Jinbei 180x40cm Stripbox - A quick review

For quite a while now I've been looking for a budget based stripbox. If I was anywhere but Australia, I probably would've looked closer at the Creative Light/Chimera alternatives but shipping here is a killer and the local CL distributor is near useless.

I've read some good reviews on a few Jinbei products before and after pages of discussion in the Elinchrom forum about various strips I thought I'd be a guinea pig so to speak and I ordered the Jinbei 180x40cm Stripbox with Grid.

Please note that I've never used a non Rotalux softbox before.

The strip arrived 3 days after ordering it from a local supplier and I was itching to have a look at it.

First off, the packaging was very good and the supplied bag that comes with the grid is of reasonable quality.

After opening the bag and laying all the pieces out on the lounge-room floor I decided to take a crack at putting this very LONG box together. Having never put a non Rotalux box together before I desperately searched for some form of instructions but there was nothing (a bit of a letdown - but not that big a deal if you read on).

After the panic of no instructions settled down, common sense set in and I laid the box flat on the ground and sat the speedring in it's spot (see image 1 and 2). I inserted all 4 rods into the ring and tried to force them into the far corners of the box. Two would fit perfectly but the other two just didn't seem right.

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The stripbox is supplied with two layers of diffusion (inner and outer - see images 8, 9 and 10) and they both seem quite well made and easily fitted. I think the inner diffusion layer could be fitted better but the box does still meter very evenly (see later in the review).

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On a side note I cant' confirm that this box can be used with video lights but I have noticed it has two small vents on the back of the box that I'd recommend using with high powered modelling lights (see image 16)

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Nice review Luke!
I ordered two of these from the same shop as you on Tuesday, but he posted them using registered post instead of an express courier... so I don't think I'll have them for a while

Thanks for the review, Luke.
How much did you end up paying for it? It certainly seems like a decent deal, for the price in Europe at least.
I do like the vents. Do they stay open once opened?

Is there a reason that there is no pic of the strip with both diffusors and grid?
In which configuration did you shoot test pic #15?

Also, mind sharing a pic showing how the grid holds up with the strip in a horiztonal position?

By the way, Rimelite has the same velcro sleeve design.

Nice review! Looks like a good stripbox.

thanks Luke, looks like the grid offers pretty good control, nice autopole setup too

I wonder how well that would work if you stuck a speedlight into each vent...

Hi Luke,

Thanks for the review. Based on what you're showing and what you've said, it would seem that the Visico is nearly identical to the Cheetah strip with the exception of the grid. The Visico grid looks to have larger cells and thinner material but in the end it's all about control and the grid you have does look like it offers about the same degree of control.

Compared to a lot of the other ebay and Asian junk out there, the Visico and Cheetah products are at the top.

BTW, these strip boxes are NOT intended for use with hot lights. The vents offer some ventilation when using modeling lights for extended periods.

Lichtwerk wrote in post #12915099
Is there a reason that there is no pic of the strip with both diffusors and grid?

Doesn't look like there's space on the velcro front to install the front diffuser and the grid at the same time....major gaff if true

I've never seen a strip that didn't allow for the front diffuser to be used with the grid. The Cheetah allows for it and I would think that the Visico can as well.

how much are these in USD?

Very Cool. I thought it would give you a tall boxy light pattern, not a circular?

TMR Design wrote in post #12916484
Hi Luke,

Thanks for the review. Based on what you're showing and what you've said, it would seem that the Visico is nearly identical to the Cheetah strip with the exception of the grid. The Visico grid looks to have larger cells and thinner material ...

It looks like the cells on the Jinbei (not Visico) grid are approximately 1-3/4" square (9 cells, 40cm). Are Cheetah grid cells smaller than that?

Dave F.

Lichtwerk wrote in post #12915099
Thanks for the review, Luke.
How much did you end up paying for it? It certainly seems like a decent deal, for the price in Europe at least.
I do like the vents. Do they stay open once opened?

Is there a reason that there is no pic of the strip with both diffusors and grid?
In which configuration did you shoot test pic #15?

Also, mind sharing a pic showing how the grid holds up with the strip in a horiztonal position?

By the way, Rimelite has the same velcro sleeve design.

The vents seem to stay open quite well once opened. In general the Velcro on the entire box is really strong.

I didn't even think to do both diffusion layers and a grid, but the way the box it set up (Velcro for front diffusion and Velcro for grid) it'd be easily doable just painful).

Pic #15 was inner diffusion and the grid installed approx 6feet from the background.

I'll do a shot with the box in the horizontal position today if I get a chance.

FJ LOVE wrote in post #12915926
thanks Luke, looks like the grid offers pretty good control, nice autopole setup too

The autopoles rock, and that Manfrotto wall boom is very impressive.

kenyee wrote in post #12916542
Doesn't look like there's space on the velcro front to install the front diffuser and the grid at the same time....major gaff if true

You could possibly do it, but IMO I don't see the need, how often would you want an extremely soft gridded striplight.

TMR Design wrote in post #12916583
I've never seen a strip that didn't allow for the front diffuser to be used with the grid. The Cheetah allows for it and I would think that the Visico can as well.

As I said above, I think it's possible but would never be needed.

tetrode wrote in post #12917182
It looks like the cells on the Jinbei (not Visico) grid are approximately 1-3/4" square (9 cells, 40cm). Are Cheetah grid cells smaller than that?

Dave F.

I don't have a ruler at my new place but I would guess that the cell size is AT most 3x3cm and maybe closer to 2.5x2.5cm.

Hope this helps.