Next challenge - Strobist Gridded Softbox/brolly/etc

Marcus Geezer

Marcus Geezer

Suspended / Banned
Messages
3,522
Name
Marcus
Edit My Images
Yes
Ebay, Google, random searches have not come up with a solution, other than an s-type strobist bracket and a <insert brand name here> gridded softbox. Ideally looking for a strobist gridded softbox/brollybox/reflector-brolly.

Does anyones know anywhere that sells one?

Cheers,

Marcus
 
Byker28i said:
I've recently bought a wescott apollo umbrella softbox that I'm using with speedlights
Anything in their range that helps? They have grids etc to fit softboxes

http://www.fjwestcott.com/products/array.cfm?tbl=grids&catname=grids&head=grids
Click to expand...

Thanks for posting this up. I've had a look and they seem to do a few different options but the recessed folding ones with brolly type mounts that allow you to fit grids seem to be around the £135 mark. If I was to spend this amount I'd buy the larger lencarta equivalent with s-type mount, buy an s-type strobist mount and then have kit I could use with both strobist and mains lighting gear that allows me to fit a grid. Ok I might spend just a few quid more, but I'd have a bit more versatility in my kit.

I own strobist brollybox gear which was bought for around £20 each and was hoping for a gridded equivalent.

Anyone?
 
Last edited:
GDHphotography said:
Viewfinder strobist softbox, 95cm octobox. Has a central diffuser on inner baffle so behaves like a beauty dish with outer diffuser off, lovely softbox with it on. £80 top notch....
Click to expand...

Can you grid it?
 
Marcus Geezer said:
Thanks for posting this up. I've had a look and they seem to do a few different options but the recessed folding ones with brolly type mounts that allow you to fit grids seem to be around the £135 mark. If I was to spend this amount I'd buy the larger lencarta equivalent with s-type mount, buy an s-type strobist mount and then have kit I could use with both strobist and mains lighting gear that allows me to fit a grid. Ok I might spend just a few quid more, but I'd have a bit more versatility in my kit.

I own strobist brollybox gear which was bought for around £20 each and was hoping for a gridded equivalent.

Anyone?
Click to expand...

Sounds favourite. Gridded stuff is not common for hot-shoe guns, and that adapter route just opens up loads of options.

Some nice work on your Charter site :thumbs: apart from the massive watermarks ;)
 
HoppyUK said:
Sounds favourite. Gridded stuff is not common for hot-shoe guns, and that adapter route just opens up loads of options.

Some nice work on your Charter site :thumbs: apart from the massive watermarks ;)
Click to expand...

Thanks Hoppy, your comments about my work have made my day. Watermarks. . . always a quandry about where and how big.

Grids eat light and can see why there are not many options as even with the powerful strobes it may start getting hard to output enough light. I need to buy either cheap strobist or s-type so that I dont buy expensive twice.
 
Marcus Geezer said:
Thanks Hoppy, your comments about my work have made my day. Watermarks. . . always a quandry about where and how big.

Grids eat light and can see why there are not many options as even with the powerful strobes it may start getting hard to output enough light. I need to buy either cheap strobist or s-type so that I dont buy expensive twice.
Click to expand...

You're welcome Marcus :)

Are you doing all that stuff with hot-shoe guns? Looks like a great excuse to set serious with a proper studio head, maybe just one as main key light, with hot-shoe guns doing the rest, is quite a good mix.

The fact that you're wanting a grid suggests you're after a bit more control. I find that when I'm using just hot-shoes I go for pretty safe (dull?) lighting because I can't always be sure of what I'm getting without a modelling light - not without a lot of trial and error and messing about. Studio heads are very liberating in that respect.

Edit: And then there's the much faster recycle time.
 
Last edited:
HoppyUK said:
You're welcome Marcus :)

Are you doing all that stuff with hot-shoe guns? Looks like a great excuse to set serious with a proper studio head, maybe just one as main key light, with hot-shoe guns doing the rest, is quite a good mix.

The fact that you're wanting a grid suggests you're after a bit more control. I find that when I'm using just hot-shoes I go for pretty safe (dull?) lighting because I can't always be sure of what I'm getting without a modelling light - not without a lot of trial and error and messing about. Studio heads are very liberating in that respect.

