What equipment do I need?

[Morph3ous]

I mentioned in a previous thread in trying to decide between a studio flash or using my speed light with modifiers off camera to take some shots of our impending baby arrival.
I'm a little confused about the equipment though and am looking for some advice.

From a thread search I've found this softbox recommended

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/...act_title_3?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=A30AIITTLA5T15

If I purchased it with this stand, would I be able to attach a lencarta smart flash to it later on? Would I need a different bracket mount?

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/...act_title_2?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE

As I'm new to the off camera flash world, I'm hoping I can see what my 430 EX II can do through this softbox, and if it's not up to the job, but a smart flash 200w for £100 and use the same kit.

If the box/stand I've linked isn't good enough, suggestions are appreciated.

Thanks

 

[Phil V]

You'd be able to put the smartflash on the stand, but the bracket would be surplus (the bracket replicates what the front of the smartflash looks like - sorta).

That softbox doesn't play nice with studio heads, it needs some kind of speedring fashioning, I've not had much of a go because I have plenty of other s fit modifiers, but I'm sure it could be made to fit.

 

[Morph3ous]

Thank you. Any softbox alternative suggestions?

 

[Phil V]

Not brand specific but some things to bear in mind.

• As large as is practical, many of the usual 'starter kit' softboxes are only big enough for head and shoulders (I'd say something like 120 x 70 or a 90 Octobox)
• Look for an 'easy up' solution, whether that's pop up or umbrella type, erecting softboxes is a PITA, particularly if you're doing it rarely and you won't be keeping it up for long (sounds like a married sex life - sorry)
• It's good to have a deep lip so you can fit a grid later
  
• Avoid the cheap softboxes without an internal baffle, unless they're the umbrella (rear facing flash) type

Of course if you're buying the Smartflash new, getting a Lencarta profold at the same time makes sense, but if money is tight, there are savings to be made if you shop around.

 

[HoppyUK]

I mentioned in a previous thread in trying to decide between a studio flash or using my speed light with modifiers off camera to take some shots of our impending baby arrival.
I'm a little confused about the equipment though and am looking for some advice.

From a thread search I've found this softbox recommended

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/...act_title_3?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=A30AIITTLA5T15

If I purchased it with this stand, would I be able to attach a lencarta smart flash to it later on? Would I need a different bracket mount?

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/...act_title_2?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE

As I'm new to the off camera flash world, I'm hoping I can see what my 430 EX II can do through this softbox, and if it's not up to the job, but a smart flash 200w for £100 and use the same kit.

If the box/stand I've linked isn't good enough, suggestions are appreciated.

Thanks

Seriously, the choice between a studio head and a speedlight is not even a contest, even more so for newcomers. The biggest plus for speedlights is they don't need mains power, but that's about it. They're very small and portable too of course, but that's hardly important when you have great big stands and softboxes to consider either way.

Studio heads are cheap, have modelling lamps, recycle fast, and have power when you need it. These are all major advantages. Get the Smartflash-2, then use the speedlight as an additional light in situations that play to its strengths. I use them for hair light and backgrounds now and then, the zoom head is handy for that too - just naked, or with a flag (piece or card) when pointing towards the camera.

 

[DG Phototraining]

Never wishing to disagree with Hoppy... but... I do portraits in people's homes, space is always a problem seconded only by spare sockets for wires or access to them behind heavy furniture. For a typical 4/5 family or less speedlights are perfectly fine, are easily powerful enough and recycle fast enough too; if you can't handle a 1 sec wait you have issues with patience

They are also easier to place, lighter to carry and cheaper

And yes I had a 3 strobe studio set-up once upon a time - PITA by comparison - however...

If you're new to lighting, then a modeling light is a real bonus of studio gear and if you're only shooting in your own home then a few extension cables and you're sorted. If your own family falls over your wires and hurt themselves then at least they are less likely to sue

Dave

 

[HoppyUK]

But you know what you're doing Dave, a hundred times over

Recycle time is vital - it's not the photographer that needs patience, its facial expressions that are fleeting and constantly changing. With kids especially, you sometimes only get one chance. I don't know about your nuclear powered speedlight, but the average gun would be flat out in that situation, with ISO pushed, and more like 3 seconds, which is an eternity. The result there is that you shoot before the gun is ready, it goes off half-cock with big under exposure - frame wasted* and you then have to wait another three seconds while looking like an amateur with the wrong gear.

*Even worse is you don't realise the flash is not recharging fully (they get much slower after a dozen or so full-power pops) and go on shooting happily. It's only afterwards you discover that most of the shoot is down the pan.

 

[Morph3ous]

Thank you for the advice. I really appreciate it.

I've decided to stop messing about and just get what I really want. Until I've tried them I'd always be aiming towards some studio flashes. The maths add up too when you consider get price of a lencarta two head kit vs buying softbox/triggers/stand and then a second set of kit for another light.
So I'm going to sell my Speedlight, and put the funds towards a studio kit. I rarely use the Speedlight now, and once I've got studio heads I'll use it even less I predict. If I find I need one in the future, I'll get a Yongnuo.

 

[Sir SR]

Thank you for the advice. I really appreciate it.

I've decided to stop messing about and just get what I really want. Until I've tried them I'd always be aiming towards some studio flashes. The maths add up too when you consider get price of a lencarta two head kit vs buying softbox/triggers/stand and then a second set of kit for another light.
So I'm going to sell my Speedlight, and put the funds towards a studio kit. I rarely use the Speedlight now, and once I've got studio heads I'll use it even less I predict. If I find I need one in the future, I'll get a Yongnuo.

