Large -ish octa for speedlight

=ReBeL=

=ReBeL=

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Adrian
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Hi there,

I am looking into the option of buying a large octa softbox for outside use for speedlights. Primarily it would be used with Canon 600EX. It needs to be around 32" (~90cm), double diffused.

I would like to hear from people owning such octaboxes. Which one did you go for and how do you rate it. I am after quality, I should add.

Thanks :)
 
What do you want to do? One speedlight in a large octa outdoors will be marginal on power at best, and useless in bright sun.
 
HoppyUK said:
What do you want to do? One speedlight in a large octa outdoors will be marginal on power at best, and useless in bright sun.
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Just tight portraits. No bright sun, just shade or open shade.
 
I was going to post that a hotshoe flash is not likely to be powerful enough for a large octa, but then I saw that you want one less than a metre in diameter. I'd call that a relatively small octa. It's the smallest size that many companies sell.
Sorry, I can't help with a source for hotshoe octaboxes, unfortunately. I only use mine with monolights, and it's 150cm, which is large enough to be unwieldy but hardly large as far as octas go.
 
For studio use with strobes I wouldn't class ~1m as large (hence the "-ish" in the title), but for a single speedlight I would argue that it is large.

Anyway, I got a little burned when bought 2 cheap stripboxes for studio strobes. They have a horrible tint. Alright if I use them standalone but really hard to correct when used with different brands of softboxes. Hence me looking for quality this time. This will be used as main light modifier.
 
Byker28i said:
I've got a westcott apollo umbrella softbox after recommendations on here. Small, easy to transport, quick to put up, adjustable and works well.
Looks like: http://www.jessops.com/online.store/products/90923/Show.html?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=PLA&utm_term=28" Apollo Kit &gclid=Cj0KEQjw0fOoBRDn88Pol8bqhN0BEiQARGVJKoKOu8EyE-v-MzvWWn34KmPP2-7k_xiLWbqLGaB-lZcaAgsE8P8HAQ
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Thanks :) I would prefer an octa shape softbox but I'll keep that one in mind.
 
Get a bracket to fit inside that will take x2 or x4 speedlights. You may need it in due course.
 
shreds said:
Get a bracket to fit inside that will take x2 or x4 speedlights. You may need it in due course.
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I run mine ok with a single canon 580 but I guess it's how far away you want to put it. What I would recommend is an external battery pack to have fast recharge time. I have a Godox (the black not bright green) and it bungees onto the stand.

Brackets I have something similar to this, bought at Focus a couple if years back, http://wizardbrackets.com/dual-flash-bracket-complete/
Not needed it much though
 
I would be tempted to look at whichever octa you wanted and then possibly use an s-fit speed lite adapter perhaps. They can be had fairly cheaply then you can use whichever you like, and will be transferable to strobes if need be? That way you can go down the trusted quality manufacturer route :)
 
=ReBeL= said:
That looks interesting but it's for studio strobes unless I'm missing something.
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Nope you're not missing anything - its a Bowens S-fit so you need a flash bracket holder too (about £20) but that's what I use with speedlights :)

I have a much smaller (square) Lastolite softbox which is only for speedlights and its as-new as I just don't use it - I paid about £70 for that :(

Dave
 
That's an interesting solution I never thought about. Instead of buying a dedicated speedlight modifier buy a flash bracket holder and a studio modifier. As for using one of my studio modifiers, I only have square sofboxes and stipboxes. No octa and I really fancied to invest in one of those this time.

With a speedlight bracket holder, is it possible to tilt the light/ modifier up and down?

I'm on my mobile now so I can't do proper research but I know now what I'll be doing tonight when back home :)

Thanks guys :)
 
Yes, you will have full tilt control, the tilt is on the adapter. Our S-fit adapter clamps the actual flashgun, and works as it should - many just have a coldshoe fitting that wouldn't exactly win an award for good design...

a 90cm softbox is at about the limit for reasonable (not good) distribution of light, if you set it to the widest possible angle and fit a Stofen-type diffuser to it. Don't expect a flashgun to properly illuminate anything bigger than that, and certainly not a strip softbox.
 
