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Archive 2022 · StripBox

  
 
pinn
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p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · StripBox


Hi,

I want to buy an easy/quick put up/down stripbox to use with Profoto B1X and A1

From reviewing this it seems the below are the 2 best options

Westcott rapid box switch - stripbox

or

Elinchrom rotalux stripbox

does anyone have any thoughts about which is the better one of these two please quality wise and ease of set up....

Sizewise the elinchrom comes in 35 x 100 cm and 50 x 130 cm

and the westcott 30 x 86 cm and 30 x 120 cm

i am buying this to light evenly a background in a small studio - around 3-4 m wide - any thoughts on which would be the best size please?

thanks



Jan 24, 2022 at 10:53 PM
tcphoto
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p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · StripBox


I personally would not use a strip box for that purpose, think about the light patter thrown. I'd either use a 7" reflector and V flats or umbrellas if you had the room and power.


Jan 25, 2022 at 11:40 AM
pinn
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p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · StripBox


i had planned to use the strip box horizonal - high up and angled down.....

vflats seem to take up a lot of space from what ive seen - i have no experience with these.....

where would you place the 7" reflector?


tcphoto wrote:
I personally would not use a strip box for that purpose, think about the light patter thrown. I'd either use a 7" reflector and V flats or umbrellas if you had the room and power.





Jan 26, 2022 at 05:36 AM
story_teller
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p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · StripBox


A couple of notes. A reflector, as a flat surface will scatter the light more. V-flats give you some control with the ability to widen or narrow the "v". Put a piece of cardboard on top of the v-flat and you could think of the v-flat as a large adjustable vertical strip box. If you get v-flats with white on one side and black on the other, you can use the black side when you want negative fill on a subject. When not in use they can be stored flat against the wall.

V-flats are also much faster to set up and breakdown than a strip box. It will probably be a tie between the two strip boxes you listed since the majority of time will be putting the inner and outer diffusers in place. I've used Westcott RapidBox Octas (not strip boxes) and they seem to hold up well, but not used the Elinchrom modifiers. If you can, borrow a strip box and try it first.



Jan 26, 2022 at 09:43 AM
tcphoto
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p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · StripBox


pinn wrote:
i had planned to use the strip box horizonal - high up and angled down.....

vflats seem to take up a lot of space from what ive seen - i have no experience with these.....

where would you place the 7" reflector?




Two flash heads for the background, one on each side and each with 7" reflectors. The V flats will control the spill falling on your subject.



Jan 26, 2022 at 10:35 AM
story_teller
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p.1 #6 · p.1 #6 · StripBox


tcphoto - Apologies, I didn't read it correctly. I thought you were talking about a 7-foot flat reflector not 7-inch strobe reflectors when I responded.


Jan 27, 2022 at 09:35 AM
CharleyL
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p.1 #7 · p.1 #7 · StripBox


I have used V Flats, but my present studio only has an 8' ceiling. So I made my own 7' tall version.

I bought sheets of 1/2" foil/plastic faced foam core insulation boards, cut them to about 7' height, latex primed and painted both sides (paint alone doesn't stick), flat black on one side and ceiling white on the other, and built plywood stands, also painted black/white. The stands are shaped like an upside down "T" but with a 3/4" slot in the vertical part to allow inserting the panels, so it's easy to remove and replace the panels in the stands, and they are light enough to move around easily. I store the panels behind my roll down backdrop system against the wall and the stands in the corner of the studio. I made these about two years ago and have 4 of them. When I want a V shape I use two of them and some gaffer tape to tie the corners together, if needed. Velcro was considered, but I tried the gaffer tape and it worked well enough. I do very little work outside my studio and have never tried to use them outside the studio, so these work well for me. I built all 4 panels for less than $100.

