 Lisa Carpenter |
Square, octagonal or rectangular? Ok, I am wondering if I should buy softboxes or not....still wondering if they are better than umbrella...but if I do...any advice on what shape??? thanks a bunch
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Pete H |
Hi Lisa; a softbox is a great accessory to any photographer...however; they do require quite a bit of strobe power if used as a main light. They do indeed produce a very "soft" effect. Umbrellas on the other hand are more direct than a softbox. Portrait lighting can assume many forms and techniques. To ask if a softbox is better than a umbrella will yield another question. "What do you primarily shoot?" Do you want the softbox as a key or fill only? As a key, again, you will want more strobe power..as a fill, you can get by with less. I've seen fantastic portraits taken with two umbrellas and a fill reflector. Pete
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- Gregory LaGrange Contact Gregory LaGrange Gregory LaGrange's Gallery |
Softboxes are just umbrellas with a diffusion material over it. Softer light, broader highlights. Can be aimed better than umbrellas. Umbrellas are more efficient for lighting a large area.
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Lisa Carpenter |
Well the photos in my gallery that have been taken in a studio have been with two umbrellas and a reflector. I was just wondering if the softbox was better for babies, children and families? If so, do I get one large round and use a reflector? I take it I will need more strobe than what I have? thanks guys
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Michael H. Cothran |
Lisa, I'll try to answer your question directly, albeit in my opinion - Umbrellas will provide you with a light that could be compared with a shotgun - just aim it in the general direction, and it will hit something. If you need a "flood" of light, with minimum directional control, then the umbrella is your choice. A softbox is much more directional, and needs to be placed much more accurately than an umbrella. It is a more controllable light, and more desirable to have if you need to keep the light contained, perhaps off the background or something like that. About light loss - a silver umbrella will lose practically no light. A white umbrella can lose between 1-2 stops, and a white softbox with an inner baffle attached will lose a good 2 stops of light. My personal advice would be this - use a large umbrella ( around 40" silver or white, makes no difference)as a "fill" light. Place it over the camera, and have it powered from 1-2 stops UNDER your camera setting. Then use a softbox (maybe 24x32 range) as your main light. By the way, if you purchase a softbox, and I strongly recommend that you do, be sure to buy one with a RECESSED FRONT rather than one where the front is flush with the sides. A softbox with a recessed front baffle allows you more control over unwanted spill, and also allows for added accessories such as grids or louvers. I own both quality softboxes (Chimera) and cheap ones (Photoflex/Multidome). The Chimeras are twice the price, but if you use them side-by-side as I do, you'll understand why. The light quality of the Chimera is superior, as is the build quality. However, if money is an issue, by all means by what you can afford. Whatever you get in the way of a softbox will be advantageous to your studio light quality.
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Lisa Carpenter |
Michael, you are always such a wealth of information and btw, I really love your gallery. Ok. If I get the Chimeras, why not two softboxes? Why one and one umbrella? If I get two softboxes, do I get the 24x32 size? Do I need to get different strobes? I have the Novatron 3 light kit and I am not sure if I have enough power? I will look into these and hopefully I can get at a reasonable cost. thanks
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Lisa Carpenter |
OH, and do I get the Super Pro Plus shallow box or the regular depth one? I feel like shopping for a softbox is like shopping for a diamond...so many many choices....I am looking at Adorama.com, any others you would try?
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Lisa Carpenter |
Oh, and I am sorry, but do I use strobe or continuous, is one better than the other? UGH........