=ReBeL= said:
For studio use with strobes I wouldn't class ~1m as large (hence the "-ish" in the title), but for a single speedlight I would argue that it is large.

Anyway, I got a little burned when bought 2 cheap stripboxes for studio strobes. They have a horrible tint. Alright if I use them standalone but really hard to correct when used with different brands of softboxes. Hence me looking for quality this time. This will be used as main light modifier.
Click to expand...

I'm not sure there's any guarantee of an accurate colour match, regardless of price. It's not something that gets talked about much, but of all the various modifiers that I have, the only ones that are exactly the same colour are those of the same make and model, purchased as a pair at the same time! Shouldn't be much of a problem if you're only using one light, easily fixed with just one overall correction, but the chances of that also accurately matching the ambient light (that will vary a lot) are close to zero.

Edit: sorry to disagree with Garry, but I don't think you'll have much trouble filling a 90cm-ish softbox evenly with a speedlight. Not perfectly, but okay. Use the widest zoom setting, experiment with the wide-panel, and you should be alright. The thing that makes most difference to evenness is a double-diffuser; a Stofen doesn't actually help that much as they still project most of the light straight forward. If evenness is important, use a Stofen and experiment with bits of kitchen foil stuck inside the front, or drill holes around the sides.
 
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HoppyUK said:
I'm not sure there's any guarantee of an accurate colour match, regardless of price. It's not something that gets talked about much, but of all the various modifiers that I have, the only ones that are exactly the same colour are those of the same make and model, purchased as a pair at the same time! Shouldn't be much of a problem if you're only using one light, easily fixed with just one overall correction, but the chances of that also accurately matching the ambient light (that will vary a lot) are close to zero.
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Maybe it's just my eyes but I don't really see much colour shift between my Lencarta softboxes and Bowens stripbox (though it's only single diffused one).

But it is a good point. I better stick to the brands I already own. Thank you
 
Thank you Dave and Garry. All duly noted and I will go through this tgread again tonight before doing any more research. Cheers :)
 
If you're all s fit modifiers now, the bracket Garry linked is brilliant, (mine came from Godox) and it also means any Octa you buy will go in the studio too. (a bonus that might help with stretching the budget)
 
Phil V said:
If you're all s fit modifiers now, the bracket Garry linked is brilliant, (mine came from Godox) and it also means any Octa you buy will go in the studio too. (a bonus that might help with stretching the budget)
Click to expand...

Agree.

I've had the lencarta bracket (after a couple of alternatives) and it's the best one I've used.
 
HoppyUK said:
I'm not sure there's any guarantee of an accurate colour match, regardless of price. It's not something that gets talked about much, but of all the various modifiers that I have, the only ones that are exactly the same colour are those of the same make and model, purchased as a pair at the same time! Shouldn't be much of a problem if you're only using one light, easily fixed with just one overall correction, but the chances of that also accurately matching the ambient light (that will vary a lot) are close to zero.

Edit: sorry to disagree with Garry, but I don't think you'll have much trouble filling a 90cm-ish softbox evenly with a speedlight. Not perfectly, but okay. Use the widest zoom setting, experiment with the wide-panel, and you should be alright. The thing that makes most difference to evenness is a double-diffuser; a Stofen doesn't actually help that much as they still project most of the light straight forward. If evenness is important, use a Stofen and experiment with bits of kitchen foil stuck inside the front, or drill holes around the sides.
Click to expand...
You'll never get an exact colour match, any anyway all diffusers yellow over time, so things will inevitably change for the worse anyway.
But, like everything else in life, there are always bodges that work, and the bodge for a softbox that throws a colour cast is to go into your car accessory shop and get a can of spray paint of the complementary colour - e.g. if there is a magenta colour cast, get green paint - and spray it very lightly on the inside of the softbox walls. As it's always easier to put spray on than get if off, do it in stages, checking the results as you go.