I started out with speed lights and latterly bought studio heads.

Studio heads every time for me now!!

There is a cheap softbox going in the classifieds[emoji106]

 

[Morph3ous]

Thanks. I'm mulling over what size softbox to buy. Would I notice much difference with a larger softbox over the 60x60? Trying to keep costs down as I'm pushing the budget already!

 

[simonbarker]

Thanks. I'm mulling over what size softbox to buy. Would I notice much difference with a larger softbox over the 60x60? Trying to keep costs down as I'm pushing the budget already!

Yes and no, the size should be determined by the kind of look you're trying to achieve.

If you were after a very soft light you'd need a large light source relative to your subject and that generally means something larger than the subject very close to them. It's more complicated than that (a light very close to the subject falls off very quickly etc) but if you come to understand the importance of relative size that's half the battle.

For a lot of beginners they're limited by the space available to them and something around the 80 x 100 mark is a compromise between being large enough to do several tasks but also of a manageable size in most homes.

 

[Sir SR]

I used that softbox very close to the subject. I had a quite limited space!!

 

[Morph3ous]

The primary reason for the studio kit is to capture images of our soon to arrive newborn, so I guess relative to her,60x60 is big, but I'd also like to use the softbox for other child/adult portraiture if I could.

 

[Sir SR]

The primary reason for the studio kit is to capture images of our soon to arrive newborn, so I guess relative to her,60x60 is big, but I'd also like to use the softbox for other child/adult portraiture if I could.

I still use it for my 8 year old - she's just under 5ft!!

Images with this softbox

Sophia Xmas Brenizer by Sir SR, on Flickr

Halfway to Christmas by Sir SR, on Flickr

BWS Hood by Sir SR, on Flickr

But ideally I guess as big as you can manage in your space/budget!

 

[HoppyUK]

Thank you for the advice. I really appreciate it.

I've decided to stop messing about and just get what I really want. Until I've tried them I'd always be aiming towards some studio flashes. The maths add up too when you consider get price of a lencarta two head kit vs buying softbox/triggers/stand and then a second set of kit for another light.
So I'm going to sell my Speedlight, and put the funds towards a studio kit. I rarely use the Speedlight now, and once I've got studio heads I'll use it even less I predict. If I find I need one in the future, I'll get a Yongnuo.

Don't sell the speedlight! You'll need it, and if you're not using it now, you should be or will be.

To save on initial outlay, just get one studio head and a couple of cheap umbrellas - suggest white and shoot-through for starters. They'll be fine for baby pics and very quick/easy to put up/down. Reflective umbrellas (ie white) also need less room if space is tight, and for softboxes I'd really recommend the easy push-up type (eg Lencarta Profold, as Phil mentioned) and they cost as much as the head itself. Save a bit more with a cheap trigger like Yongnuo RF-603

 

[simonbarker]

The primary reason for the studio kit is to capture images of our soon to arrive newborn, so I guess relative to her,60x60 is big, but I'd also like to use the softbox for other child/adult portraiture if I could.

I would have said it's not, you're probably going to want to leave some space between the subject and the softbox so it would work out only a little bigger (a 60 x 60 is something like a crib in size right?) whereas I'd personally want it at least twice the size of the subject (I'm pretty sure Gary has quoted 3 times). Given the task I'd probably opt for at least 100 x 80 but available space becomes an issue and it's not worth stressing out too much over this as your first step, even with a tiny softbox the results should provide an obvious improvement over your on camera flash.

As Richard suggests give an umbrella a try, if you get a kit it'll probably come with a softbox in this sort of size and you could do worse than the Lencarta 60 x 60 listed in the classifieds. All the tools have their place.

 

[Garry Edwards]

Thanks. I'm mulling over what size softbox to buy. Would I notice much difference with a larger softbox over the 60x60? Trying to keep costs down as I'm pushing the budget already!

You don't need a large softbox for photographing babies and young children. The main quality of large softboxes is their capability of producing soft lighting - which isn't needed for subjects that have perfect skin and perfect features.
Mind you, if you start taking photos of grandmothers with baby, then a large softbox may come in very handy

'Large' is relative. Even a medium softbox, say 100 x 70cm, takes up a lot of space in a normal room, and also the larger the softbox, the higher the ceiling needs to be.

a 100cm white shoot through umbrella will give you the same softness of light as a 100cm softbox (roughly) and a white reflective umbrella of the same size won't produce such soft lighting, but wil be more controlled.

I would have said it's not, you're probably going to want to leave some space between the subject and the softbox so it would work out only a little bigger (a 60 x 60 is something like a crib in size right?) whereas I'd personally want it at least twice the size of the subject (I'm pretty sure Gary has quoted 3 times). Given the task I'd probably opt for at least 100 x 80 but available space becomes an issue and it's not worth stressing out too much over this as your first step, even with a tiny softbox the results should provide an obvious improvement over your on camera flash.

As Richard suggests give an umbrella a try, if you get a kit it'll probably come with a softbox in this sort of size and you could do worse than the Lencarta 60 x 60 listed in the classifieds. All the tools have their place.

My minimum 3x subject 'rule' is for creating diffused specular highlights on shiny products shots, not for when shooting people.

 

[Morph3ous]

Again, thanks for replies I really appreciate it.

I would like to go for some profolds but I can't quite stretch to the additional cost of upgrading right now. I've looked on the website and I see the 85x85 chiaro is selling half price because of a manufacturing error. It can never hold honeycombs which at the moment doesn't concern me because I'd unlikely get a honeycomb for a 60x60 anyway, so would this slightly larger version be a better bet for what I'm looking to photograph?