Gotox Quality

[User.81858]

I have just received my new Gotox 60cm soft box and bracket £25 from Amazon. I could not believe the quality for the price. Almost impossible to fold up to go back in the bag though. I suppose there must be a knack to it.

 

[Phil V]

You'll get used to it.

It's a fantastic item for the price, even better with a grid.

 

[User.81858]

You'll get used to it.

It's a fantastic item for the price, even better with a grid.

Thanks Phil. Since reading your post I have been on you tube finding about grids, very interesting. Also found how to fold the soft box but it's got a mind of its own.

 

[Phil V]

Thanks Phil. Since reading your post I have been on you tube finding about grids, very interesting. Also found how to fold the soft box but it's got a mind of its own.

It's a Jedi mind trick.

 

[HoppyUK]

Thanks Phil. Since reading your post I have been on you tube finding about grids, very interesting. Also found how to fold the soft box but it's got a mind of its own.

Grids can be very useful, but there are downsides. They're excellent when the light is behind the subject facing towards the lens, for reducing flare, though it's often just as easy to to block it off with a piece of card or screen or something. Grids are also handy for controlling spill - keeping the light where you want it and not allowing it to spread to where you don't, though TBH I'd say that's not often a major problem either way. Sometimes of course.

The downsides, that rarely get mentioned around these parts, is that grids eat light (and if you're using a speedlite, that's precious stuff) and they make the light harder. So when you've gone to the trouble of getting a decent size softbox for nice soft light, you then go and throw half of it away! And the closer the subject is to the softbox, the harder it becomes (relatively speaking) as the grid cuts off an increasing amount of the usable softbox area towards the edges and corners.

Use a grid when you need one, but not when you don't

 

[User.81858]

Grids can be very useful, but there are downsides. They're excellent when the light is behind the subject facing towards the lens, for reducing flare, though it's often just as easy to to block it off with a piece of card or screen or something. Grids are also handy for controlling spill - keeping the light where you want it and not allowing it to spread to where you don't, though TBH I'd say that's not often a major problem either way. Sometimes of course.

The downsides, that rarely get mentioned around these parts, is that grids eat light (and if you're using a speedlite, that's precious stuff) and they make the light harder. So when you've gone to the trouble of getting a decent size softbox for nice soft light, you then go and throw half of it away! And the closer the subject is to the softbox, the harder it becomes (relatively speaking) as the grid cuts off an increasing amount of the usable softbox area towards the edges and corners.

Use a grid when you need one, but not when you don't

Thanks Richard for pointing out the downsides.

 

[TG.]

I have just received my new Gotox 60cm soft box and bracket £25 from Amazon. I could not believe the quality for the price. Almost impossible to fold up to go back in the bag though. I suppose there must be a knack to it.

Do you have a link to this from Amazon please Charles

 

[User.81858]

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00JQ63G5K/ref=pe_385721_140927991_TE_dp_1

Hope this works Tel.

 

[User.81858]

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00JQ63G5K/ref=pe_385721_140927991_TE_dp_1

I hope this works better.

 

[HoppyUK]

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00JQ63G5K/ref=pe_385721_140927991_TE_dp_1

I hope this works better.

Those kits are amazing value aren't they!

Out of interest though Charles, what actual size is the 60x60cm softbox? I ask because I have the 80x80cm version and the white diffuser area only measures 68x68cm. Even the full width, including black surround, is only 75cm!

 

[shreds]

Those kits are amazing value aren't they!

Out of interest though Charles, what actual size is the 60x60cm softbox? I ask because I have the 80x80cm version and the white diffuser area only measures 68x68cm. Even the full width, including black surround, is only 75cm!

Out of interest, at what size is the softbox considered too large for a standard speedlight, due to the pre focussed head, possibly creating a hot spot and therefore it becomes necessary to use a bare bulb or studio type head instead?

 

[HoppyUK]

Out of interest, at what size is the softbox considered too large for a standard speedlight, due to the pre focussed head, possibly creating a hot spot and therefore it becomes necessary to use a bare bulb or studio type head instead?

It depends on the design of the softbox, particularly the depth and whether it has a secondary internal diffuser - they're very effective at spreading light around more evenly. You can make a stab at the depth question by comparing the angle of the flash coverage with the inside of the softbox and so long as the flash beam is quite a bit wider, you're in with a chance. I try to avoid using the flip-down wide-panel though, as it absorbs brightness. In practise, I'd guess 80cm or so will usually be about the limit.

Reverse-firing softboxes like the Westcott Apollos, they fill out very well with a speedlite, but then you just run out of puff with the big ones.

On the other hand, you can still get good results with less than perfectly even coverage. You'll see a hot-spot in specula reflections, in the eyes for example, but the overall quality of the light might still be pretty good for things like portraits.

 

[Phil V]

Out of interest, at what size is the softbox considered too large for a standard speedlight, due to the pre focussed head, possibly creating a hot spot and therefore it becomes necessary to use a bare bulb or studio type head instead?

What Richard said really, but to expand a little on the 'portrait' side, people buy the 'sharpest lenses' and want the best even coverage from softboxes, and then we often process those out of our portraits, with skin smoothing and vignettes.

From the guy who uses bare bulb flash in his huge Octa and Canon L and Sigma Art lenses

 

[Byker28i]

Reverse-firing softboxes like the Westcott Apollos, they fill out very well with a speedlite, but then you just run out of puff with the big ones.
.

