It looks so shallow, I'd have had my doubts, but several of the reviews indicate that people are using monolights in it.
As to your second question, a speedring is an adapter that allows you to attach it to a particular light (or type of light) and position the light correctly. The descriptive copy is just saying that the softbox can be used with small flashes without using a speedring to mount them.
Comparing with a few other sellers, that seems like a good price for that softbox. Must be a rebate going on?
iseeq4life wrote:
Can you use a monolight strobe in [an Apollo JS Softbox]?
...What's a speed ring for?
Most monolights include an umbrella holder, and the Apollo softboxes are designed like square umbrellas, so they'll simply slide onto most monolights.
They'll also work with Speedlites, by mounting the Speedlite on an umbrella adapter fitted to the top of the light stand.
As whitewash said, a speedring is for use with traditional softboxes, beauty dishes, and other modifiers that hang onto the front of monolights and strobe heads. Since there are many different head designs, you need a speedring that is specific to the design you have.
Brian covered this well. The only thing I would add is that the size of the strobe can make a difference. I use Photoflex strobes, which are quite long and likely won't have enough clearance even in the 50" model. A more compact strobe like the Alien Bees should work just fine.
Elan II wrote:
...the strobe can make a difference. I use Photoflex strobes, which are quite long and likely won't have enough clearance even in the 50" model.
Westcott has a solution for that: the Apollo Mono Mounting Arm, which sells for about US$30.
I've been using the big 50" JS, the 28", and the now-defunct rectangular RLs for years. My longest light is my White Lightning 1600, which just barely fits the 28" but has no problem at all in the JS.
I don't mess with the optional monolight arm. I use a wireless remote control so I don't have to reach into the softbox for ordinary adjustments, and even if I did, the generously sized zippers on bottom and side are easy/quick enough to use.
To empahsize what BrianO said, because the light fires into the rear of the softbox (as with an umbrella) there is no need for an internal diffuser...which also speeds deployment of the softbox.
