New Speedlight Softbox

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Archive 2009 · New Speedlight Softbox

CGP4
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p.2 #1 · New Speedlight Softbox

Just to update this, here is Dave Black's take on it:

http://www.daveblackphotography.com/workshop/07-2009.html

Jul 13, 2009 at 07:28 PM

bobbyz
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p.2 #2 · New Speedlight Softbox

CGP4 wrote:
Just to update this, here is Dave Black's take on it:

http://www.daveblackphotography.com/workshop/07-2009.html

Reading on the link, it says:

"There is virtually no escape or loss of light out the back end"

I don't understand.

With inherent directional lights from speedlights, why would light spill form the back? Try same with bare bulb and see what happens.

Jul 13, 2009 at 07:59 PM

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p.2 #3 · New Speedlight Softbox

Honestly, except for faster recycle times ... or full on sun at high noon .... the need for multiple speed lights in a softbox isn't that high ... for location portraiture, I use a single SB800 in a photoflex small SB all the time ... I'll bungee a second SB800 once in a while if I need more light, but most often, one unit is all I need.

It is nice to know there are other options ....

Jul 13, 2009 at 08:12 PM

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p.2 #4 · New Speedlight Softbox

Bottom line: If you need this and can afford it, go for it. Just depends on your perspective.

I will say that Dave Black endorsing it is a bit misleading. He can shoot, so regardless of what multi flash modifier box you gave him, he would make it work.

Also remember he does work with a lot of strobes, like McNally. If I'm already invested in a half dozen plus speedlights, this wouldn't really be a bad idea. 2 stops more juice, high speed sync, a hand grip. It's a well thought out product, for a small niche of photographers. The fact that you may not be in that niche is neither good nor bad, it just is what it is.

I prefer having options, even if some of them are not worth it to me, simply because it breeds competition amongst vendors.

Max

Jul 13, 2009 at 08:58 PM

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p.2 #5 · New Speedlight Softbox

I agree that there's a place for this product.

David Bergman is another candidate. He's almost constatnly on the road/in the air, and usually traveling without assistants as he photographs rock bands for record labels etc. Small is big for him, and he uses tons of Nikon speedlites.

It goes without saying that the light quality will be nicer with an Elinchrom Quadra (my choice any day of the week), but if you've already got 10+ small flashes that you cover with gels like crazy, set ratios between, etc, this is a boon.

Jul 13, 2009 at 10:40 PM

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p.2 #6 · 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

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p.2 #7 · 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 #8 · 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 #9 · 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

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p.2 #10 · 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 #11 · 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 #12 · 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 #13 · 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 #14 · 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 #15 · 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

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p.2 #16 · 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 #17 · 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 #18 · 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

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p.2 #19 · 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 #20 · 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

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