Or, better still, just get Lencarta softboxes to start with, and avoid the problem :)
 
Garry Edwards said:
You'll never get an exact colour match, any anyway all diffusers yellow over time, so things will inevitably change for the worse anyway.
But, like everything else in life, there are always bodges that work, and the bodge for a softbox that throws a colour cast is to go into your car accessory shop and get a can of spray paint of the complementary colour - e.g. if there is a magenta colour cast, get green paint - and spray it very lightly on the inside of the softbox walls. As it's always easier to put spray on than get if off, do it in stages, checking the results as you go.

Or, better still, just get Lencarta softboxes to start with, and avoid the problem :)
Click to expand...

That's a good tip Garry - car paint (y) I've fiddled around with gels and had half an idea to try dying the diffuser, but a light squirt of paint is a much better plan. Cheers :)
 
I have a 100 x 100 cm Lencarta Profold softbox sitting unused. It's pretty heavy. Would the flash bracket hold such a heavy softbox? How would it behave on a windy day (with sandbags on the stand), won't it snap?
 
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Lastolite Hotrod Octa - 90cm, http://www.lastolite.co.uk/hotrod-octa-36-llls2690 designed for battery flash, incorporates the Ezybox Hotshoe Bracket, inner and outer diffusers, grids available. I'd recommend getting a spigot tilthead with it. It's a rodded softbox, but fairly quick and easy to put up and take down. You can also get an adaptor to use with Elinchrom Quadra Rangers. It can't be used for your traditional studio heads though. Next up would be the Ezybox II Octa, which can be used for up to 2x flashguns, studio heads and Quadra Rangers (with the correct adaptors).

Can't speak highly enough of the Hotrod ... but then I also may be biased. :)
 
=ReBeL= said:
I have a 100 x 100 cm Lencarta Profold softbox sitting unused. It's pretty heavy. Would the flash bracket hold such a heavy softbox? How would it behave on a windy day (with sandbags on the stand), won't it snap?
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It will be fine on that bracket. Unlike the cheaper copies, it's made of metal and nylon.
Sandbags are a bad idea, they only weigh down the stand, and the force of the wind bears on the softbox, which causes the stand to move, so they either fall over (if you're lucky) or break if you're not. And often, the stand is on uneven ground anyway, so sandbags just don't help.
A much better idea is usually to tie it down with leisure tent guy ropes fixed to the top of the stand, the other end either ties to a tree or similar if available, or is driven into the ground with tent pegs.
As per 1 minute 46 secs of this video - but feel free to watch all of it :)
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=INRtD6jYvWk
 
sunnyside_up said:
Lastolite Hotrod Octa - 90cm, http://www.lastolite.co.uk/hotrod-octa-36-llls2690 designed for battery flash, incorporates the Ezybox Hotshoe Bracket, inner and outer diffusers, grids available. I'd recommend getting a spigot tilthead with it. It's a rodded softbox, but fairly quick and easy to put up and take down. You can also get an adaptor to use with Elinchrom Quadra Rangers. It can't be used for your traditional studio heads though. Next up would be the Ezybox II Octa, which can be used for up to 2x flashguns, studio heads and Quadra Rangers (with the correct adaptors).

Can't speak highly enough of the Hotrod ... but then I also may be biased. :)
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The Hotrod Octa was the one I mentioned here earlier. It was recommended to me as well. The price is a bit steep though so I am looking for my options first. It's still on my list though. Thanks :)
 
Garry Edwards said:
It will be fine on that bracket. Unlike the cheaper copies, it's made of metal and nylon.
Sandbags are a bad idea, they only weigh down the stand, and the force of the wind bears on the softbox, which causes the stand to move, so they either fall over (if you're lucky) or break if you're not. And often, the stand is on uneven ground anyway, so sandbags just don't help.
A much better idea is usually to tie it down with leisure tent guy ropes fixed to the top of the stand, the other end either ties to a tree or similar if available, or is driven into the ground with tent pegs.
As per 1 minute 46 secs of this video - but feel free to watch all of it :)
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=INRtD6jYvWk
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Thanks Garry. Good tip. Much appreciated :)
 