Edit: And then there's the much faster recycle time.
Click to expand...

All achieved with speedlites on manual. You get used to knowing settings based upon the different modifiers you have, and although a little messing around, once you're familiar it's very minimal.

Pro's and con's all in, I love the portability of the speedlites, but the only con of the mains route is the cost as I'd want to start wiith direct replacements for my speedlite setup which is minimum three head kit and wouldnt accept anything less than gridded modifiers at the moment. Think I'm looking at £750 to £1,000 which is a little out of my budget right now, but hopefully first quarter of 2012.

Right now I want a cheapo strobist gridded brollybox/softbox/something so I can acheive the lighting I'm after with speedlites.

Anyone?
 
Phottix or ishoot 70x70 or 60x90 umbrella-type softbox come with a grid. It is a copy of the Westcott Apollo, so will be suitable for your speedlights, but the biggest monoblock studio lights might have problems fitting in. Also, due the mounting mechanism of the softbox via the umbrella shaft, tilt is limited.

I haven't ordered on of these yet, but will probably do after Christmas.
 
Cistron said:
Phottix or ishoot 70x70 or 60x90 umbrella-type softbox come with a grid. It is a copy of the Westcott Apollo, so will be suitable for your speedlights, but the biggest monoblock studio lights might have problems fitting in. Also, due the mounting mechanism of the softbox via the umbrella shaft, tilt is limited.

I haven't ordered on of these yet, but will probably do after Christmas.
Click to expand...

I'll have a look thanks. Re tried my search and found this... getting warmer I think! :thinking:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/80cm-32-Cloth-Octagonal-flashgun-Flash-Umbrella-Softbox-Diffuser-HONEYCOMB-GRID-/180746797262?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item2a155940ce
 
Cistron said:
Yes, this is one of the Apollo copies. If you want to feather light though, you might find it easier to do with the straight edge of a rectangular softbox.
Click to expand...

I've already got a strobist softbox and had a play, and not suitable. I'm looking for something around 90x90 or approx 90cm round with a grid. I think for strobist this product may be the way forward. Forty notes each and from China.... hmmm..... need to have a think....

For reference the lighting I'm trying to acheive as a start point is... two gridded large light sources left and right slightly behind with a beauty dish above. Got the dish... trying to find strobist gridded light sources.
 
By all means get the softbox, but don't expect too much of the honeycomb grid. From what I've seen of the 'free' softbox honeycombs on Ebay, they're all pretty useless - made cheaply by people who have no idea what they're for and just inferior copies of proper ones.

Reading the info in the listing + guessing, I would say that the honeycomb segments 15mm deep. For comparison, the Lencarta softbox honeycombs are 45mm deep, and they need this kind of depth to be effective.

And softbox honeycombs eat light anyway - not a good thing when the power is barely adequate without them. And they aren't that easy to use without a modelling lamp.
 
Garry Edwards said:
By all means get the softbox, but don't expect too much of the honeycomb grid. From what I've seen of the 'free' softbox honeycombs on Ebay, they're all pretty useless - made cheaply by people who have no idea what they're for and just inferior copies of proper ones.

Reading the info in the listing + guessing, I would say that the honeycomb segments 15mm deep. For comparison, the Lencarta softbox honeycombs are 45mm deep, and they need this kind of depth to be effective.

And softbox honeycombs eat light anyway - not a good thing when the power is barely adequate without them. And they aren't that easy to use without a modelling lamp.
Click to expand...

Thanks for posting Garry. It's probably a good idea to hold back on my lighting goal until I can fork out the cash for a mains powered setup from some random supplier :bonk:
 
Garry Edwards said:
By all means get the softbox, but don't expect too much of the honeycomb grid. From what I've seen of the 'free' softbox honeycombs on Ebay, they're all pretty useless - made cheaply by people who have no idea what they're for and just inferior copies of proper ones.

Reading the info in the listing + guessing, I would say that the honeycomb segments 15mm deep. For comparison, the Lencarta softbox honeycombs are 45mm deep, and they need this kind of depth to be effective.

And softbox honeycombs eat light anyway - not a good thing when the power is barely adequate without them. And they aren't that easy to use without a modelling lamp.
Click to expand...
And I learned something new again :)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top