homemade softbox

[Warman]

I am currently trying to build a softbox with a cardboard box and muslin. Has anyone ever tried to do that? I am on a dilema as to what kind of lamp i need. I have the box and four layers of muslin to provide the soft effect. Halogen? 250W?

[robertwgross]

I've never tried this before with cardboard and four layers of muslin. However, I would expect that a 250 watt halogen would cause it to catch fire within minutes. I think 500 watt halogens will do it in seconds.

---Bob Gross---

[rkoshy]

I am currently trying to build a softbox with a cardboard box and muslin. Has anyone ever tried to do that? I am on a dilema as to what kind of lamp i need. I have the box and four layers of muslin to provide the soft effect. Halogen? 250W?

Cardboard + Muslin + lots of heat... I don't know if that's a winning combination there :lol:

[Scottes]

Halogen, Fire, POOF! No more softbox. Maybe no more house.

However, BIG flourescent lights work well. Just make sure that you use the exact same type of light everywhere in the room to keep the same temperature, and set your white balance. Custom WB is better. Don't use flash because it will be a different temp & color.

I have 3 identical 150-watt curly lightbulbs that fit into regular sockets. Two are in home-made softboxes, made with foamcore board and tracing paper. The light is pretty dim, requiring long shutter times, but it lets me play in the basement on the cheap.

Whatever you use for the box, get it or paint it bright glossy white on the inside. This will bounce the light around inside the box and produce a softer light. One layer of paper or muslin should do.

[Warman]

Hehehe, i know about the fire hazard but i would only have it on for a shot period. Anyway, i said halogen cause i realy dont know. :P
I will try with fluorescent lights. :D

[aam1234]

However, BIG flourescent lights work well

Scottes, are you sure about that? In my feeble attempt to avoid the light heat I purchased a "for professional use" and "cool daylight" lamp (as the British would call it. But it stinks for photography.

[ejwebb]

I constructed a frame and legs with pvc and stretched a cheap white twin sheet around it. I then place a halogen work light behind it - not too close, though. These seem to work ok with my initial experiment and required very little investment. Not exactly professional but it gives me a cheap way to play with lighting in the basement.

EDIT-photo removed. I will take some more test shots and post a photo of the setup and example results if anyone is interested.

[Scottes]

However, BIG flourescent lights work well

Scottes, are you sure about that? In my feeble attempt to avoid the light heat I purchased a "for professional use" and "cool daylight" lamp (as the British would call it. But it stinks for photography.

It's worked for me. Why do you think it stinks?

[aam1234]

Why do you think it stinks?

Because it looks like it's been taken under florescent, even when choosing florescent in the WB setting on the 300D (hmm, come to think of it, I'm not sure I set it to florescent). But it says "cool daylight" so I probably set the cam to "daylight" :oops:

[robertwgross]

Geez, there are only about a million flavors of fluorescent light. Just setting a camera to one preset white balance setting, and then hoping that it is right for your flavor of fluorescent... not wise.

Why not do a real custom white balance on that light and then see whether it works or not?

---Bob Gross---

[aam1234]

Why not do a real custom white balance on that light and then see whether it works or not?

For me it sounds too complicated, especially if you are only trying one or two pics. Not sure it's worth the effort.[/quote]

[robertwgross]

For me it sounds too complicated, especially if you are only trying one or two pics. Not sure it's worth the effort.

It's like everything else. The first time you want to do it, it is too complicated and not worth the effort. However, once you have learned how to do it, it becomes automatic in your brain.

All I have to remember is to turn it off afterward, or back to normal. I tie a string around my finger to remind myself, and then I forget what the damned string is for.

---Bob Gross---

[aam1234]

I tie a string around my finger to remind myself, and then I forget what the damned string is for

Ha ha, that's a classic. I often find myself in that situation.

[JZaun]

Why not do a real custom white balance on that light and then see whether it works or not?

For me it sounds too complicated, especially if you are only trying one or two pics. Not sure it's worth the effort.[/quote]


I thought so too but can do it now in aout 45 sec :D.. Just do it a couple of times and it becomes easy!!!

JZ

[Jon]

Why not do a real custom white balance on that light and then see whether it works or not?

For me it sounds too complicated, especially if you are only trying one or two pics. Not sure it's worth the effort.

