Cheap softbox and kit?

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AndyG123

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I've been using my nikon D3300 with neewer t560 manual flash to try and better understand flash. It comes with the small on camera softboxes.
I also have a couple of receivers to bring it off camera...
Now I've seen the neewer 80cm octagonal softbox for speedlight for £23 on Amazon, or the 120cm for £32. Did have money out aside for this before but never actually got round to spending it and unfortunately it dwindled..

Are these cheaper softboxes still decent?
I am to believe I will also need a light stand and a clamp aswel. Is anything else required for a basic lighting setup?

If I did want to go with a modeling lamp in the future how does this work? Is this a totally separate light source from a different direction. Or does it somehow also attach to the same light source..
 
Those neewer softboxes are a bit pants.

To make them work properly you need a swivel and extension for your lightstand, the Octabox as shown on the page doesn’t tilt far enough for how you’d use it.

I’d recommend this softbox with bracket, it works perfectly out of the box, and isn’t greatly expensive if you take account of the included bracket.

There’s no real modelling lamp for speedlights, if you need modelling lights, the best option is a cheap studio head.
 
I have a smilar type of soft box (one with bracket) to the one Phil mentions and it is both easy to use and gives good results. Mine is an Interfit one - not recommending it over the Godox btw as haven't used the Godox one. All you need is a stand. The good thing with having a bracket included is that you can use the bracket independently at other times if you wish, eg to mount a bare flashgun on a stand and angle it.
 
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Phil V said:
Those neewer softboxes are a bit pants.

To make them work properly you need a swivel and extension for your lightstand, the Octabox as shown on the page doesn’t tilt far enough for how you’d use it.

I’d recommend this softbox with bracket, it works perfectly out of the box, and isn’t greatly expensive if you take account of the included bracket.

There’s no real modelling lamp for speedlights, if you need modelling lights, the best option is a cheap studio head.
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The softbox kit you've recommended looks exactly the same as the Newwer kit that I have...
 
GeeJay57 said:
The softbox kit you've recommended looks exactly the same as the Newwer kit that I have...
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But different to the Octabox the OP mentioned (which is pants).

I believe that the Neewer version of the Godox one probably comes from the same factory (I think they’re a copy of an original Lastolite design).
 
Carol S said:
The good thing with having a bracket included is that you can use the bracket independently at other times if you wish, eg to mount a bare flashgun on a stand and angle it.
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I’ve used mine with brollys and other modifiers, the best value of which is a brolly style octobox, not the best modifier in the world, but an absolute bargain, and if it falls apart on the next shoot, I’ve had my money’s worth (les than £20).
 
Phil V said:
Yes
I just copied the first link to show the product. £30 is what I paid for mine IIRC.
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Hello Phil, with this light, I've been given 2 white pieces of softbox fabric, one is velcro and the full size of the softbox, the other is smaller and set back inside the box. Are these meant to be used in conjunction with each other? Or one or the other?
 
AndyG123 said:
Hello Phil, with this light, I've been given 2 white pieces of softbox fabric, one is velcro and the full size of the softbox, the other is smaller and set back inside the box. Are these meant to be used in conjunction with each other? Or one or the other?
Click to expand...

It depends....

But simply; yes for the best ‘softbox’ effect, use them both, it’s the start point.


But there may be times you’ll want to use either or none.
 
AndyG123 said:
Hello Phil, with this light, I've been given 2 white pieces of softbox fabric, one is velcro and the full size of the softbox, the other is smaller and set back inside the box. Are these meant to be used in conjunction with each other? Or one or the other?
Click to expand...

use both, use 1 or use none, it all works but softest light from using both is the theory and hardest light from none

Mike
 
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