On buying a softbox....

[alabama1980]

Well I finally scrounged up enough change from couch cushions, truck floorboards, and recycled aluminum cans to get a speedring and softbox...speedring is ordered and on the way, but after I started looking at the softboxes I hit a wall and would like some suggestions on what to get.

There seems to be a number of different kinds all having their own selling points.

I do know that I want to stay kind of small initially as I will likely use it more for 1 or two folks. I will likely get a bigger one later, but I was thinking something in the 28ish inch range.

Does anyone have any suggestions that won't break the bank, but at the same time won't leave me wanting to immediately get something different?

[Cmizzle]

i love my alienbees softbox

[gonzogolf]

what kind of light source? Studio flash or speedlight?

[alabama1980]

Oops, forgot to mention...

I have the Genesis 400's.

[JDubya]

What is your budget? Luckily, softboxes are very simple so once you get past the issue of how you mount it to the flash, they'll all perform similarly. One thing to consider is how it's assembled. Do you want compactness (when disassembled) or quick-to-assemble-ness (like unfolding an umbrella)?

I went with an Amvona softbox because i got a really good deal on it. It's been great and has exceeded my expectations, especially for speedlite use. It's a 2'x3' but if I could do it over again i'd probably go with a 3'x4'

[neliconcept]

full body, portrait headshots, beauty shots, half lenght body (or waist up beauty)? what do you think will be your main shooting style

28" is a bit small imo

i would look at a 39" octa to start with possibly.

[alabama1980]

Budget is somewhere in the 150-200 range.

Right now I would do more waist up stuff. I do want to do full body shots and would get a bigger softbox eventually but the umbrella would serve that purpose for the time being.

[neliconcept]

Budget is somewhere in the 150-200 range.

Right now I would do more waist up stuff. I do want to do full body shots and would get a bigger softbox eventually but the umbrella would serve that purpose for the time being.

i would look at the 39" octa, not the deep but the regular, since you have calumet you may be able to run with the elinchrom one, i think its 200 right now on the dot as far as price

[bobbyz]

Photoflex.

[m3rdpwr]

Since you already have a Speedring on the way, Photoflex comes to mind.

Pretty good for the price...

-Mario

[jdaly]

I thought you had to get the speedring for the brand of softbox you plan on getting. I see Calumet has a universal speedring, but what about all the other speedrings which are specified for a specific brand? I have the Genesis strobes as well and someday I might look into other modifiers.

[ootsk]

The larger the softbox, the softer the light. What's the disadvantage of getting a big one right now? I use a 5 foot softbox for headshots with great results.

[alabama1980]

Well it could be wrong thinking on my part, but a lot of times I do stuff in tight quarters so I am thinking that something smaller would give me better control in small areas. I can pull it in closer to have a larger softer source of light, and keep from lighting the entire environment in close quarters. On the other side of that it will be a learning curve so I can't be sure that my thinking isn't dead wrong.