndHolly219, search for that same speed ring mount on Amazon, under the Godox brand. (It's made in the same factory) I purchased a bowens mount s type from there for my Glow parapop octabox.

If you look at the reviews from some of the Glow softboxes, several people also recommended sticking with the Bowens mount and adding the Godox S-type adapter for easier mounting anyway.

I really liked the way that the S-type adapter looked and worked, so I ordered my octabox with the bowens mount and bought the godox adapter separately. I really like the bowens type moutning, it seems secure and is easy to put together and take it down.