If you're going to all the trouble of building a softbox, doing custom white balance is minor.

[Harry Settle]

Nice idea Bloo. That setup would work really well with the Smith Victor slave strobes that I have.

[Warman]

Just for reference, if i get about four florescent lights which have the equivalent of 50 W each in ilumination power, do i have as much light as if i had a 200W halogen lamp?

[Jon]

It depends. They'll probably be within about a stop or so of the same level, but both fluorescents and incandescents vary greatly in output depending on the shapes of the lamps, any reflectors built-in, type of light (cool white, warm white, daylight are all common for fluorescents, soft white, regular frosted, clear for incandescent "A' lamps, flood or spot if using R-type or PAR), shape (both fluorescent and incandescent), separation of the fluorescents (closer together they'll be putting more light on any given part of the subject), and a whole host of other factors.

[aam1234]

So do you think the energy saving type could be used. It says the input is 23 watt and the output is 120 W (aside from correcting the WB).

[robertwgross]

So do you think the energy saving type could be used. It says the input is 23 watt and the output is 120 W (aside from correcting the WB).

If a bulb has 23 watts input and the equivalent of 120 watts of light output (compared to incandescent), then it is a compact fluorescent bulb. They tend to have a much narrower spectrum of light, as compared to incandescent, especially the cheaper ones. There are a few very good ones that cost more. However, the only way you can prove anything is to try it out with your gear and see what you think.

---Bob Gross---

[Jon]

So do you think the energy saving type could be used. It says the input is 23 watt and the output is 120 W (aside from correcting the WB).

Well, light output is generally measured in "lumens". A quick peek at GE's website shows they have 100 watt type A lamps (standard household) of between 1250 and 1600 lumens, and that was stoping at their "Soft White" line; IIRC their "conventional" frosted A was about 1785 lumens.

But, yes, they could be used. You'll have to do a custom white balance because, as Bob Gross says, of the broken emission spectrum they use.

[aam1234]

Thanks Bob. It was the most expensive at the shop, but it's not really expensive, something like $6-7. It's says "for professional use" and "cool daylight" (as mentioned earlier).

[aam1234]

Thanks Jon. And this is good news, because incandescent is scary to work with in a basic setup, due to heat.

[robertwgross]

Thanks Jon. And this is good news, because incandescent is scary to work with in a basic setup, due to heat.

I have an unheated garage studio setup and have it equipped with several 500 watt halogen lights. This works well in the winter when the lights heat up the place. I have the light power cords running up into the rafters. That way, if some light stand gets bumped, nothing is going to crash to the floor.

Yes, a custom white balance was necessary.

---Bob Gross---

[aam1234]

If you make a custom WB, how do you remove it.

[robertwgross]

If you make a custom WB, how do you remove it.

That is a good question. First of all, you don't have to remove it. If you select one of the other white balance settings, you will just leave that custom white balance setting unused. The only time the camera uses a custom white balance is when you have one created and saved, and then you select custom white balance as a setting.

If you feel that you must remove it, I believe you have only two methods. One is to create a new custom white balance, perhaps one that you know is completely neutral. The other way (I think) is to remove the camera's main battery and also the memory battery. Then let it sit there for a while to make sure that any so-called super caps are discharged. That should effectively wipe out any custom white balance. I don't think that it is written to semi-permanent memory, but I could be wrong. Of course, wiping it out will also wipe out any other custom settings that you have set in the camera. Those can be replaced easily, and the camera will figure out image numbers when it looks at the old CF card.

---Bob Gross---

[aam1234]

Thanks Bob,

So the custom WB stays there until you replace it w/ another custom WB (unless one does what you described in your second paragraph).

[Warman]

Ok, this is what i have come up with for a homemade studio.
Tips?
http://www.dagonar.com/warman/g/stdiosetup.jpg

[Scottes]

This pic is *extremely* difficult to see. It's coming up at 3900x635, and looks far too compressed.

