New Speedlight Softbox

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Archive 2009 · New Speedlight Softbox

Cableaddict
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p.2 #1 · New Speedlight Softbox

c.d.embrey wrote:
Here's the URL for the Pocket Wizard TT1 and TT5 Manual http://www.pocketwizard.com/products/images/TT5-C.pdf

Seems like if you want E-TTL you need 4 PWs, if in manual mode splitters would work. Take a look at the manual ... I may be wrong.

One PW TT1, four PW TT5s, four 580EX IIs and one FourSquare. E-TTL Strobist shooting made easy ... how bitchin' is that ?

Plus, you have to use THEIR softboxes.

-And now what will you use for background & hair lights?

Seems absurd to me.

Jul 14, 2009 at 10:29 AM

wilrobking
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p.2 #2 · New Speedlight Softbox

You don't need multiple Pocket Wizards to trigger multiple flashes. Go to the bottom of my blog and see what I've done. Works like a charm.

My Blog

Jul 14, 2009 at 01:18 PM

weddingypp
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p.2 #3 · New Speedlight Softbox

To make such modifier-to put 3 -4 flashes together isn't such a big deal (DIY).The "problem" is the softbox you put it in...But if you build such a modifier you could use it with a big umbrella (not as big as the Jumbrella you linked here)

Regarding the cost/efficiency - this gadget doesn't turns to someone who is going to buy new studio gear,I'm quite sure almost each member here already has about 1-3 flashes (doesn't matters the brand)...

Jul 14, 2009 at 01:44 PM

butchM
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p.2 #4 · New Speedlight Softbox

wilrobking wrote:
You don't need multiple Pocket Wizards to trigger multiple flashes. Go to the bottom of my blog and see what I've done. Works like a charm.

My Blog

Yes ... fine for manual settings .... but the earlier posts were discussing eTTL ...

Jul 14, 2009 at 01:55 PM

wilrobking
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p.2 #5 · New Speedlight Softbox

butchM wrote:
wilrobking wrote:
You don't need multiple Pocket Wizards to trigger multiple flashes. Go to the bottom of my blog and see what I've done. Works like a charm.

My Blog

Yes ... fine for manual settings .... but the earlier posts were discussing eTTL ...

The Flex TT5 has a 3.5mm port too. Do you have to mount the flash on TT5's hotshoe to get eTTL?

Jul 14, 2009 at 02:19 PM

K_Strecker
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p.2 #6 · New Speedlight Softbox

wilrobking wrote:
butchM wrote:
wilrobking wrote:
You don't need multiple Pocket Wizards to trigger multiple flashes. Go to the bottom of my blog and see what I've done. Works like a charm.

My Blog

Yes ... fine for manual settings .... but the earlier posts were discussing eTTL ...

The Flex TT5 has a 3.5mm port too. Do you have to mount the flash on TT5's hotshoe to get eTTL?

yes

Jul 14, 2009 at 02:32 PM

butchM
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p.2 #7 · New Speedlight Softbox

I would think so, as the camera and flash units would have to communicate more than just sync signal.

Jul 14, 2009 at 02:33 PM

vicina.info
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p.2 #8 · New Speedlight Softbox

I will wait and see whether they will come out different(larger) sizes and configurations such as silver interior instead of white interior or not. I don't expect they will make different shapes, however, due to the design. It is square only as its name indicates.

Jul 15, 2009 at 04:48 PM

wilrobking
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p.2 #9 · New Speedlight Softbox

You can't get one now anyways. Looks like they're out of stock for now.

Jul 15, 2009 at 05:11 PM

Garry Burton
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p.2 #10 · New Speedlight Softbox

wilrobking wrote:
You don't need multiple Pocket Wizards to trigger multiple flashes. Go to the bottom of my blog and see what I've done. Works like a charm.

My Blog

Thanks for the tip

Cheers Gaz

Jul 17, 2009 at 04:07 AM

sboerup
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p.2 #11 · New Speedlight Softbox

The biggest thing I see about this is convenience in adjusting the power. Seems very tedious every time you want to adjust one thing, not including all the math in your head to calculate how many stops you lose by going from 1/1 to 1/2 on just one light.

Then factor in the cost of all 4 lights, the triggering devices, and now the weight and balance of 4 lights inside one box. Just doesn't seem logical to me. 2 is manageable, but 4?

I'll stick with single pack/head systems that are 2x as much, weight about the same too.

Jul 17, 2009 at 06:26 AM

Pat Flanakin
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p.2 #12 · New Speedlight Softbox

If you have to travel ultralight, then I can see this being useful, but I would rather have 4 small strobe softboxes, 4 lightstands and the rest since if you just have this setup, so much for rim, hair and other lighting without a bunch of reflectors and some gin.

Jul 17, 2009 at 05:53 PM

vicina.info
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p.2 #13 · New Speedlight Softbox

wilrobking wrote:
You can't get one now anyways. Looks like they're out of stock for now.

Great!

Can anyone who have purchased it tell me how even light from edge to edge you can get from it? Can you configure all your flashes to get a light intensity difference in various spots less than 0.2 stop?

