Query about extra diffusion panel within a softbox?

[Donnie]

Bit newbie and when I played with off camera flash in the past had a cheap 2ft by 2ft square softbox. Just got another godox one and there's an extra diffusion panel (clips halfway between flash head and front white softbox panel) Never seen this before and on googling it basically says it helps diffuse the light better giving a more even light, but without it you can get a more contrasty light sometimes with more concentrated light in the middle, which I guess makes sense especially if shooting at higher power?

Anyone got any thoughts on the use of the extra panel? I guess Im thinking to leave it out as I've never bothered with one before but interested to see if there's something Im missing?

 

[Garry Edwards]

I consider Godox softboxes to be 'cheap', at least in terms of quality of materials and design, and you'll probably need the inner diffuser, which in some part makes up for the poor outer diffuser.

Take a photo of the softbox, square on to the camera, both with and without the inner diffuser, and see for yourself how even the light distribution is. Another factor is colour temperature - outer diffusers yellow, affecting the colour temperature, so a lot of manufacturers add a blue tinge to the inner diffuser, to achieve some kind of colour balance, and again a test shot will help.

 

[Donnie]

You say cheap, I say "entry level" I took some photos as you said, hadn't thought of that
1st is without diffuser



and then with the inner diffuser



Same settings, I think youre right that with is slightly better so think I'll leave it in as this was only at 1/64th power too.

 

[Garry Edwards]

OK. The differences should be more apparent with about 2 stops less exposure

 

[Donnie]

Ahhh ok doh.

 

[sk66]

Basically, without the inner diffusion you can "see" the bulb behind the fabric... i.e. a central hotspot. This effect really can't be eliminated with any single diffusion design (other than rear firing, which can have the opposite result).

The central hotspot is less diffused/"harder" light... i.e. more contrasty. It can also be used to create a gradient effect without feathering (turning) the softbox. And it can be used to counter falloff around a 3D feature (face/head). But, these effects tend to be pretty refined and they don't apply as much to smaller softboxes like yours (not enough area for a notable gradient across the face).

I would suggest just using the additional central diffusion.

 

[LongLensPhotography]

I consider Godox softboxes to be 'cheap', at least in terms of quality of materials and design, and you'll probably need the inner diffuser, which in some part makes up for the poor outer diffuser.

Just like canon godox have a broad range from affordable entry level kit which is perfectly capable but may take longer to set up, or be heavier, etc to their new shallow "parabolic" softboxes to very expensive reflectors.
Elinchrom may be a bit of a step up, never tried one, and it will only fit ad400pro with optional mount accessory or elinchrom lights
It is really more what you do with it

 

[Garry Edwards]

Yes, Godox may well make decent softboxes that I haven't seen, I just don't know.

Many years ago, I used Elinchrom almost exclusively and yes, they made some very good softboxes, expensive but well worth their cost.

But the best by far, were the Bowens Wafer range - horrifically expensive but superbly designed and using top materials, cheap at twice the price.

About 15 years ago I designed a range of pro softboxes for Lencarta, made as it happens in the same factory as the Bowens ones, at what I thought was a reasonable price. I haven't asked Lencarta why they are no longer available but my guess is that the vast majority of people simply won't pay good money for good softboxes any more, even though they seem to be happy to spend many thousands on top-end cameras and lenses, it's just what it is

One of the problems with softboxes is that there is a very low entry barrier - any backstreet workshop in China can make them with unskilled labour, and it's just a race to the bottom on price. These are the softboxes that sell in volume, all softboxes as we know them today started with Chimera, top quality, and everything else is a copy of a copy of a copy, ad nauseum, cheapening the process as far as possible and normally using the cheapest possible materials. The best, but expensive, diffusion materisl is made in Vietnam, and then imported into the two decent Chinese factories.

Just like canon godox have a broad range from affordable entry level kit which is perfectly capable but may take longer to set up, or be heavier, etc to their new shallow "parabolic" softboxes to very expensive reflectors.
Elinchrom may be a bit of a step up, never tried one, and it will only fit ad400pro with optional mount accessory or elinchrom lights
It is really more what you do with it

Up to a point, yes, but it does help to have a tool that works as it should