I can use these panels separately or in pairs in a V formation, because the stands hold them vertical even when only one panel is used. If placed in a V, a strip of gaffer tape holds the tops tight together. The stands and their weight takes care of holding the bottoms together. I cut handle holes in the upright pieces of the stands to make it easy to pick them up and carry them, since each stand base is only 8" wide and 14" long. The vertical pieces are 10" tall and the gap between them is 3/4" to easily fit the 1/2" foam panels. These stands were made from 3/4" plywood. I added large 1 1/2" diameter stick on felt pads to their bases and rounded all of the stand's external edges to make them easy to slide around on the studio floor and carry. When you buy the foam core panels, just be sure to get flat ones. They don't straighten with age. I use these as reflectors or to bounce light from a strobe and 7" reflector when I want a very large and soft light source with no significant catchlights. For me, they have proven to be ideal for me to use in my small 8' ceiling studio. They don't fold, but I haven't needed them to fold.


Charley



Jan 27, 2022 at 10:05 AM
bobby350z
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p.1 #8 · p.1 #8 · StripBox


tcphoto wrote:
I personally would not use a strip box for that purpose, think about the light patter thrown. I'd either use a 7" reflector and V flats or umbrellas if you had the room and power.


I use two strip boxes, haven't had any problems. Depends on how much area you want to cover. Throwing a bare head into a V-flat is like making like a big strip box. Having a v-flat is more flexible as you can control the opening size.



Feb 03, 2022 at 02:18 PM
tcphoto
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p.1 #9 · p.1 #9 · StripBox


No, I hit the background directly and use the V flats to control light from hitting the model.


Feb 03, 2022 at 07:20 PM
bobby350z
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p.1 #10 · p.1 #10 · StripBox


tcphoto wrote:
No, I hit the background directly and use the V flats to control light from hitting the model.


Hitting the strobe into V part of the v-flat and then using the bounce lighting for the bg will give more even lighting, IMHO and in that case V-flat is same as a strip box, just bigger and much much cheaper. Nothing wrong with it. Using strobe directlt on bg will give hot spots but then I am just a hobbyist.



Feb 06, 2022 at 11:32 PM
cambyses
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p.1 #11 · p.1 #11 · StripBox


Why not just get the Profoto OCF strip box? I have one and just used it today. It is 30x120cm and very easy/quick to set up.


Feb 06, 2022 at 11:59 PM
pinn
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p.1 #12 · p.1 #12 · StripBox


last time i looked at these I didnt consider them easy to put up and down.....but will take another look thanks
cambyses wrote:
Why not just get the Profoto OCF strip box? I have one and just used it today. It is 30x120cm and very easy/quick to set up.





Feb 07, 2022 at 02:43 AM
cambyses
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p.1 #13 · p.1 #13 · StripBox


pinn wrote:
last time i looked at these I didnt consider them easy to put up and down.....but will take another look thanks



Well, I guess it depends on your experience with speedrings. Perhaps you may not find it as easy or as fast as those softboxes like RapidBox which open/close like an umbrella. But with OCF speedring, once you get a hang of it, inserting and taking out the four rods of the stripbox can be extremely quick. It didn't take me more than a minute today to set it up.



Feb 07, 2022 at 03:01 AM
tcphoto
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p.1 #14 · p.1 #14 · StripBox


bobby350z wrote:
Hitting the strobe into V part of the v-flat and then using the bounce lighting for the bg will give more even lighting, IMHO and in that case V-flat is same as a strip box, just bigger and much much cheaper. Nothing wrong with it. Using strobe directlt on bg will give hot spots but then I am just a hobbyist.


And be incredibly inefficient, especially if you're doing an all white background.



Feb 07, 2022 at 11:11 AM
bobby350z
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p.1 #15 · p.1 #15 · StripBox


tcphoto wrote:
And be incredibly inefficient, especially if you're doing an all white background.


Efficiency only comes into play if you need to shoot say f16 or so and your strobes can't do that. Nothing to do with white bg IMHO.



Feb 07, 2022 at 12:29 PM
tcphoto
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p.1 #16 · p.1 #16 · StripBox


It has everything to do with shooting all day and hundreds of images.


Feb 08, 2022 at 11:04 AM
bobby350z
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p.1 #17 · p.1 #17 · StripBox


Different ways to skin the same cat, IMHO. Use whatever works for you. I am just a rookie, so what do I know.


Feb 11, 2022 at 10:25 AM
tcphoto
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p.1 #18 · p.1 #18 · StripBox


Perhaps add a link to your website, it gives context to your comments.


Feb 11, 2022 at 12:29 PM





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