Need advice on Softboxes with continuous light.

[Ick]

I've been mostly landscape, but now starting to do portraits / Senior Pics.

I have two Nikon Speedlight 900's with umbrellas, but the results are seen in the photo after the flash, and the flash is scattered all over with an umbrella.

So, I'm thinking about a couple of softboxes with continuous lighting? I've been looking for what seems like hours at all of the options, and I'm confused.

I'm looking for advice on what to purchase, budget is not all that much, maybe 500 to 600 for the both of them, less would be awesome. I would also like to take these on site for food shots, etc.

Ideas?

 

[Scatterbrained]

Why not get a softbox for your speedlights? Umbrellas do scatter light, that's not an issue of the speedlight, it's an issue of the umbrella, primarily shoot through umbrellas. You can look at softboxes like the Westcott Apollo series that open like an umbrella and are designed specifically for speedlights.

 

[Tee]

You can get some decent soft boxes for speed lights as mentioned above.


Or... consider using your budget to invest in monolights vice continuous lights. Continuous lights are fine for stationary objects. Not to mention, it can get hot sitting in front of continuous lighting.

Here's an example of somewhere to start:Interfit INT457 Stellar XD Twin Softbox Kit Lightstands INT457

and

JTL DL-720 Verslight Light Kit, with Two 360 watt Second Monolights, 2 Stands, 2 24x24" Soft Box with Ring, & Case with Wheels, Free!! DVD- Guide to Studio Flash Photography, & Radio Trigger and Receiver Slave Set

 

[KmH]

Another issue with using continuous lights is that they have to be quite a bit more powerful to deliver the same amount of light as a strobe.
More power means constant lights get hot =really hot.
Softboxes used with constant lights have to be designed so the heat from the constant light won;t set them on fire.

A strobe delivers all of it's light in a fraction of a second long flash of light. Speedlights at full power have a flash duration of about 1/1000.
The SB-900 is rated at approx. 1/880 - see page F-15 of your SB-900 users manual.

There is a light modifier that is part umbrella and part softbox that is commonly known as a brolly or brolly box.
Photek makes a really nice one - Photek 36 inch Softlighter, Diffusing Umbrella with Black Cover
And there are cheaper ones - PBL Photo Studio 42" Reflective Umbrella Softboxes Photo Lighting Umbrella Set of 2 Steve Kaeser Photographic Lighting.

Studio strobes with modeling lights are a lot less expensive than the SB-900 is. The modeling light lets you see where shadows will fall as you set up the lights for the shot.

Here is a studio strobe more powerful than the SB-900 for $50 - NEEWER® 180 Watt Professional Photography Studio Strobe/Flash

A higher quality studio strobe ($100) - Flashpoint 320M 150 Watt AC/DC Monolight Strobe FPML320M

A top-of-the-line 250 ws studio strobe ($1100) - http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/605737-REG/Profoto_901022_D1_Air_250_w_s.html

 

[Ick]

Thank you for your replies and wisdom, I'll have to check out the links

 

[Derrel]

I bought a JTL 300 Versalite monolight about a decade ago; it was FAR too powerful for single-person portraiture at full power, and even half power; I ended up using it dialed quite far down (my camera at that time was a Nikon D1 or D1h, with a lowest ISO value of 200).

I think a pair of 150 Watt-second monolights would be enough, and would likely cost less as well. I recommend a lot of the stuff as seen above in post #4 for the beginning shooter who wants some stuff that will be adequate, and NOT break the bank. The Stgeve Kaeser umbrellas I actually bought a pair of several years ago...they work pretty well!

I would not recommend continuous lights for senior portraits.

 

[Ick]

I checked out all of the above links, and it got me thinking (scary, I know). I would have to go to each light and set them manually for the light output desired.

So, and yes this is way over budget, but I'm considering the following:

Alien Bees SB800
Paul C Buff 24X36 Softbox (has speedring connector built in)
Pocket Wizard AC9 (I already have the TT1 Mini and 2 TT5's with an AC3 for manual control)
I already have light stands that would work

Here is a link to the AC9 video, pretty cool stuff: Pocketwizard® - Wireless transmitters and receivers

Thoughts? Is this the right way to go?

 

[Tee]

The Paul C Buff has the Cyber Commander triggers which allow you to control settings from your camera.

 

[pixmedic]

I've been mostly landscape, but now starting to do portraits / Senior Pics.

I have two Nikon Speedlight 900's with umbrellas, but the results are seen in the photo after the flash, and the flash is scattered all over with an umbrella.

then you are not using the flashes and umbrellas properly.
there's really no reason at all why you cant get good results with what you have now.
the SB900's are phenomenal flashes.
its a matter of adjusting flash output with the size of your umbrellas to control spillover.
room size and wall color also matter if you are shooting indoors.
this portrait used two flashes with 33" shoot through umbrellas. (very small for shoot through umbrellas)

P2150029 by pixmedic, on Flickr

you might also want to consider going the route we did with 40" softbox umbrellas and 43" brolly boxes. (or a little bigger/smaller)

 

[Derrel]

RE , "I would have to go to each light and set them manually for the light output desired."

OMG...THAT might actually burn 4 to 6 calories worth of energy...

Studio flash is about making adjustments. Many of which can be done BEFORE the light is even placed on the light stand. But yeah....you might actually have to lay a hand on a slider and scooch it over to the left or the right...

 

[pixmedic]

RE , "I would have to go to each light and set them manually for the light output desired."

OMG...THAT might actually burn 4 to 6 calories worth of energy...

Studio flash is about making adjustments. Many of which can be done BEFORE the light is even placed on the light stand. But yeah....you might actually have to lay a hand on a slider and scooch it over to the left or the right...

I never use TTL for portraits.
you have all the time in the world to make minor adjustments when you are shooting portraits.
a test shot or two is all it generally takes me to get everything dialed in pretty much where i want it.

OP-you have good lighting equipment, you just need to learn how to use it properly.

 

[Ick]

@Derrel, that's some funny stuff. Made me laugh.

 

[Derrel]

I've been mostly landscape, but now starting to do portraits / Senior Pics.

I have two Nikon Speedlight 900's with umbrellas, but the results are seen in the photo after the flash, and the flash is scattered all over with an umbrella.

So, I'm thinking about a couple of softboxes with continuous lighting? I've been looking for what seems like hours at all of the options, and I'm confused.

I'm looking for advice on what to purchase, budget is not all that much, maybe 500 to 600 for the both of them, less would be awesome. I would also like to take these on site for food shots, etc.

Ideas?

Studio flash gear **is** sold in a confusing manner. Flashpoint 320M monolights, sold through Adorama, put out a little bit more light than Alien Bee 400's, and about the SAME as Alien Been 800 lights. Flashpoint 320M's retail for $99.95; Alien Bee 400's are $249 and AB 800's are like $279.

HERE is a good deal for the beginner on a budget: Flashpoint II FP320SB2 Monolight Kit, 150 Watt Second FP320SB2

150 Watt-second Flashpoint 320M monolight, a 9.5 foot stand, and a 24x36 inch softbox. All three items, for $159.95 with FREE SHIPPING. Add a third unit, and you are still right around that $500 mark. With three identical lights, ratioing is easy. Buying this as a "kit" saves you $42.85 per kit!

Best VALUE in extra light stands are probably the one sold through Midwest Photo Exchange: LumoPro LP608, a 10 foot, air-cushioned stand, with 5 year warranty, for $45 each.