What soft box do u have?

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ewick

Senior Member
So I always read "XX camera vs. XX camera" or " XX lens vs. XX lens" but I never hear much about soft boxes. I own alien bees and bought the cheapy fotodiox soft box and so far its worked well for me but now I am looking to get a strip soft box and am wondering if I should shell out the big bucks 119.00 for a Paul C. Buff 10x36 or amazons 14x36 for 79.00.
I would loke to hear any input on this.
 
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Don Kuykendall_RIP

RIP :(
I would think it all comes down to how much you use it. There is not much to a soft box other than its ability to diffuse light. Is the one you have big enough and does it do what you want it to do?
 
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ewick

Senior Member
Don Kuykendall said:
I would think it all comes down to how much you use it. There is not much to a soft box other than its ability to diffuse light. Is the one you have big enough and does it do what you want it to do?
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The one I have currently does the job but I am about to start shooting females that are really defined so I want to back/side light them to create more separation and definition but dont want my light very broad so I am getting the grid with it as well.
I figured that a light modifier is a light modifier but was curious as to why the price difference. For example A more expensive lens is considered to be better glass than a not so expensive one correct? I was just wondering, thats all.
 
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Mike D90

Senior Member
The more expensive soft boxes give you better options as to add-ons such as grids and diffusers. They also have better methods of mounting to the stand and are a little quicker and easier to take off and put back on.

I use the cheapo models until this photography thing starts paying me to use the better stuff.
 
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gqtuazon

Gear Head
ewick said:
I own alien bees and bought the cheapy fotodiox soft box and so far its worked well for me but now I am looking to get a strip soft box and am wondering if I should shell out the big bucks 119.00 for a Paul C. Buff 10x36 or amazons 14x36 for 79.00.
I would loke to hear any input on this.
Click to expand...

I would just suck it up and pay for the premium price. The built quality of the Paul Buff are excellent. I have a large rectangular softbox, medium size octobox and a 22 inch beauty dish all from PCB. They are easier to install and much more sturdier. No special adapters required.
 
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ewick

Senior Member
Mike d90 said:
The more expensive soft boxes give you better options as to add-ons such as grids and diffusers. They also have better methods of mounting to the stand and are a little quicker and easier to take off and put back on.

I use the cheapo models until this photography thing starts paying me to use the better stuff.
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I hear you, but I been saving money from shoots I do and was able to upgrade to the d7100 and still have a little left over to invest in a soft box.

gqtuazon said:
I would just suck it up and pay for the premium price. The built quality of the Paul Buff are excellent. I have a large rectangular softbox, medium size octobox and a 22 inch beauty dish all from PCB. They are easier to install and much more sturdier. No special adapters required.
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Nice, I too have the 22" beauty dish and a ringflash that work awesome when I shoot beach stuff.
 
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Mike D90

Senior Member
gqtuazon said:
I would just suck it up and pay for the premium price. The built quality of the Paul Buff are excellent. I have a large rectangular softbox, medium size octobox and a 22 inch beauty dish all from PCB. They are easier to install and much more sturdier. No special adapters required.
Click to expand...

I wish I could do this but when you make less than $200 a week it is kind of hard to spend a months pay on studio soft boxes. I would rather practice with cheap stuff than to practice without.
 
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Don Kondra

Senior Member
It depends on whether or not you will be breaking them down and setting them up regularly.

Most of my work is in studio and even when I go on location I can leave my 48" octobox set up (I drive a van).

The materials used in Paul's softboxes appear to be the same as the lesser priced off shore brands but they do not fold down, they must be disassembled.

I went with the off shore models...

EZ Lightstand Mountable Octagonal Softbox 200cm Box Grid AlienBees AlienBee NEW items in OEC Camera Accessories store on eBay!

http://stores.ebay.com/stylist-store/Light-Controls-Modifiers-/_i.html?_fsub=2162288015

Cheers, Don
 
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ewick

Senior Member
Don Kondra said:
It depends on whether or not you will be breaking them down and setting them up regularly.

