I am getting Studio Lights, now what?

Those "cheaper" modifiers are fine if u never plan on taking them apart.... The reason the PCB SB's are more expensive is because they open like an umbrella so setup and takedown is MUCH quicker

drvnbysound wrote in post #14579979
I don't understand the complaint for a ~$150 modifier, when I've [hobbyist] invested A LOT more in other gear... and for me, light is a pretty important component

Yup

bone11 wrote in post #14579478
Are speedrings universal or do I have to get one that says it's PCB compatible? Like, if I pick up a cowboy studios softbox for studio lights that comes with a speed ring, can I assume it will fit the alien bees?

The 24x24 Cowboy softbox goes on an Einstein/ABx00 just fine FYI.

The PCB one is $120. This one is $42. While not a great amount of money compared to the cost of the units themselves, it is 3 times more so I'm mostly wondering what the difference in quality is. Since both will apparently act as diffusers of the same size, I can only assume that the build quality is different - the question is how much.

bone11 wrote in post #14580094
The PCB one is $120. This one is $42. While not a great amount of money compared to the cost of the units themselves, it is 3 times more so I'm mostly wondering what the difference in quality is. Since both will apparently act as diffusers of the same size, I can only assume that the build quality is different - the question is how much.

Not handled or used either, but I'll echo what was said earlier regarding how much you will be putting up and taking down, that's where the stress on the product build will be experienced.

Stitching can come apart, rod to speedring connections can break, silver lining can delaminate.

these are areas the MAY become issues.

bone11 wrote in post #14580094
The PCB one is $120. This one is $42. While not a great amount of money compared to the cost of the units themselves, it is 3 times more so I'm mostly wondering what the difference in quality is. Since both will apparently act as diffusers of the same size, I can only assume that the build quality is different - the question is how much.

The Cowboy Studio softboxes that I've handled definitely have a cheaper feel to them. The material isn't as stuff/thick. The 24x36 you linked to appears to be shallower than the PCB 24x36, which will make a significant difference in the light.

Also, the Cowboy Studio 24x36 you linked to doesn't appear to allow for grids, which the PCB does (and sells as an additional option).

PCB warranties their product and does a great job with support.

When I was looking for a pair of strip boxes, I was trying to find a cheaper alternative because I wanted two. My friend had bought the fotodiox ones off Amazon and they were pretty bad (weren't very rigid; grids sagged when strip box angled downward). I ended up just buying two PCB strip boxes with grids.

But if you're willing to take the time to evaluate, you can just try the Cowboy Studio through Amazon and return them if you don't like them since Amazon has a good return policy.

The renowned English philosopher/critic, John Ruskin, encapsulated the debate here. About 150 years ago he wrote "There is hardly anything in the world that some man cannot make a little worse and sell a little cheaper, and the people who consider price only are this man's lawful prey." Still as true today as ever.

Whortleberry wrote in post #14580255
The renowned English philosopher/critic, John Ruskin, encapsulated the debate here. About 150 years ago he wrote "There is hardly anything in the world that some man cannot make a little worse and sell a little cheaper, and the people who consider price only are this man's lawful prey." Still as true today as ever.

Great quote and so true!

Q

ocabj wrote in post #14580157
The Cowboy Studio softboxes that I've handled definitely have a cheaper feel to them.

PCB warranties their product and does a great job with support.

I have the Cowboy 24x24 (incl dual diffuser, grid, etc for ~$30) and the 47" PCB Octa plus Grid ($170 + $55). You get what you pay for.

I'll stick with PCB for things that matter - unless they don't sell it.

JoshuaAndrewsPhotograp​hy wrote in post #14580512
I have the Cowboy 24x24 (incl dual diffuser, grid, etc for ~$30) and the 47" PCB Octa plus Grid ($170 + $55). You get what you pay for.

I'll stick with PCB for things that matter - unless they don't sell it.

+1. Buy it nice, or buy it twice!

