Recommend a Flash/Softbox Kit

[Empty_Quarter]

Over the past 1-2 years, I've been experimenting with portraiture. While i've experimented with a whole wackload of lighting setups, none of the equipment was mine. I either borrowed friends' strobes, rented flashes, or used whatever studios had to offer.

I've determined that of all the lighting setups, I like the softbox the most, because its all what you really need for low-key portraits (which I like the most). It's also small, versatile, and can be used for a bunch of different setups. I dont see myself using a fill light as I've been pretty fortunate playing with reflectors, or a simple white poster. Other lighting scenarios I enjoy is simply natural light & using a softbox as fill.

Got a softbox recommendation? While I did a lot of finicking, I never paid attention to the brands of stuff I used, more so about the end result. Now that I'm looking to get my own gear, I dont know where to start (more my fault than anything).

I was thinking a budget of $300 for the softbox kit (w/ stand, dont mind forking for manfrotto stands), whatever needed for the flash (Go all out for the SB910, or will the SB700 do just fine?), and I know im going have to shell out something for a reciever. I dont need it to be wireless, so a wired solution would suffice. Pocketwizards are a little ridicolously priced.

I should note that I never intend on doing wedding/event photography... ever... EVER. because of that, I think the SB910 would be overkill and the SB700 would suffice.

 

[patric]

I use Alien Bees monolights with either PLM's, softboxes, or beauty dishes for most of my work. If you're using flash though, look at some of the Apollo softboxes. They have a nicely recessed front to help control spill and add grid inserts and your flash is totally contained within the softbox.

I'd really consider wireless however, even if they're just basic radio triggers. Once you start working on a set with others walking around, someone is bound to trip over your cord and pull something over. If you want to look at some of the TTL triggers, Yongnou just has YN-622n triggers for Nikons now. I have 4 of them for my Canon and they're fantastic, especially when you want to change power settings from the back of the camera.

 

[Empty_Quarter]

After drving myself nuts, I ended up ordering the SB700. I feel this should be more than sufficient for my uses.

Great suggestions on the apollo. I've use some wescott gear at exhibitions, and they seem to deliver for the cost. I'll check it out, though I might use a manfrotto stand instead of their own.

What do the grids actually do? I've always wondered whether they served a purpose :S

Now.... the size...

To start, I think I'll be fine with a $20 el-cheapo cord. I'm sure the triggers would be very useful once I get more than one light though.

 

[patric]

After drving myself nuts, I ended up ordering the SB700. I feel this should be more than sufficient for my uses.

Great suggestions on the apollo. I've use some wescott gear at exhibitions, and they seem to deliver for the cost. I'll check it out, though I might use a manfrotto stand instead of their own.

What do the grids actually do? I've always wondered whether they served a purpose :S

Now.... the size...

To start, I think I'll be fine with a $20 el-cheapo cord. I'm sure the triggers would be very useful once I get more than one light though.

Grids basically limit the spread of light coming from the softbox to help control spill. Rather than the light coming out at in 80 degree angle or so, they can limit it to 40 degrees depending on the grid/softbox combo used. So, if you still want a large, soft lightsource that wraps around your subject but don't want to light up a ton of the background or foreground, you can use a grid to direct the light. It works better than flagging off the light with dark panels because that will change the size of the light source.

For size, I don't shoot large groups, so I mostly use smaller softboxes and octoboxes. For headshots to 3/4 length shots I'm usually fine with a 24x36" softbox or a 42" octobox. I also have a 48x60" softbox that I use for full length shots as well as a couple of 10x36" strip boxes for hair lights, etc. The general rule of thumb I was taught was to add the height and width dimensions of your softbox together and that's the farthest away you want to place it from your subject, otherwise it'll turn into a hard light source and give you hard shadows.

And I still recommend the radio triggers. Trust me. You'll get tired of being tethered to your light within the first hour of shooting. If you do go with a corded solution, don't get a coiled cord. That only makes things worse. You'll be pulling things over constantly trying to stretch out that cord.

Also, get a couple of sandbags and make sure you use em. I fill mine up with kitty litter. It's heavy enough but not nearly as messy as sand if it starts leaking.

 

[Empty_Quarter]

Never used grids, dont think I will either :S

I think a 28"x28" is a good sized softbox for sure, maybe 34" square would work.

I think you're right about the triggers. the YN-622n you recommended are fine. Question on those though. I obviously only need a kit of 2 for now, but at some point when I get a second (or more) lights, I'll need more triggers. Can I get 2 more down the road that's compatible with the first two, or should I just go all out and get 4?

Appreciate it, thanks!

 

[DyNamiC.]

I have one of these I use for a corded trigger when shooting off-camera flash. Totally worth it. Standard ethernet cable ftw.

http://www.amazon.com/EzFoto-Grouping-Componor-Combined-Off-camera/dp/B005HTSQPU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1373401797&sr=8-1&keywords=componor

 

[patric]

Never used grids, dont think I will either :S

I think a 28"x28" is a good sized softbox for sure, maybe 34" square would work.

I think you're right about the triggers. the YN-622n you recommended are fine. Question on those though. I obviously only need a kit of 2 for now, but at some point when I get a second (or more) lights, I'll need more triggers. Can I get 2 more down the road that's compatible with the first two, or should I just go all out and get 4?

Appreciate it, thanks!

I ordered 2 YN-622c's when they first came out and a week later ordered 2 more and one week later I ordered another. Just make sure you get the N version and not the C and they'll be compatible.

I don't use grids that often on my key or fill lights unless I'm trying to only light up certain parts of the subject or if I'm in a constrained area and trying to keep light off of the background. I pretty much keep them on my strip boxes all of the time though. They're handy to have if you need them, although you can always feather the light away from your subject if you need to. You'll either need to have something blocking the light, or you may have to accept that your foreground or background might be getting more light than you want though.

 

[Empty_Quarter]

Got 2 YN-622n transrecievers. It could take a while to arrive since it's coming all the way from china. But I'll be glad that it's an investment more so than anything - thanks for the convincing

I'm having second thoughts on a softbox, whether I should get an umbrella instead, or a smaller on-flash modifier. Low key is my main objective and what I'm really interested in, so, even a flash without any modifier would do. So I would start there, experiment as I always would, and move on from there.

One thing's for sure. I need a stand, but that's a simple thing that could be found locally.

 

[DyNamiC.]

On flash modifiers don't typically have enough diffusion for setup shots. At the very least, go with a single stand and umbrella setup. You would be surprised how much you can do with just a single one.

If you get an umbrella with a removable cover you can use it for bounce or shoot through as well to give yourself some options on how the light will look.

 

[patric]

Low key is one area where you'd really want to have a gridded softbox. That's the other thing I like using my 10x36" strip boxes for. Umbrellas are some of the hardest modifiers to use for low key. Shoot through umbrellas basically throw light everywhere, so unless you have dark floors, walls, and ceilings, you'll have a lot of light bouncing around where you're shooting. A reflective umbrella would work better but the spread of light coming from those is also extremely wide and hard to control.

If you don't go with the Apollo, you might look at getting a T-bracket with a Bowens mount for yoru flash, something like: http://www.amazon.com/CowboyStudio-...UTF8&qid=1373468412&sr=1-5&keywords=t+bracket

You can find all sorts of cheap modifiers like softboxes and beauty dishes to fit that mount on Amazon. I recommend the T-bracket over the L-bracket so you can actually move your flash into the opening of the modifier. You'll also want to add something to help support the weight of the flash. That's a lot of weight on the two hot shoe mounts when it's laying horizontal like that.