=ReBeL= said:
The Hotrod Octa was the one I mentioned here earlier. It was recommended to me as well. The price is a bit steep though so I am looking for my options first. It's still on my list though. Thanks :)
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Sorry about that... I must have missed that. Good luck in your search. :)
 
sunnyside_up said:
Sorry about that... I must have missed that. Good luck in your search. :)
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That's OK Bethy. I never really mentioned the Hotrod name, just the Lastolite octabox for £170, but that was the one I had in mind. Thanks once again :)
 
I love my Lastolite Ezybox II Octa - with the Ezybox II speedlight bracket I can mount a pair of hotshoe flashes, or with Exybox II Speedring Plate I can use it on my studio strobes. As someone on the thread has already said, a good "notched" tilthead (e.g. LA2401) is essential for the hotshoe application. Not the cheapest solution, but versatile and very quick to setup.
 
Lots of replies and all good. Even if you are not looking for an S-fit adapter for this use, to have one on the bag is deffo worth it. The cheapness of the price compared to the use you'll get is just fab.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/PhotoGeeks-...TF8&qid=1430378054&sr=8-3&keywords=brolly+box

This is not a true octabox, but I used these for a while on strobes even in a portable studio and the results were pretty good. Great for throwing on a speedlite and as it uses the brolly pole to attach you can use a standard cold shoe type strobist bracket. I found with strobist softboxes that the nature of the direct flash caused hot spots sometimes even if double diffused, the brolly box fires the strobe into the brolly then bounces out through the diffuser, seems in most cases to produce a good soft large light source.

To be honest though my fave modifier for strobist work is still a brolly, whether bounce or shoot through as they are not too fiddly and quite versatile with enough power from the speedlite for most uses on the go. Using other modifiers can be a bit of a faff and if you start using S-fit softboxes, beaut dishes etc, you find with a standard strobe they just eat the light. If you want true portable studio type stuff then although other brands are available, the Lencarta Safari with it's modelling light (essential for focusing under very dark conditions) plus S-fit and 600w/s is just great. I pondered over this for prob a year about whether to buy, still wasn't sure when I bought it but after having it for only a couple of months wonder how I did without it.
 
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I've been after a speedlite setup too and have found only one not very useful for full length portraits.
so I've been testing this arrangement instead.
View attachment 36355

I have an s-fit too but that's only for 1 speedlite. but I love the design.
This arrangement is manual only but fires from one trigger. I used a 622c-tx.
on a 2nd group I had a fill light which was on the s-bracket and fully controllable from the TX
 
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DizMatt said:
I've been after a speedlite setup too and have found only one not very useful for full length portraits.
so I've been testing this arrangement instead.
View attachment 36355

I have an s-fit too but that's only for 1 speedlite. but I love the design.
This arrangement is manual only but fires from one trigger. I used a 622c-tx.
on a 2nd group I had a fill light which was on the s-bracket and fully controllable from the TX
Click to expand...

Matt which bracket is that for the three speedlites?
 
DizMatt said:
I've been after a speedlite setup too and have found only one not very useful for full length portraits.
so I've been testing this arrangement instead.
View attachment 36355

I have an s-fit too but that's only for 1 speedlite. but I love the design.
This arrangement is manual only but fires from one trigger. I used a 622c-tx.
on a 2nd group I had a fill light which was on the s-bracket and fully controllable from the TX
Click to expand...

I know there are a few variables and it's always a little different, but roughly if you were at ISO 100, all three of these yongy nongy 560III's on full power and the this was about 7 or 8 feet from subject, what F stop would you be at roughly. I would guess with a single 560III you'd be looking at about F8-ish range. Does this push you up in to F13 or more range?
 
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