Hmm, that looks potentially useful but... I don't see any pics with a softbox mounted. It would seem to me that the bottom of the softbox would be awfully close to the swivel.
Enough that the mounting rod would protrude into the softbox if you wanted the flash poking into the speedring enough to use the dome to maximize the "bare bulb" effect.
Mr Kris wrote:
Hmm, that looks potentially useful but... I don't see any pics with a softbox mounted. It would seem to me that the bottom of the softbox would be awfully close to the swivel.
Enough that the mounting rod would protrude into the softbox if you wanted the flash poking into the speedring enough to use the dome to maximize the "bare bulb" effect.
Anyone ever try one out?
The idea is to use a rod in the umbrella hole and fix your speedlight onto it, you don't have to use it in the EXACT demo mode, you could easily have a shorter rod, or just affix the flash differently to the rod... it'd be ridiculously easy.
I use Interfit's Strobies bracket. It is a beefed up bracket similar to the Cheatah Speed Pro except the bracl is u shaped to the speed ring instead of a flat piece of metal and the built in light stand adapter has an umbrella hole and screw this is more like a mono lights adapter. The u bracket makes it hard to access the controls if you do not prepare ahead of time. Ive two of them they come with a 7" silver reflector just like mono or pack lights. I also have a 16" beauty dish and a pair of speed rings for soft boxes.
Csae wrote:
The idea is to use a rod in the umbrella hole and fix your speedlight onto it, you don't have to use it in the EXACT demo mode, you could easily have a shorter rod, or just affix the flash differently to the rod...
It's not just an idea, it's a product -- a $29.95 product; so the idea that you would toss out the rod that comes with it and use a shorter rod, or unscrew it from the included rod and reattach it differently seems rather an odd idea to me.
Checking the link I see he's only selling the bar and cold shoe to hold the flash. To use it you must have the umbrella clamp and a speed ring that has a threaded hole for a 5/8" light stand stud. One potential problem is that all speedrings don't have threaded attachment points. Alien Bee speed rings for example don't.
I've never gone the speedlight driving softbox route for several reasons: 1) I own studio lights I use as needed to illuminate my studio modifers; 2) I created DIY reflection diffusers to work like small softboxes, redirecting and diffusing 100% of the flash output, and 3) when I do want more diffusion bouncing or using an umbrella on my key light umbrellas is more convenient logistically both in terms of the amount of gear I need to carry, time to set it up and tear down, and mobility while shooting.
Studio softboxes are designed assuming the source is a bare bulb flash which radiates in all redirections to bounce light around inside the box. Speedlights will just blast it through the front diffusion panel. I've experimented with a lot to DIY solutions and the closest I've gotten to duplicating the net effect of a studio flash driven SB using speedlights is by constructing a box out of foam core and bouncing the flash backwards into it like an umbrella with the size and angle of the walls of the box controlling the resulting footprint.
BrianO wrote:
It's not just an idea, it's a product -- a $29.95 product; so the idea that you would toss out the rod that comes with it and use a shorter rod, or unscrew it from the included rod and reattach it differently seems rather an odd idea to me.
As a product, it fails. Theres alot of ways it should be improved before putting a 30$ price-tag on it.
As an idea its pretty good, i really thought it was just a DIY type thing.
Considering this gizmo is to provide an 'occasional' attachment of an otherwise 'unsuitable' lightsource to a softbox, and the fact that it consists of two pieces of metal of convenient light weight and small dimension - it makes a mockery of the over engineered contraptions already being used for the same purpose, at considerably higher costs - and yet achieving no better results.
Whilst using the same swivel adapter many already use, along with the same speedrings (and to be honest, if your speedring doesn't have a a 1/4" and 3/8" connection - you really should be wondering how versatile your speedring really is('nt) ) - it's a very simple solution.
I'd wonder about the rotation of the flash head on the mount - but that wouldn't be difficult to fix.
p.1 #10 · Softbox mount for speedlights/speedlites
ukphotographer wrote:
Considering this gizmo is to provide an 'occasional' attachment of an otherwise 'unsuitable' lightsource to a softbox, and the fact that it consists of two pieces of metal of convenient light weight and small dimension - it makes a mockery of the over engineered contraptions already being used for the same purpose, at considerably higher costs - and yet achieving no better results.
That's true, and I suppose for those who haven't spent as much time as we have in the game -- professionally or non-professionally -- and who might not have a drawer full of small parts, it is a convenient piece of ready-to-use hardware; it just seems over-priced to me. But I guess there's other ways of judging value.
I also agree about most flash guns not really being suitable for use with a conventional softbox. With the exception of bare-bulb-capable models like Quantums, Normans, et al; flash guns are better suited for use with retro-reflector designs like the Westcott Apollo or similar.
p.1 #11 · Softbox mount for speedlights/speedlites
ukphotographer wrote:
...(and to be honest, if your speedring doesn't have a a 1/4" and 3/8" connection - you really should be wondering how versatile your speedring really is('nt) ) - it's a very simple solution.
Thank you for the editorial on equipment choices.
My AB speedrings work just fine on my AB studio lights, the task mine they were designed for, mounting on AB studio monolights.
If I wanted to use speedlights with softboxes I'd buy a purpose build complete solution like that sold by Photoflex I posted.
p.1 #12 · Softbox mount for speedlights/speedlites
cgardner wrote:
Thank you for the editorial on equipment choices.
My AB speedrings work just fine on my AB studio lights, the task mine they were designed for, mounting on AB studio monolights.
If I wanted to use speedlights with softboxes I'd buy a purpose build complete solution like that sold by Photoflex I posted.
But I don't.
No trouble. Thanks for pointing out the failings with your own choice, perhaps others can avoid the same mistake in the future.
A speedring should be capable of being mounted to a lightstand directly so that lightweight heads don't need to take the strain of the weight of the modifier, along with providing the versatility of fitting whatever flash head to them that you may want.
If yours don't have the 1/4" and 3/8" connection, yours are less versatile.
p.1 #13 · Softbox mount for speedlights/speedlites
But I don't use my hammers for driving screws either. I buy and use the tools best suited for each task: studio lights to drive studio style modifiers and speedlight compatible options when using them, which is why I don't have signaling problems and not had to spend $700 — $1,000 on radio triggers over the years. That money was better spend on good food, good wine and a new set of golf clubs I'm heading off to use.
Yes I blurred out the parts that don't apply to setting exposure after getting beat to death by UK about glare on parts of the target not used for setting exposure. Next time I shoot with the studio lights I'm going to replace that file entirely with one of just white / black towels.
But what does cross posting that link have to do with speedlights and softboxes?
Calling shark jump here before the references to old tunes and movies start...
p.1 #17 · Softbox mount for speedlights/speedlites
cgardner wrote:
Yes I blurred out the parts that don't apply to setting exposure after getting beat to death by UK about glare on parts of the target not used for setting exposure. Next time I shoot with the studio lights I'm going to replace that file entirely with one of just white / black towels.
I obviously didn't beat enough - and you didn't learn 'nowt' - as you still persist in doing it and even add the values you think are providing some sort of benefit or serve some useful purpose which is totally misleading: https://www.fredmiranda.com/forum/topic/1082146/0#10312267
You might as well sing than use the values off your cards... Or whistle.
p.1 #19 · Softbox mount for speedlights/speedlites
I have two main options in my toolbox. The preferred method is the Interfit Stobies bracket that has a Bowen speeding mount. The other is very similar to the one above except that it is more flexible and allows adjustments on every axis, it is the Photoflex Speedlite mount.