Most of my work is in studio and even when I go on location I can leave my 48" octobox set up (I drive a van).



The materials used in Paul's softboxes appear to be the same as the lesser priced off shore brands but they do not fold down, they must be disassembled.

I went with the off shore models...

EZ Lightstand Mountable Octagonal Softbox 200cm Box Grid AlienBees AlienBee NEW items in OEC Camera Accessories store on eBay!

http://stores.ebay.com/stylist-store/Light-Controls-Modifiers-/_i.html?_fsub=2162288015

Cheers, Don
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Im really looking to get a strip soft box for my alien bee but just not sure where to get it from. They all run about the same price with PCB leading the way at 119.00
 
R

rocketman122

Senior Member
ewick said:
So I always read "XX camera vs. XX camera" or " XX lens vs. XX lens" but I never hear much about soft boxes. I own alien bees and bought the cheapy fotodiox soft box and so far its worked well for me but now I am looking to get a strip soft box and am wondering if I should shell out the big bucks 119.00 for a Paul C. Buff 10x36 or amazons 14x36 for 79.00.
I would loke to hear any input on this.
Click to expand...

if you need something that wont be moved around a lot, then invest in brand name. for my wedding shoots, mainly, formals, I use 2 photoflex 45 in convertible kind. I can buy cheap asian kind from ebay, but my friend has bought those and they dont hold long since youre opening and closing them a lot.

I wanted to have a softbox for situation I might need a softbox specifically, so I bought a folded up, umbrella type. could be used with small studio strobes and it works great with 1 or more speedlights if you have them on a proper bracket.

60cm x 90cm 24"x35" Umbrella Softbox Brolly Reflector for Studio Flash Speedlite | eBay

$30 shipped. its fast and works great. $30 is $30. the quality is just great. better than those asian no brand umbrellas. very convenient and quick to open and close.

I even used an extra baffle inside and the light is very soft. the umbrella is just as soft as I bounce light into it and I have an umbrella cover. the only difference is in the catchlight shape. but softness wise, no difference. both are double diffused and very soft quality lighting.
 
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gqtuazon

Gear Head
Mike d90 said:
I wish I could do this but when you make less than $200 a week it is kind of hard to spend a months pay on studio soft boxes. I would rather practice with cheap stuff than to practice without.
Click to expand...

Hmmm. I guess I am out of touch with the civilian world. My monthly federal tax that Uncle Sam takes from my salary can buy a D7100 and that's a lot of cameras.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
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gqtuazon

Gear Head
Don Kondra said:
It depends on whether or not you will be breaking them down and setting them up regularly.

The materials used in Paul's softboxes appear to be the same as the lesser priced off shore brands but they do not fold down, they must be disassembled.

Cheers, Don
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Don this is the main reason why I prefer the PCB. Much easier to assemble and disassemble after the photo shoot.



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
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Mike D90

Senior Member
gqtuazon said:
Hmmm. I guess I am out of touch with the civilian world. My monthly federal tax that Uncle Sam takes from my salary can buy a D7100 and that's a lot of cameras.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
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I am just in a very financially depressed area. Looking for a good job but I have been looking for two years now. I am also considering moving out of here.
 
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gqtuazon

Gear Head
ewick said:
Nice, I too have the 22" beauty dish and a ringflash that work awesome when I shoot beach stuff.
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I forgot to mention that I also have this umbrella that can also be used as a shoot through. I have only used it twice since I bought it. If you guys only live closer to me, I will let you guys use my studio equipment just so that they can see some action.


48" White "shoot-thru" umbrella and Einstein E640 by gqtuazon, on Flickr
 
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Geoffc

Senior Member
gqtuazon said:
Hmmm. I guess I am out of touch with the civilian world. My monthly federal tax that Uncle Sam takes from my salary can buy a D7100 and that's a lot of cameras.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

Glenn don't even go there it makes me weep when I look at tax on my payslip.
 
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