Anyone have any experience with hot-shoe softbox

[VirtualRain]

Hi, I already have a strobe and umbrella and I'm looking to add a second one.

Someone on CL is selling a 430EX and one of these hot-shoe soft box's with a light stand. I was originally planning to just get another stand/umbrella, but this got me thinking if I should consider a small softbox like this instead.

It will be used for experimenting with portraits and product photography in my garage.

What are the pros/cons to this vs. shooting through an umbrella?

Link

 

[Padaung]

The main difference for me between shooting through an umbrella and a softbox is that if you are shooting something reflective then the surface will show the pattern of the umbrella (ie the wires that hold it together) - a softbox will show as a plain texture, which is often preferable.

If you read through http://strobist.blogspot.com/ which is what this sort of kit is often used for you will find more opinions too.

 

[VirtualRain]

The main difference for me between shooting through an umbrella and a softbox is that if you are shooting something reflective then the surface will show the pattern of the umbrella (ie the wires that hold it together) - a softbox will show as a plain texture, which is often preferable.

If you read through http://strobist.blogspot.com/ which is what this sort of kit is often used for you will find more opinions too.

Thanks... good insights. I've read through the strobist lighting tutorials and many articles and didn't fine any good info.

I gather from the softbox design and it's size, that I will have a bit more control over the lighting and feathering than I would from an umbrella, but the small area of this particular box (20"x20") may limit it's uses.

 

[Phrasikleia]

It depends on what you want to shoot. Such a small modifier will not increase the relative size of the light source to the subject very much if you're photographing a person. So it's virtually useless for portraits, unless you get right in the face of a person, at which point you're at an unflattering focal length. If, however, you're doing macro work or still life, then the relative increase in size can make quite a difference.

 

[Edge100]

It depends on what you want to shoot. Such a small modifier will not increase the relative size of the light source to the subject very much if you're photographing a person. So it's virtually useless for portraits, unless you get right in the face of a person, at which point you're at an unflattering focal length. If, however, you're doing macro work or still life, then the relative increase in size can make quite a difference.

This.

These tiny softboxes have their uses, but using them for portraits is difficult.

 

[VirtualRain]

It depends on what you want to shoot. Such a small modifier will not increase the relative size of the light source to the subject very much if you're photographing a person. So it's virtually useless for portraits, unless you get right in the face of a person, at which point you're at an unflattering focal length. If, however, you're doing macro work or still life, then the relative increase in size can make quite a difference.

Thanks... that's what I was concerned about.

 

[jackerin]

it's virtually useless for portraits, unless you get right in the face of a person, at which point you're at an unflattering focal length. If, however, you're doing macro work or still life, then the relative increase in size can make quite a difference.

But if it's used off-camera then you can use the longer focal length while keeping the flash-to-subject distance small. The 430EX isn't the best solution for that though unless you're willing to go with Canon's wireless system.

 

[Phrasikleia]

Get it off-camera! Then you have the longer focal length while keeping flash-to-subject distance down!

Well, I would recommend having it off camera regardless. But even with a long focal length, you're going to need a very tight crop--just the face filling the frame, probably.