Jul 18, 2009 at 04:45 PM

BrianO
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p.2 #14 · New Speedlight Softbox

An off-camera (though not totally wireless) e-TTL solution would be to set three of the flashes to Slave and one to Master, and connect the Master to the camera with one of these:

This image is copyrighted by the owner

http://www.flashzebra.com/products/0125/index.shtml

You could then also control other flashes, outside the box, via the Canon wireless technology, or put a Radio Popper transmitter on the Master and RP receivers on the distant flashes.

Cableaddict wrote: Plus, you have to use THEIR softboxes.

It seems that with two umbrella holes, two threaded mounts of different sizes, plus the softbox pole holes, and the "coming soon" adapters, that it would be pretty simple to figure a way to mount the FourSquare bracket inside many other brands' modifiers.

I'm not saying that this thing is a replacement for studio strobes, but for those who are into this sort of thing -- SuperStrobists? -- there are lots of possibilites.

Jul 21, 2009 at 04:19 AM

CGP4
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p.2 #15 · New Speedlight Softbox

New FourSquare review on SportsShooter:

http://www.sportsshooter.com/news/2256

I think his conclusion is spot on: this product is not meant to be an either/or choice versus studio strobes, but that Speedlites are something every photographer should have at least two of, and a product like this basically takes gear we already have and increases its usefulness and value.

Jul 28, 2009 at 02:00 PM

wilrobking
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p.2 #16 · New Speedlight Softbox

I wish I could get my hands on one. They're all out of stock.

Jul 28, 2009 at 03:18 PM

gardenvalley
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p.2 #17 · New Speedlight Softbox

It may be worth pointing out that in multiple flash set-ups like that, then the flash power is not additive. In other words using 4 flashes of GN 30, say, is not the same as using 1 with a GN 120. It may only equate to GN 90 or so. There is a formula but I don`t know it exactly. Things are not always what they seem.

Jul 28, 2009 at 05:18 PM

wilrobking
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p.2 #18 · New Speedlight Softbox

I believe using 4 identical flashes will increase your light up to two stops compared to using just one.

Jul 28, 2009 at 05:38 PM

Scott Clark
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p.2 #19 · New Speedlight Softbox

wilrobking wrote:
I believe using 4 identical flashes will increase your light up to two stops compared to using just one.

Yep...you double your light output for every stop. 2 flashes is one stop, 4 flashes is two, 8 flashes would be three.

Jul 28, 2009 at 05:56 PM

gardenvalley
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p.2 #20 · New Speedlight Softbox

I`m not sure about this. Yes, one stop is twice the light, two stops is four times the light, but i don`t think it works that way. It`s kinda like the inverse square law but in reverse, if that makes sense, you need four times the power to get twice the light. Not that it matters. Anyone out there got a PhD?

Jul 28, 2009 at 08:26 PM

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p.2 #21 · New Speedlight Softbox

No PhD needed.

2x gives you 1 extra stop. 4x gives you 2 extra stops.

If all the lights are pointing in different directions, this extra power won't automaticaly translate into extra stops at the SB face, but it could/should make the front face coverage more even.

Jul 29, 2009 at 11:57 AM

vicina.info
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p.2 #22 · New Speedlight Softbox

shoebox9 wrote:
2x gives you 1 extra stop. 4x gives you 2 extra stops.

For more information in this regard, please read "Light - Science & Magic, 3rd Edition".

Jul 30, 2009 at 12:44 AM

BrianO
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p.2 #23 · New Speedlight Softbox

gardenvalley wrote: It may be worth pointing out that in multiple flash set-ups like that, then the flash power is not additive. In other words using 4 flashes of GN 30, say, is not the same as using 1 with a GN 120. ...There is a formula but I don`t know it exactly.

2012 © BrianO

Jul 30, 2009 at 03:15 AM

gardenvalley
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p.2 #24 · New Speedlight Softbox

Thanks BrianO, this has been bugging me. Using this formula means that using 4 flashes with GN30 is equivalent to using 1 flash of GN60 which is an increase of only 1 stop! Oops! That means, if my calculations are correct, that wedding and event photographers using light-sticks and the like with 2 speedlights are only getting an increase of 1/3 stop, although gaining a potential greater spread of light. Best not tell them !

Jul 30, 2009 at 09:15 AM

Scott Clark
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p.2 #25 · New Speedlight Softbox

gardenvalley wrote:
Thanks BrianO, this has been bugging me. Using this formula means that using 4 flashes with GN30 is equivalent to using 1 flash of GN60 which is an increase of only 1 stop! Oops! That means, if my calculations are correct, that wedding and event photographers using light-sticks and the like with 2 speedlights are only getting an increase of 1/3 stop, although gaining a potential greater spread of light. Best not tell them !

You must have something wrong...flash power simply put gives you one f-stop every time you double the power. You can prove it for yourself--set your flash to 1/4 power and find an aperture that gives you the proper exposure. Now set it 1/2 power. You'll be overexposed by exactly 1 stop. Close your aperture one stop and you're at the correct exposure again. You can do this all day long across the power range. If you have one flash at full power that gives you f8, and double the light on the subject with another equal flash at full power, you've just doubled your power and would get f11...
This might be of interest:
http://photography-on-the.net/forum/archive/index.php/t-271010.html

Jul 30, 2009 at 11:52 AM


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