# Best Strobist Light Modifier for ~$150???



## D-B-J (Apr 23, 2014)

So... it's as simple as that.  What's the best on location lighting modifier for $150?  Or are there multiple cheaper modifiers?  I currently have two SB600's and PW's, and will be adding a SB700 and another PW when I purchase this modifier.  My main goal is for on location shoots--portraits, maybe a few SMALL groups.  I currently have 2 33" umbrella's (1 is white shoot through with a silver removable back for bouncing, and the other is just a white shoot through), and I have a 60" parabolic white shoot through.  Snoots and grids too. 

Cheers!
Jake

P.S., I was thinking this...?  Glow HexaPop 24" for portable off camera flash GL-SBSM24HP


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## D-B-J (Apr 23, 2014)

Photek SL4000 36" Softlighter, Diffusing Umbrella with Black Cover. SL4000

Or two of these?


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## table1349 (Apr 23, 2014)

The one that works for the situation.  If there was a "best" we would all be using the same thing.


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## D-B-J (Apr 23, 2014)

gryphonslair99 said:


> The one that works for the situation.  If there was a "best" we would all be using the same thing.



But some are better than others..


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## table1349 (Apr 23, 2014)

D-B-J said:


> gryphonslair99 said:
> 
> 
> > The one that works for the situation.  If there was a "best" we would all be using the same thing.
> ...



For what?  That is the thing.  What are you wanting to achieve with these portraits?  Is there a certain lighting look?  I'm not much of an umbrella guy.  I generally prefer softboxes, strip boxes etc.  But I do own some umbrellas for those times when an umbrella suits my needs better.  

Photography Tips and Tricks: Softbox vs. Umbrella

Softbox Vs Umbrella for Portrait Lighting ? PictureCorrect


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## D-B-J (Apr 23, 2014)

gryphonslair99 said:


> D-B-J said:
> 
> 
> > gryphonslair99 said:
> ...



I'm going for a happy medium between usefulness and ease of setting up.




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## Derrel (Apr 23, 2014)

Photek SL5000 46" Softlighter, Diffusing Umbrella with Black Cover. SL5000

HERE is a set I bought in 2007...pretty decent....   Amazon.com: PBL Photo Studio 40 inch Reflective Umbrella Softboxes Set of Two Steve Kaeser Photographic Lighting and Accessories: Camera & Photo


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## D-B-J (Apr 23, 2014)

Derrel said:


> Photek SL5000 46" Softlighter, Diffusing Umbrella with Black Cover. SL5000
> 
> HERE is a set I bought in 2007...pretty decent....   Amazon.com: PBL Photo Studio 40 inch Reflective Umbrella Softboxes Set of Two Steve Kaeser Photographic Lighting and Accessories: Camera & Photo



I didn't link that one because it was out of stock, that's all.

Jake 


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## Derrel (Apr 23, 2014)

I linked to it because I thought you'd get more mileage out of the significantly larger light source, especially for doing shots of groups, but also because it's a significantly larger light source, which is softer, and will transition to shadows a bit more gently and slightly more-slowly than the 36-inch size. I use a similar umbrella box in the 43-inch size, from Lastolite. On six-figure advertising campaigns, I notice that Annie Leibovitz uses one or two of the Photek Softlighters in many situations, indoors or outdoors, on-location or in-studio...it's a nice box...and it gives a pretty rounded eye catchlight.

In terms of a "balance", the umbrella box gives, IMHO "prettier" light than most softboxes do, SOFTER, and more-diffused light than basically ANY reflecting or shoot through umbrella, and LESS-specular highlights than shoot through umbrellas give. Set-up time is just seconds, even under challenging situations The umbrella box, *the reflecting umbrella + front diffuser type* like the Lastolite Umbrella Box, or the Photek Softlighter, or the generic MIC knock-offs, offer soft light, NOT a lot of spill, and quick, easy set-up, with no speed ring to lose or misplace, and NO four rods to set up the box.

The Photel or Lastolite umbrella boxes are NOT the same as the cheap shoot-through umbrella with a black cover, the thing Paul C. Buff sells as a "brolly box".