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Michael H. Cothran |
Hi Lisa. Here goes - "Ok. If I get the Chimeras, why not two softboxes?" You can, but I would prefer an umbrella for the fill light, simply because it is so UNdirectional, and does a good job of spreading the light over a large area. You could certainly use a softbox instead, but for the price difference, it's not important here. "...do I get the 24x32 size?" "Do I need to get different strobes?" Your Novatron are fine. I use them myself, and have nothing but praise for them. You should probably have a power pack of 400WS or better. If yours is less, it may be ok - you'll just have to test it to see what kind of shooting f-stop it will provide. Worst case scenario is that you'll need to pick up another power pack somewhere - maybe Ebay. I own three - a 480, 500, and 1000WS pack. "OH, and do I get the Super Pro Plus shallow box or the regular depth one?" " am looking at Adorama.com, any others you would try?" "...do I use strobe or continuous, is one better than the other?" One more thing - before you jump into unknown waters here, do as much research as you can. I can state emphatically (but still it's my opinion) that Chimera is the best built, and best performing softbox available. My oldest Chimera is 20 years old, and works as good as the day I got it. However, there are lots of other brands for a lot less money, and any one of them may serve you just as well for less money.
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Michael H. Cothran |
Lisa - yet one more thing - your strobes. You can use the standard Novatron strobes in a softbox, but for the most even light distribution from the softbox, I strongly recommend that you buy/use a Novatron bare bulb lighthead, rather than using the standard heads with the built-in reflector. The bare bulb heads have no reflector, thus allowing the light to disperse in all directions inside the softbox, yielding a more even light coming out the front. Michael
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Lisa Carpenter |
Now, Michael, how much do I owe you for your time and knowledge???haha.....you have, as always, come through for me. Ok, all my questions are answered. But am confused on the bare bulb thing. Do I look for a novatron bare bulb light? And as for the shallow, yes, short on space until I actually decide to get a location...are they as good? I won't eat up any more of your time and thanks as always.
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Michael H. Cothran |
Lisa, The bare bulb (or bare tube head, as Novatron calls them) is probably NOT as much an issue as I made it out to be. Personally, I would use a bare bulb/tube head (and I do). The light output is more even with the bare head, while the reflector head produces more of a "hot spot" in the center of the light. Since the strobe will be physically closer inside a shallow box, the hot spot will be even more exagerated using the reflector head. However, the Super PRO plus banks come with an optional internal baffle that helps to even out the light. AND...you may actually like the hot spot, as it gives you a natural light fall-off at the edges - something which can be very flattering. I believe Novatron only offers one bare tube head in its current catalog, and it is probably pricey since it includes a built-in fan cooler. I'd check Ebay under "Novatron" to see if there are any used bare tube heads for sale. Buy one if it is within your budget. Otherwise, just use the heads you have, and forget about it. Either way, I think you're gonna love the results! Don't forget, you WILL need to buy a Speed Ring (adaptor) for your head, and the bare tube and reflector heads each take a different Ring. Michael
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Lisa Carpenter |
A wealth of info for me to go on. I so very much appreciate the time you have taken and I am going to give this a shot. No pun intended. Honestly, I wish I had a really fabulous mentor to guide me for just a short bit.... Again, THANKS!!!!
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Lisa Carpenter |
I just sent an e-mail to you about the softbox. Oh, I just have to know, how, how, do you get those rich, deep and beautiful photos you take? Are those saturated in PS? You truly have breathtaking work...maybe someday for me too...
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Lisa Carpenter |
Ok, I am ready to purchase the medium sized chimera softbox, white interior? And I want to get the bare flash tube and speedring. I have a feeling I am not going to be able to use with my Novatron light kit. I am trying to figure will the bare tube fit in the reflector bowl that the other lights fit in? Why am I so confused...any help would be great
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Lisa Carpenter |
I feel like I am having a discussion forum to myself. hahaha. I went ahead and ordered a medium Chimera softbox with white interior and a speedring that is I hope, the right one....anyway, here I go to the land of rectangle softboxes...
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Michael H. Cothran |
Lisa, I just answered your email. I've been at an Art & Craft show all weekend. Congratulations on your purchase. About the bare tube head - it has special reflectors made to fit it. However, for the softbox, you DO NOT want a reflector on it. That's the whole purpose of using the bare bulb inside the box - no reflector so that the light is allowed to bounce around 360 degrees with no restrictions. And it should perform flawlessly with your current Novatron power pack. Michael
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