My first "Soft Box" Studio Light

Hi. I know this is probally a common question...

But, I want to buy a brand new Soft Box, my first one ever.

I am happy to spend a little money and get a good well known brand.

My purope is to simply take the soft box with me either on location or place it is any room and be able to shoot people (do portiture photography).

At any given time there weill be 1-20 people in frame, most 1-5 people.

So, i will need a powerful bulb and possibly 2 softboxes for group shots.

I live in Sydney and do social events like bday parties / coroprate functions (hand help shot of people...) with external flash but now want a large fixed as well as portbale softbox.

I own canon 40d and a 580 ex series 2 external flash but want to start doing basic studio shots with an ordinary modern looking soft box (the square ones i am told are best for even balanced lighting / softness...)

Please guide mr to the best web sites in sydney where i can but one or 2 softboxes.

Also, if anyone can tell me general tios on what i need to look out for when buying a light box and what kind checklist i need for myself....

I think you should read the Studio Lighting FAQ first, to determine what you really need: https://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthre​ad.php?t=138912

After that, there are plenty of places in Sydney that will sell you studio strobes, but since studio equipment is expensive enough without paying our exorbitant prices, do yourself a favour and read the FAQ first. It will enable you to narrow down your search and save you lots of money in the long run. Even more importantly, it will let you buy the stuff that is actually useful to you, rather than throwing money out the window...

Good advice. Unless money is no object, you should spend some time figuring out exactly what you will need. On the face of it, it looks like you will need 2 or 3 sudio strobes, and softboxes as large as you can afford (large=softer).

If you want something fast to setup, consider a "folding softbox" or something like a Photek Softlighter - basically an umbrella with a diffuser, able to be quickly set up on location.

For a nice softbox setup that doesn't cost a lot of money I would suggest a Photoflex Multidome (medium - 24x36") and an Alien Bees Softbox Grid. The Photoflex SB is much better than the AB one, yet their grid fits it perfectly. This is the setup I recently put together and it works great (in fact I have two identical ones).

i actually did read alot of what you said already

but yeah

im looking for direct advise from u guys aswell

Rudi wrote in post #5736960
I think you should read the Studio Lighting FAQ first, to determine what you really need: https://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthre​ad.php?t=138912

After that, there are plenty of places in Sydney that will sell you studio strobes, but since studio equipment is expensive enough without paying our exorbitant prices, do yourself a favour and read the FAQ first. It will enable you to narrow down your search and save you lots of money in the long run. Even more importantly, it will let you buy the stuff that is actually useful to you, rather than throwing money out the window...

ok

well

i do knowexactly what i want..

i want to be able to have a mini mobile studio and be able to take simple evenly balanced lighting shots with plain black or white backdrops at

at say a house or outdoors as a backdrop

and be able to shoot 1-20 people at anyone time

offcourse the amount if light / softboxes i will use will differ depending on how much light i eed / how many people im shooting.

i know it sounds odd but i want the square good looking softboxes
and ones that distribute even lighting as much as possible opposed to more directional / certain part of body....

so, aside from reading the questions and answers id be great to hear from someone who uses these kinda softboxes and shoots typical small portraiture shots....

c71clark wrote in post #5737692
Good advice. Unless money is no object, you should spend some time figuring out exactly what you will need. On the face of it, it looks like you will need 2 or 3 sudio strobes, and softboxes as large as you can afford (large=softer).

Not sure that a couple of softboxes are going to be enough for 20 people!

(OK, you could go for something powerful enough to do it, but you say you want it to be portable )

TJ

I also doubt softboxes will help with a large group. Consider the white umbrellas on stands with speedlites. I have that set up now and that works great for big groups. The white light through umbrellas was suggested to me by Jon and they work very well. For small groups and single subjects, I use the EzyBox

http://www.bhphotovide​o.com …_Shoe_EZYBOX_So​ftbox.html

Which sets up in about 2 minutes and is very good, but pricey. It's not made for a large group, but is excellent for outdoor work as well as indoor. It comes with its own case and stand, all inclusive.

OK, if you want to photograph up to 20 people, you will want to spend a LOT of money on LARGE and very EXPENSIVE softboxes ($1000 USD each or more, anywhere between $1600 and $1950 locally, and that is for EACH softbox!), or... you will buy a couple of large umbrellas to bounce the light out of. You will also need a couple of fairly heavy-duty light stands and strobes powerful enough to light up a large group like that. So ideally, you would be looking at something like the Elinchrom 600RX kit at $3450 HERE, and then add the other light modifiers that you will need (either the large softboxes or the umbrellas, or whatever).

Here are the links for your large modifiers:

Elinchrom Quadra Lite (you said you wanted square)

Elinchrom Recta Lite

This is probably the best out there, but it's not square: Elinchrom Octa Lite


EDIT: I just noticed that Kayell are doing something strange with their links, so those links might be all mixed up...

interesting

im doing a short course in photography in australia at the moment and

my teacher and collegues are saying a 580 speelightlight flash is no where near powerfuil enough to use as a main light when doing big groups...

u saying u find it is??

would i not need a much more powerful one

weather it be on flash softbox or external

SuzyView wrote in post #5743868
I also doubt softboxes will help with a large group. Consider the white umbrellas on stands with speedlites. I have that set up now and that works great for big groups. The white light through umbrellas was suggested to me by Jon and they work very well. For small groups and single subjects, I use the EzyBox

http://www.bhphotovide​o.com …_Shoe_EZYBOX_So​ftbox.html

Which sets up in about 2 minutes and is very good, but pricey. It's not made for a large group, but is excellent for outdoor work as well as indoor. It comes with its own case and stand, all inclusive.

wow

that was the brand i was looking at / im told is elite brand.

i hear u about large groups but sureley i can get a smaller pair of 2 softboxes that can light up a group of 20 people in a ok manner thats not gonna cost me $3500 us dollars

(im in australia)

Rudi wrote in post #5743870
OK, if you want to photograph up to 20 people, you will want to spend a LOT of money on LARGE and very EXPENSIVE softboxes ($1000 USD each or more, anywhere between $1600 and $1950 locally, and that is for EACH softbox!), or... you will buy a couple of large umbrellas to bounce the light out of. You will also need a couple of fairly heavy-duty light stands and strobes powerful enough to light up a large group like that. So ideally, you would be looking at something like the Elinchrom 600RX kit at $3450 HERE, and then add the other light modifiers that you will need (either the large softboxes or the umbrellas, or whatever).

Here are the links for your large modifiers:

Elinchrom Quadra Lite (you said you wanted square)

Elinchrom Recta Lite

This is probably the best out there, but it's not square: Elinchrom Octa Lite

SuzyView wrote in post #5743868
... Consider the white umbrellas on stands with speedlites....

The key issue here is the word "speedlites" - plural!

TJ

AussieCat wrote in post #5743880
wow

that was the brand i was looking at / im told is elite brand.

LOL, Broncolor is the elite brand, Elinchrom is just a good brand! And I'm sure there are even good reasons to go with Broncolor... it's just that not many of us can afford it.

ok

fair enough

but u dont have to be an expert to know most people are going to need more than 2 or 3 speelights to properly fill a room of 20 people for portrature style fullt light up room....

but fair enough....if these 580 external flashes are adequate and you dont need soft boxes attached toeven out the lighting etc... great

TeeJay wrote in post #5743889
The key issue here is the word "speedlites" - plural!

TJ

whats the web site of the bronc?

i must check it out

Rudi wrote in post #5743905
LOL, Broncolor is the elite brand, Elinchrom is just a good brand! And I'm sure there are even good reasons to go with Broncolor... it's just that not many of us can afford it.