"Brolly" is an old British word for "umbrella"; they call a softbox a fish-fryer. Do not confuse a "brolly box" with what we are talking about here...the two devices are not even remotely the same things, in any way except for the ribs and the center shaft.


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## Scatterbrained (Apr 23, 2014)

This:  SP Studio Systems Collapsible EZ Softbox Octagonal SPSOFT370 B&H   +  a speedlight speedring.    It's a $100 knock off of the Elichrom deep octa.   A couple of guys on the Canon board tested it against the deep octa a few years ago and ended up buying another one of these.


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## Derrel (Apr 24, 2014)

Scatterbrained said:


> This:  SP Studio Systems Collapsible EZ Softbox Octagonal SPSOFT370 B&H   +  a speedlight speedring.    It's a $100 knock off of the Elichrom deep octa.   A couple of guys on the Canon board tested it against the deep octa a few years ago and ended up buying another one of these.



Yeah, that looks decent for $100. Some of the knockoff light modifier products are pretty decent. Some however, are laughable...I bought a couple MIC softboxes for Bowens mount...the speed ring lugs were wayyyyyy off in terms of size and placement. I mean, OMG..the Bowens lug mount pattern,design, and placement is soooooo simple that an 8th grade shop class kid oughtta' be able to determine the place the lugs need to go on the ring with a high tech tool called a "protractor"...but noooo, the Chinese engineer who copied the Bowens style ring got the lug placement wrong, AND the lug dimensions were also wrong wrong!

...I spent hours filing away metal on the lugs to get the damned speed rings to fit!!!

SP Studio systems has been around long enough that their products and certainly their speed ring design for a simple hotshoe flash MUST be done right. I would actually have confidence in stuff branded by SP Studio Systems. They got into the AC/DC operated monolight game yearrrrrrrrs ago, and I have actually seen a local guy's setup who has a mobile photo van stocked with the SP Systems "blue lights"...he's been pretty happy with them from what he told me.


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## Scatterbrained (Apr 24, 2014)

Yeah, I haven't tried one personally (yet)  but I've had a bit of a "hard on", so to speak, for an Eli deep octa.  Since I don't shoot portraits (except my kids)  I couldn't really justify spending the money for one.  Someone directed me to the thread where a guy compared his deep octa to a friends SP unit, and then bought an SP unit.  The light quality was pretty much the same; and if you've ever used a deep octa you know it's a wee bit different than a standard octa at the same size.   

  Of course now Adorama has their Glow Grande boxes that look like a cross between a deep octa without front diffuser (which is how I prefer it anyway) and a Broncolor para.  Mmmmmmmmmmm.............   If someone's really feeling froggy FotoDiox now has a knock off of the Broncolor Para 88.  It's only $800, instead of the $12,000 of the Broncolor.  Tempting. . . . . . . .


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## MOREGONE (Apr 24, 2014)

I have this for a bowens mount and like how easy it is to assemble and travel with. Pops up like an umbrella.

[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]http://amzn.com/B003EWTBUQ[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Don't [/FONT][FONT=Arial, sans-serif]have[/FONT][FONT=Arial, sans-serif] any complaints about it really. But I haven't owned a lot of modifiers. I purchased the PBL  Umbrella Softboxes in the past but didn't like how speed lights fit them. With a flash bracket and trigger the head of the speedlight was too far off center and made it so the light had to be inside the umbrella making it hard to adjust.[/FONT]


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## table1349 (Apr 24, 2014)

MOREGONE said:


> I have this for a bowens mount and like how easy it is to assemble and travel with. Pops up like an umbrella.
> 
> http://amzn.com/B003EWTBUQ
> 
> Don't have any complaints about it really. But I haven't owned a lot of modifiers. I purchased the PBL  Umbrella Softboxes in the past but didn't like how speed lights fit them. With a flash bracket and trigger the head of the speedlight was too far off center and made it so the light had to be inside the umbrella making it hard to adjust.



I have a couple of their soft boxes and the one thing I will say is they seem to last well.  Had them 5 or 6 years now with no complaints.


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## Mike_E (Apr 24, 2014)

I like Westcott products.

They are cheaper in that you only buy one once unless you're really tough on them.


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