Large Softboxes

There's some nice design touches on those.
 
Not seen that before, but just thought I'd mention another popular method I use occasionally, mainly because I don't have a really big softbox and would only use it very occasionally. But I do have several smaller rectangular softboxes, and a few heads, so I stack them one on top of another on the same stand, or side by side on two stands, and it works really well.

It occurs to me that, for example, four Lencarta 70x100 Profold softboxes at £120 each would cost roughly similar money, and they go up/down in the same easy manner as the 6x4ft one linked. That would give several options, such as a pair of giant strips, or one big box 4.5 x 6.5ft. And four times the potential power too of course. Brightness might be more even than one huge box, and you can grid them as well :)

Edit: Bessel do a big 120x60cm at £60, or maybe four 60x90cm at £50 each that would make one 4x6ft for £200.
 
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HoppyUK said:
Not seen that before, but just thought I'd mention another popular method I use occasionally, mainly because I don't have a really big softbox and would only use it very occasionally. But I do have several smaller rectangular softboxes, and a few heads, so I stack them one on top of another on the same stand, or side by side on two stands, and it works really well.

It occurs to me that, for example, four Lencarta 70x100 Profold softboxes at £120 each would cost roughly similar money, and they go up/down in the same easy manner as the 6x4ft one linked. That would give several options, such as a pair of giant strips, or one big box 4.5 x 6.5ft. And four times the potential power too of course. Brightness might be more even than one huge box, and you can grid them as well :)

Edit: Bessel do a big 120x60cm at £60, or maybe four 60x90cm at £50 each that would make one 4x6ft for £200.
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That's OK for people with lots of lights though Richard, some of us are poor / just starting out / poor / tight / etc.

That's the mixed joy / frustration of lighting, what you really need is a collection of different things to satisfy your creative desires.
 
Phil V said:
That's OK for people with lots of lights though Richard, some of us are poor / just starting out / poor / tight / etc.

That's the mixed joy / frustration of lighting, what you really need is a collection of different things to satisfy your creative desires.
Click to expand...

True Phil, to make it work economically it does assume you already have a bit of kit. Just a suggestion and not everyone's cup of Yorkshire Gold.

Actually I don't have loads of stuff, because I don't need it, but if I was going down the massive softbox route, that's the way I'd do it. A major upside for me would be the two big strips option you get for free :thumbs: I'd buy a couple more budget heads, eg Elinchrom D-Lite Ones at £140 each (or Lencarta Smartflashes) and four 60x90 Bessels at £50, total cost £480.
 
I've seen that softbox in the Chinese factory where they're made. It wouldn't win any prizes for build quality and the light is massively uneven due to the material used for the walls.
There isn't really much of a market for anything that big in this country, it needs a really high ceiling.
The guy in the video really ought to know that lights need to be fitted to large accessories, not the other way round.
Richard' suggestion of stacking softboxes when needed is a good one.
 
if you need soft light from something that big, unless you're an automotive photographer then isn't it going to be upright, for full length, lookbook-y shots?... in which casecan't you throw two strobes into a V-flat? Put trace over the front of the opening if you want to add a layer of diff as well as bounce
 
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itsdavedotnet said:
if you need soft light from something that big, unless you're an automotive photographer then isn't it going to be upright, for full length, lookbook-y shots?... in which case just throw two strobes use a V-flat. Put trace over the front of the opening if you want to add a layer of diff as well as bounce
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Yes, forgot to say that stacking softboxes basically limits you to an upright light, without a lot of faffing about. Scrims are another very effective solution, and more versatile, eg here http://photo.net/photography-lighting-equipment-techniques-forum/00FOjB Note reply some bloke called Garry :D

Edit: Lastolte calls them Skylite Rapid
http://www.lastolite.com/category/1066861.1066894.0.0.0/Skylite_Rapid
 
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HoppyUK said:
Yes, forgot to say that stacking softboxes basically limits you to an upright light, without a lot of faffing about. Scrims are another very effective solution, and more versatile, eg here http://photo.net/photography-lighting-equipment-techniques-forum/00FOjB Note reply some bloke called Garry :D

Edit: Lastolte calls them Skylite Rapid
http://www.lastolite.com/category/1066861.1066894.0.0.0/Skylite_Rapid
Click to expand...
Just to complicate things a bit, please note also that I speak 5 languages if you include American...
In Americanese, silks are called scrims (and so are scrims), so on photo.net I was actually talking about scrims, not silks:)
 
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