p.1 #1 · Lastolite Hot Shoe EZYBOX Softbox , 24" vs 30".
I’m a reasonably experienced hobbiest type. I’m pretty comfortable in using available light with fast primes but I’ve always wanted to get more out my flash units.
I’m very new at using speedlites in a ‘studio’ setting. I just did a two day workshop at my local art college and I’m looking at getting a softbox designed for a hot-shoe flash (580/580II/430).
I have a couple of umbrellas but I was really impressed with the Lastolite Hot Shoe EZYBOX Softbox which was used at the workshop. I’m wondering whether to get the 24 inch or the 30 inch. Is the light quality difference from the larger box worth the slight size and cost increase? Will it make a noticeable difference in use and results?
I’m also wondering if my Manfrotto MA1052BAC light stand can hack the 30” version. I’d like to stick with the 1052’s for ease of stacking in storage and transportation as I already have 3.
My main use for my setup is more location (indoors mainly) type portrait shots so portability is key.
p.1 #2 · Lastolite Hot Shoe EZYBOX Softbox , 24" vs 30".
I use the 24" on the Manfrotto 5001B Nano Black Light Stand which is only rated to 3.3 lbs. Your lightstand is rated to 11 lbs which will handle the 30". This is of course, indoors. You'll need some sand bags for outside and it should be fine.
p.1 #7 · Lastolite Hot Shoe EZYBOX Softbox , 24" vs 30".
You will get a number of different opinions on this and here is mine. I use the 24x24 Lastolite because I believe it is the largest unit a speedlite can handle and still provide fairly even illumination across the box. The standard unit has a silver lining and is double diffused. I use the diffusion cover on the flash and leave both panels on the box. The illumination is pretty even. If I were using Quantums in bare bulb mode, I would go with a larger box.
p.1 #8 · Lastolite Hot Shoe EZYBOX Softbox , 24" vs 30".
I have the 24" Lastolite box, and I like it a lot. It's big enough for head and shoulder shots. It folds flat, and is really easy to set up/take down. It's a good choice for using speedlights indoors. Outdoors, I use it with my Norman 200b (bare bulb). Others may have different experience, but with the double diffusion I never felt like I had enough power using a speedlite outdoors (thus the Norman). It's a nice box...a little expensive, but worth it IMHO.
This was shot indoors using the Lastolite and a 550EX triggered with the Canon wireless system... http://www.lastbestphotography.com/blog/wp-content/gallery/cache/603__800x600_032w9722.jpg
If you want to use an optical wireless system, it's kind of awkward, but it can work...you have to flip the flash around backward on the base so the sensor is pointing away from the box.
p.1 #10 · Lastolite Hot Shoe EZYBOX Softbox , 24" vs 30".
BrianO wrote:
In addition to the Lastolite EzyBox Hotshoe, which is a front-firing design, you might want to consider the Westcott Apollo, which is a retro-firing (bounce) design.
The EzyBox has the advantage of easier to access controls, since the Speedlite is mounted outside the box, but in my admitedly limited experience with both the Apollo gave somewhat more even, softer, light.
I ended up getting the 28-inch Apollo.
Can I ask where you got that L-bracket to allow your flash to be mounted below the main rod?
I gotta get me one of those!!
p.1 #11 · Lastolite Hot Shoe EZYBOX Softbox , 24" vs 30".
BugLightGeek wrote:
Can I ask where you got that L-bracket to allow your flash to be mounted below the main rod? I gotta get me one of those!!
It's a Westcott product, intended for use with the Mini Apollo. It was about $15.00 at my local camera store where I got the 28" Apollo. The black knob doesn't come with it; that came from the parts bin. Normally it comes with a plain small bolt.
I'm going to shorten mine so that I can flip it around and have the head of a 580EX sit just above the center shaft, rather than just below as it currently does.
One thing I was very happy about was that last week when I was doing a lighting test I was able to trigger a 580EX in the box using the pop-up on my 7D, even though the Apollo was behind and to the side of the camera. I was shooting in a small "control booth" of a home recording studio (actually a 12' X 10' repurposed bedroom with light tan walls), and the bounce-back from the pop-up was able to get through the diffusion cloth with enough power for reliable control. I turned the flash around so that the slave receiver was facing the cloth, and pivoted the head to face to the rear. I didn't have a single failure-to-fire. (I also used as a hairlight a 430EX II in the dish-on-a-boom shown above, and it also had no trouble seeing the master flash's bounced light.)
p.1 #12 · Lastolite Hot Shoe EZYBOX Softbox , 24" vs 30".
I recently bought an Apollo Medium softbox and was surprised as well to find that using the CLS system in my D7000, the flash in the Apollo was able to see the commander flash and respond accordingly. Although I have not tested it outside, I doubt it would work - at least at any reasonable distance. But inside it seems to work just fine even when I am 15-20 feet from the softbox (I haven't needed to try it further than that yet). It was an unexpected bonus to be honest and will allow me to continue saving for some PW triggers rather than having to buy some cheap trigger than doesn't really meet my requirements (other than cost).