In a perverse sort of way, cheap products do serve a function in that we can try something out for 'pocket change' which could perhaps never be tried if it involved a hefty initial outlay (ie $30 versus $225). After over 40 years in the industry, I can remember when the Japanese started infiltrating the market dominated by German/English/America​n manufacturers. "Cheap, foreign rubbish" was the cry then. Sound familiar? The major change over the years has been that stuff designed for a traditionally delicate-handed domestic market has been beefed up to cope with the demands of a wider global market. The 'adapt and prosper' approach. I can foresee that, in time, the same will happen with what are now disparaged as "Chinese knock-offs". In the meantime, there is scope for us all to benefit from the chance to at least trial something which may otherwise be financially out of reach (ie. the domestic financial director [wife] won't let us spend that amount). Then, armed with justification based on experience, we can submit a new proposal to "she who must be obeyed".

There will always be folks who buy stuff not because it's the 'best' but because it's the most expensive. At least with some of the budget price gear coming out of the Far East, we have the opportunity to determine what really is 'the best' for us, individually. After all, you wouldn't expect to pay Ford price and get a Lamborghini.

Whortleberry wrote in post #14582124
In a perverse sort of way, cheap products do serve a function in that we can try something out for 'pocket change' which could perhaps never be tried if it involved a hefty initial outlay

I agree with this, and hadn't actually thought of it exactly this way. What if you want to try out a softbox, but later on find that a beauty dish is right for you?

Sure a more expensive one will have higher resale value, and likely keep it's value more if you resell it, but that's assuming you do resell it. It might just collect dust.

Some may suggest renting gear, though it could very well be a novelty that you enjoy shooting with for a weekend, but won't use much in the real world. Owning something cheap is a good way to negate that, and also try out a bunch of different avenues for less money than buying the best you can.

Personal preference means that different people are going to buy differently, and have their own reasons to do so.

I do, though, agree that a $150 softbox is not *that* expensive a softbox, and that it's a much better value than the $40 Cowboy Studio one. Even at 3x/4x the price, the higher price still isn't that high, and you gain a lot when it comes to the foldability. I really wish I could use the Elinchrom Rotalux softboxes still (Switched to Bowens after selling my lighting gear and coming close to throwing in the towel) - those things were very nicely designed.

Speaking of quality - back when I had Eli, I started with D-Lites, and when I got bigger modifiers (Had an eBay 60" Octabox), I really worried about the mounts not holding the softbox properly. I upgraded to RX lites, 2 600RXs, and that made me feel a lot better about the mount.
Later on I got a good deal on a Rotalux 53" Octa, and bought that - which is when I found out that the Rotalux was at most half the weight of the eBay softbox, and I could've easily mounted the Rotalux on the D-Lites without worrying about the weight.

Seemed odd that lighter stuff would be more expensive, though when it's solidly built, you don't need to worry about it falling apart just because it's lighter.

Be wary of customer reviews, too - if someone says that the Cowboy Softbox is amazing, and it's the best softbox they've used, check to make sure it's not the only one they've used. Comparisons are much better than outright reviews that don't take the competition into account.

dsit995 wrote in post #14580018
Those "cheaper" modifiers are fine if u never plan on taking them apart.... The reason the PCB SB's are more expensive is because they open like an umbrella so setup and takedown is MUCH quicker

How about this one: http://www.amazon.com …ef=oh_details_o​00_s00_i00

It also opens like an umbrella.

I agree to a point but I did say buy it NICE, not necessarily the most expensive. So, while some may be able to try out a given modifier type for $30, that doesn't mean that they would necessarily get the same results out of one that is more expensive; results not being limited only to image quality, but also things like efficiency (maybe from a different diffusion material), ease of use/setup, transportation, build quality, reliability, etc. So I don't know that I would go so far as to buy a $40 softbox and say that they aren't for me based on it's results...

At the end of the day, both the Ford and the Lamborghini will get you to where you want to go, but they are obviously different machines... a disposable camera can also produce prints, but I don't know of anyone here who uses one on a regular basis just because they are cheaper than a DSLR.

The numbers would be vastly different, but I think about those people who are looking at these studio strobe softboxes, and how much money they have spent on their PCB strobe(s) and ALL of the other gear they have... I don't know anyone who owns a studio strobe who isn't pretty serious about photography and has invested hundreds, and more likely thousands of dollars in equipment already, but to see threads so often where people are complaining about a $150 softbox just baffles me. Then again, I guess at the end of the day, it's all about the tools you choose to use to get the job done - I just choose not to be the mechanic who uses wrenches from Walmart.