[Warman]

heum, guess desktop size is too big. Ill post another version. :)

[peapea]

Hi all,

I realize this thread is old, but I am sure that I am not the only one online looking for tips on making a home made softbox. I have been reading a lot of postings, on different boards, lots of useful stuff and ditto creative people!!! :)

I just got an idea, one that I haven't seen anyone else online mention, so maybe this can help somebody else. I know I am going to a store tomorrow... If some of you think this is a bad idea, it would also be real nice if you posted so!!! :)

You know those "skeletons" for making your own lamp shades? Or, maybe even a ready made lampshade? You can get both these at the exact same shape as softboxes normally come in, and if you buy on sale, or go on eBay, you can find them real easy... I was thinking that maybe I will buy one that is black, with the material that is like straight cotton on the outside (not pleaded, he-he), and white heat resistant plastic on the inside. I will then use an emergency blanket (will have to get a new one for my car first aid kit, I'm afraid) as a silver relector on the inside. I will first make small strips, maybe 1" wide, and glue them to the corners inside the lamp shade, to make sure these are neatly covered. Then i will simply use the shade as a template, then cut out the 4 pieces before I spray the inside with 3M spray glue, and glue the pieces in place. I will probably try thin white nylon fabric (lining fabric, is that the same as ripstop?) for the front. I think I will cut it, sew three corners the same shape as the lamp shade, then hem the whole thing and make a velcro opener on the last corner. That way it will be a perfect fit, and easy to take on and off if needed. If I for some reason did not want to sew, I would make it a square, around 4" or so larger than the opening on the lamp shade, then cut the corners off (see on the lamp shade how much, and cut off a little less). I would then first use hemming tape to make neat hems on the corners, not more than around 1/2" - before I fold in all sides so that the edges will go over the sides of the lamp shade around 1.5". I would then use sticky velcro on it and the shade to hold it in place. The only downside with this is that maybe you would have to choose a thin and transparent cotton fabric instead, as the hemming tape do need a bit of a hot iron to stick, that might not work too well with nylon fabric... Not entirely sure though. Maybe mylar drafting film is better? Is that the same as tracing paper? This is the stuff architects use, right? That is pretty durable, as I recall...

The challenge is the fastening system, which should be both light, easy and work well for taking it on and off. I think I will choose one of the shades that comes with the "thingies" (sorry, guys, but that kind of thing is sure not on my English vocabulary! ;) that reach down inside to be fastened with a screw on ring to the lamp/bulb holder. Get my drift? I will then take my Dremel (or a little saw) and cut the ring piece off. Now comes the little challenge. How can these be used in constructing the bracket or "fastening-thingie" (I like that better, giggle)? To be honest, I really don't know yet. I just came to think about this whole idea... I guess I will study the ideas of others here... I came to think of one thing though. There is this really hard plastic, which is used for orthopedic braces/orthoses. It can be put in hot water, then molded around whatever it is to fit, and within a few minutes, it becomes totally stiff... I know I had some samples of this stuff laying around here, but actually think I threw it away, buh-huh... But maybe I can get my hands on some, maybe asking an occupational therapist could be an idea... Should be real easy to make from that kind of plastic. If not, I don't know of any other type of plastic which easily can be molded and will go rigid. I guess one could cut plastic e.g. with a Dremel, and krazy glue it together too, with tape reinforcements. But it won't be as good. Metal could also be used, but that is so much more difficult, I don't think I have all the tools needed to shape it properly etc. It would be neat not having to use wood and metal combined, with all the sawing, sanding etc. involved to get a pretty result... It could maybe be OK to make the holder thingie easy to take off (by using the metal in there already?), so if you want to use it for a photo lamp instead of the blits (e.g. if you use a real big lamp shade), you can easily change this part. Who knows, maybe this will be so fun, I end out making another one later?

Anyway, just wanted to post this, in case it could be of help to someone... :) Sorry it got so long...

Good luck! If I get to making mine in not too long, maybe I will remember to post a pic... :)

:Pea :)

[SWPhotoImaging]

All I have to remember is to turn it off afterward, or back to normal. I tie a string around my finger to remind myself, and then I forget what the damned string is for.

---Bob Gross---

That what usually bites me in the a$$, forgetting to switch back to AWB after going to custome for indoor lighting situations.

And like Bob said, switching to custom WB is extremely simple. Look in your manuals, and try it once to see how quiock it is to snap a picture of something white/grayish in your lighting situation, then sleect taht image under custom WB, and viola!, you are done.