This - I have an apollo after a recommendation on here a few years ago. It's the umbrella type so is really quick to put up and down and produces a great light with a canon 580 flash.
Cant believe the price of that mount and softbox though - good value. Whats the mount like? reasonable quality?

 

[Jayst84]

Whats the mount like? reasonable quality?

The Godox S brackets are really good I think. I have one in Elinchrom mount, use it to hold a Godox AD360 and a 100cm Elinchrom deep octa.

They're not metal, but it appears to be pretty serious plastic.

I'm thinking of getting a few more to mount speedlites, as they're more secure, and much less fiddly than attaching via the hotshoe. (And they get the light closer to the centre of whatever modifier you're using).

 

[Phil V]

This - I have an apollo after a recommendation on here a few years ago. It's the umbrella type so is really quick to put up and down and produces a great light with a canon 580 flash.
Cant believe the price of that mount and softbox though - good value. Whats the mount like? reasonable quality?

I'd go as far as to say 'amazing for the price'. Although buying just the mount is almost as much as buying a kit, so the softbox for a tenner or thereabouts is the real bargain with a decent quality mount at a good price.

 

[pastyman]

I've just bought the Godox 600B TTL moonlight and the build on that is very good.

 

[HoppyUK]

<snip>
Whats the mount like? reasonable quality?

Good, robust. I also have the four-way mount with four YN600EX-RTs in the 80cm softbox. It's a tight squeeze, quite heavy too, but secure and that delivers around 400Ws equiv of light With four nice hot-spots LOL
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01A6DGT6E/ref=olp_product_details?_encoding=UTF8&me=

 

[User.81858]

Those kits are amazing value aren't they!

Out of interest though Charles, what actual size is the 60x60cm softbox? I ask because I have the 80x80cm version and the white diffuser area only measures 68x68cm. Even the full width, including black surround, is only 75cm!

Just measured and it is 590mm across both ways end to end.

 

[HoppyUK]

Just measured and it is 590mm across both ways end to end.

That's more like it! Thanks

 

[Phil V]

Just measured and it is 590mm across both ways end to end.

That's more like it! Thanks

Closer than the 80cm then.

 

[TG.]

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00JQ63G5K/ref=pe_385721_140927991_TE_dp_1

I hope this works better.

Yes thanks Charles it does, they also do a umbrella type octabox which also looks very good, about £24

 

[Byker28i]

I'd go as far as to say 'amazing for the price'. Although buying just the mount is almost as much as buying a kit, so the softbox for a tenner or thereabouts is the real bargain with a decent quality mount at a good price.

TA bought one, turned up yesterday. I'll play with it tonight/tomorrow

 

[Phil V]

TA bought one, turned up yesterday. I'll play with it tonight/tomorrow

I wish I could have convinced Lencarta to stock these and got a deal on referrals. I'd be quids in. *

* I suspect there's not enough profit to make that viable.

 

[Garry Edwards]

I wish I could have convinced Lencarta to stock these and got a deal on referrals. I'd be quids in. *

* I suspect there's not enough profit to make that viable.

No profit at all - we pay VAT and taxes and offer a real warranty...
And now that we have democratically voted to devalue the £, it's got even tougher.

However we will be expanding our range substantially, including a whole raft of cheaper products not made by us, that are also properly designed and made.

 

[Byker28i]

Had a play with mine this morning. The pop up part of the design is very study, folded up with the figure 8 move we're used to with reflectors but very stiff.
The plastic molded flash holder is sturdy, holds the flashgun well and is designed to take bowens modifiers. It fits into the rear of the device by slipping it into the extended sides and is gripped really tightly. A separate diffusing sheet/cloth velcros to the front to complete.
It all comes in a zip up case, with an extra case to hold the folded up item.
Having worked it out, I can easily erect this, with flashgun in about 90 secs, ready to mount on a stand.

Really impressed for the price, a great addition. Great find chaps, thanks.

 

[metroman]

Good, robust. I also have the four-way mount with four YN600EX-RTs in the 80cm softbox. It's a tight squeeze, quite heavy too, but secure and that delivers around 400Ws equiv of light With four nice hot-spots LOL
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01A6DGT6E/ref=olp_product_details?_encoding=UTF8&me=

I can see that bracket addition being very useful when using a stripbox, using perhaps two speedlights in the 12 o'clock and 6 o'clock positions to fill the box with light where just the one speedlight has difficulty.

 

[HoppyUK]

I can see that bracket addition being very useful when using a stripbox, using perhaps two speedlights in the 12 o'clock and 6 o'clock positions to fill the box with light where just the one speedlight has difficulty.

That's a good thought, though I can see difficulties. You'd need to experiment, maybe pointing the guns to the back, fiddling with head angles and zoom settings, and I'd guess you might still end up with a dark spot in the middle.

Another trick is to get a cheapy diffuser dome off Amazon (Stofen clone). If you're prepared to put in the time, cutting holes to increase brightness and sticking bits of kitchen foil inside to reduce it, you can improve things a lot. Someone should make an accessory to do this with speedlites, a little cone-shaped reflector that sits in front of the flash tube (pointy end to the tube) to direct light to the sides. It could work really well. Kickstarter anyone? LOL