Umbrella Softbox or Softbox?
- Thread starter Aimevous
- Start date
i have used both:
umbrella softbox - U will lose significant output, light is a lot more diffused and softer, lesser spill. so u need to either up the power of ur flash or increase your ISO. with a 430ex2 at 1/2, u will be looking at shooting at ISO 800 and above.
(well, this is is effectively an reflective umbrella with a white diffuser. the light from flash is bounced off the reflective material, passes through the white cloth diffuser, then to the subject.)
flash umbrella - less diffused lighting. but usage only limited to 1/2 body portraits at most.
umbrella softbox - U will lose significant output, light is a lot more diffused and softer, lesser spill. so u need to either up the power of ur flash or increase your ISO. with a 430ex2 at 1/2, u will be looking at shooting at ISO 800 and above.
(well, this is is effectively an reflective umbrella with a white diffuser. the light from flash is bounced off the reflective material, passes through the white cloth diffuser, then to the subject.)
flash umbrella - less diffused lighting. but usage only limited to 1/2 body portraits at most.
lekzhiyang1994
Member
yeap the one i got was the translucent ones, not the totally transparent one.
godzilla60
New Member
For efficient lighting, i guess nothing beats a direct front on flash. A reflective umbrella will be more efficient than the umbrella softbox and softbox.
I am currently using the umbrella softbox (38inch one if i am not wrong) from artworkfoto and it is easy to setup, fits into the umbrella holder well. However, your flash distance to the umbrella reflective material means u need to set your flash to the widest possible setting so that your light is well distributed (unless u using those bare-bulb flash). I like this umbrella setup coz it has a widest possible spread, has a close to round shape (for pleasant catchlights in portrait shots) and easy to set up. For narrower spread, I will zoom in my flash to max setting and even tape a black cloth/paper over the areas that i want to tape.
I was considering the softbox then but it costs almost double, a bit harder to set up and some softboxes dun have the diffuser panel to diffuse the light, so u may end up with hotspots in the center. However most softboxes come with diffuser panel on the interior and also add-on grids for better control.
A shoot-thru umbrella throws some light backwards too and may introduce extra light to your subject if nearby walls/objects reflect them back... this may cause problem on control of light if you want to light a particular area. Flagging/Goboing a curved surface is also a challenge. But a shoot-thru umbrella is definitely good for some shots where u want 'harsher' lights on the subjects and also do not mind or even prefer light to bounce off the walls to fill up the shadows...
So i guess, it really depends on how u want to light your shot.
U may end up buying all the different types of light modifiers...
I am currently using the umbrella softbox (38inch one if i am not wrong) from artworkfoto and it is easy to setup, fits into the umbrella holder well. However, your flash distance to the umbrella reflective material means u need to set your flash to the widest possible setting so that your light is well distributed (unless u using those bare-bulb flash). I like this umbrella setup coz it has a widest possible spread, has a close to round shape (for pleasant catchlights in portrait shots) and easy to set up. For narrower spread, I will zoom in my flash to max setting and even tape a black cloth/paper over the areas that i want to tape.
I was considering the softbox then but it costs almost double, a bit harder to set up and some softboxes dun have the diffuser panel to diffuse the light, so u may end up with hotspots in the center. However most softboxes come with diffuser panel on the interior and also add-on grids for better control.
A shoot-thru umbrella throws some light backwards too and may introduce extra light to your subject if nearby walls/objects reflect them back... this may cause problem on control of light if you want to light a particular area. Flagging/Goboing a curved surface is also a challenge. But a shoot-thru umbrella is definitely good for some shots where u want 'harsher' lights on the subjects and also do not mind or even prefer light to bounce off the walls to fill up the shadows...
So i guess, it really depends on how u want to light your shot.
U may end up buying all the different types of light modifiers... For efficient lighting, i guess nothing beats a direct front on flash. A reflective umbrella will be more efficient than the umbrella softbox and softbox.
I am currently using the umbrella softbox (38inch one if i am not wrong) from artworkfoto and it is easy to setup, fits into the umbrella holder well. However, your flash distance to the umbrella reflective material means u need to set your flash to the widest possible setting so that your light is well distributed (unless u using those bare-bulb flash). I like this umbrella setup coz it has a widest possible spread, has a close to round shape (for pleasant catchlights in portrait shots) and easy to set up. For narrower spread, I will zoom in my flash to max setting and even tape a black cloth/paper over the areas that i want to tape.
I was considering the softbox then but it costs almost double, a bit harder to set up and some softboxes dun have the diffuser panel to diffuse the light, so u may end up with hotspots in the center. However most softboxes come with diffuser panel on the interior and also add-on grids for better control.
A shoot-thru umbrella throws some light backwards too and may introduce extra light to your subject if nearby walls/objects reflect them back... this may cause problem on control of light if you want to light a particular area. Flagging/Goboing a curved surface is also a challenge. But a shoot-thru umbrella is definitely good for some shots where u want 'harsher' lights on the subjects and also do not mind or even prefer light to bounce off the walls to fill up the shadows...
So i guess, it really depends on how u want to light your shot.
Thanks for the detailed explanation!
Haha you know what? Heh I think you are right.. or I may try to DIY them first before buying to save some cost. I just made a sort of beauty dish using 120 LEDs and now trying to build strip lights from LEDs right now. Was considering building softboxes but not sure how to build portable ones so I thought of buying.
Heh think I'm addicted. =(
lekzhiyang1994
Member
Yeah, you have to saw it out. I tried twisting and it didnt work 
Yeah, you have to saw it out. I tried twisting and it didnt work
haha yah took me 1hr to saw it. =/ not easy. the metal rod is a bit crooked and out of shape now.. but still can fit somewhat into my holder luckily!
The effect is good!
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