Thinking of adding one softbox to use with one of my Canon 580EX's. Currently using some umbrellas.
I noticed Chuck Gardner mentioned a 24x32 inch is a good size to get started with, it will be for home use mostly. So for Chuck or anyone else:
I have not been to the stores to look at them yet but I wanted to have a good idea first. Are these two items right along the lines I should be looking for? First one has a white interior, the second comes with gold/silver inserts and a circle mask.
Can someone point me to a picture of the required gear to mount the Speedlight and softbox? I already have some good sturdy stands, but only have the common umbrella mounting brackets.
Hey, that looks interesting. Thanks. I didn't know for sure if the products I linked to could actually be used with speedlights like the 580. I just figured they could if you get the correct mounting hardware.
I have the Cybersync radio triggers for all my flashes and the umbrella brackets. So it looks like I wouldn't need anything else with the Apollo softbox.
For the record I recommend 24 x 32 (med) softboxes as a starting baseline for learning to control lighting with studio flash, not hot shoe.
There is a point of diminishing returns with hot shoe flash. Sticking one in a 24 x 32 SB isn't the same as using a studio flash in one because a studio flash has a bigger fully exposed flash tube which bounces light off the inside of the SB. The smaller concealed flash tube and 2" x 3" window just can't produce the same results.
Any job is easier when the tools employed are ideally suited to the task. I see the hot shoe flash as more of a location tool. When you start attaching large modifers on one you might as well just use a studio flash. If you want a SB that big I'd suggest biting the bullet and getting a studio flash like an AB800 to go along with it rather than trying to turn your 580ex into a studio flash. That's why I eventually bought a set of studio lights.
The smaller SB designs are more practical for hot shoe flash but there's a point of diminishing returns with SBs too. The smaller they are the less effective they become, especially when driven by a hot shoe flash which blasts all the light forward through the diffusion panels.
What motivated me to develop my diffuser solution was the fact I found umbrellas to have too little control and knew that small SBs on a hot shoe really are not very effective: certainly better than direct flash, but not worth the hassle of hauling one around. By pointing the hot shoe flash straight-up and bouncing it into a bowl shaped diffuser 100% of the light output changes direction, more similar to the way a bare bulb radiates off the inside of a SB. I tried it and liked it. I also tried adding a front diffusion panel but found it cut light in half but didn't diffuse it much more because the source was aimed up not forward. It gave me the directional control I was looking for in a feather-lite, flat folding format which didn't get in the way of the flash sensors (which is one of the reasons I have no problems using the Canon system).
Here's a couple shots of friends of kids who dropped by for a visit. I had the camera on the bracket with the diffuser and shot the boy before deciding to shoot the rest with the Bees.
Certainly the 24" x 32" softbox produces softer looking light, but considering the size and convenience of the 9 x 12 foam diffusers I think they do a pretty good job too. So if you are looking for more control over your lights than the umbrellas provide and don't yet want to invest in the money sucking black hole of studio lighting you might want to give them a try.
I see. Thanks for the clarification, Chuck. I'll have to give the foam diffusers a try.
I noticed the Lastolite Ezybox Pierre linked to in the other thread looked somewhat interesting for Speedlight usage as well. The demo video shows it's pretty quick to set up.
Been looking at this, can't see that a softbox is worth it, the light is going all forwards as mentioned above. I have a couple of Lastolite umbrella boxes, the light is shot into the brolly but the diffuser stops the light going everywhere like a typical umbrella. I'm assuming that my 45 inchers are too big for a speedlight's level of power and the inside of the brolly is white which doesn't help. I'm going to buy a 28" umbrella brolly with a silver inside for speedlight outdoors use, the flash should have enough power for closer distances the moment I work out a radio ETTL system that I can use! Outdoors and with the flash inside the diffused material, relying on an optical slave system is not worth thinking about. Have a look on ebay, they are extremely cheap so no big deal if it doesn't work out for you.
It comes with the speed ring/adapter for use with hot shoe flash and will accept most speed rings for studio flash. It is a little different from the Q39 line as it doesn't have an internal diffuser, so I added my own.
Agree with ButchM. I have the same thing except extra-small SB. Wish I bought the small one like he linked. You can even use medium one but then you need to somehow mount your hot shoe flash to it.
