# What size softbox should I get??????



## Alysia (Aug 23, 2011)

I need help chosing a softbox. I don't need anything ridiculously big, just something that will be good for a fam of four or a semi large fam. What is the diff between a softbox and an umbrella anyway? I know the umbrella spills a lot of light and the softbox is more straight on, but what else?
Anywho i'm lookin at the softboxes on paul c bluff website. I think I should get the 32x40? Is that good? Is there a place where I can get a softbox for my b400 cheaper?


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## Alysia (Aug 23, 2011)

Hey anyone?


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## RebeccaAPhotography (Aug 23, 2011)

Not to be rude. One I don't know the answer since I'm a newbie but you only had your thread posted for 5 mins. The folks who could give awesome advice would be pissed off by you doing that. Just a noobie word of advice  give folks time to respond


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## kundalini (Aug 23, 2011)

Hmmmm, impatient are we?


I bought softboxes from PCB while I was ordering their monolights.  I got the 24x36", 47" octabox and a couple of stripboxes.  The 32x40" may be right for you, but it is dependent on your needs.  For that size softbox, you need plenty of room, front to back and head to toe.  There are several sellers on ebay that have their wares out there for much cheaper.  I have no idea of their quality, but there are a few forum members here and elsewhere that I give credence to that give a thumbs up.  On my next purchase of monolight modifiers, I will probably give them a good look at.

Rule of thumb:  If it sounds really cheap, it's probably really cheap.


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## Alysia (Aug 23, 2011)

RebeccaAPhotography said:


> Not to be rude. One I don't know the answer since I'm a newbie but you only had your thread posted for 5 mins. The folks who could give awesome advice would be pissed off by you doing that. Just a noobie word of advice  give folks time to respond


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## Alysia (Aug 23, 2011)

kundalini said:


> Hmmmm, impatient are we?
> 
> 
> I bought softboxes from PCB while I was ordering their monolights.  I got the 24x36", 47" octabox and a couple of stripboxes.  The 32x40" may be right for you, but it is dependent on your needs.  For that size softbox, you need plenty of room, front to back and head to toe.  There are several sellers on ebay that have their wares out there for much cheaper.  I have no idea of their quality, but there are a few forum members here and elsewhere that I give credence to that give a thumbs up.  On my next purchase of monolight modifiers, I will probably give them a good look at.
> ...



Im lookin at this: what do you think? 

Amazon.com: Fotodiox Pro Softbox soft box, 32"x48" (32x48 in) with Speedring Speed ring for Alien Bees Alienbees Strobe Light: Camera & Photo


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## KmH (Aug 23, 2011)

Alysia said:


> what do you think?


I think you're in way over your head.


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## joealcantar (Aug 23, 2011)

Alysia said:


> kundalini said:
> 
> 
> > Hmmmm, impatient are we?
> ...


-
For that price I would try it.


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## Alysia (Aug 23, 2011)

KmH said:


> Alysia said:
> 
> 
> > what do you think?
> ...



Great. I'm glad you think you know me..


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## kundalini (Aug 23, 2011)

Alysia said:


> Im lookin at this: what do you think?
> 
> Amazon.com: Fotodiox Pro Softbox soft box, 32"x48" (32x48 in) with Speedring Speed ring for Alien Bees Alienbees Strobe Light: Camera & Photo


Your link is for a 32x48" softbox for $35. A similar sized PCB softbox is $130.

Let me reitterate......



kundalini said:


> Rule of thumb: If it sounds really cheap, it's probably really cheap.


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## RebeccaAPhotography (Aug 23, 2011)

Told ya  you offended one with great knowledge there. Watch what he says on other threads. I've learned a lot from all the links posted by kmh. 

Just wait  you'll get responses next time


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## Alysia (Aug 23, 2011)

kundalini said:


> Alysia said:
> 
> 
> > Im lookin at this: what do you think?
> ...



Yes but the price was $139


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## Alysia (Aug 23, 2011)

So can anyone also tell me the diff between a softbox and an umbrella? Are there really any major differences?


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## kundalini (Aug 23, 2011)

Alysia said:


> Yes but the price was $139


For what?  

I clicked your link and then I went to PCB's site (32x40").  $139 was not an option.


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## Alysia (Aug 23, 2011)

Amazon.com: Fotodiox Pro Softbox soft box, 32"x48" (32x48 in) with Speedring Speed ring for Alien Bees Alienbees Strobe Light: Camera & Photo

The price was $139 and it is crossed out and is now $34.95. The only difference I see btw the PCB and the Fotodiox is the PCB is foldable and opens like an umbrella.


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## KmH (Aug 23, 2011)

Jeez! That is a sales trick way older than you are.

Like they say on TV, "A $99 value, all for only $14.95". 

Fotodiox sells low quality gear, and not just softboxes.

Click HERE! for the "difference beween a softbox and an umbrella".


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## CGnTtown (Aug 23, 2011)

KmH said:
			
		

> Click HERE! for the "difference beween a softbox and an umbrella".



Holy crap, that is awesome. Never seen that done before. And I even learned the diff between the two. Props to you KmH. Maybe one day you could teach me how to do that. As to the OP I recommend whatever KmH says.


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## Big Mike (Aug 24, 2011)

Softboxes and umbrellas both soften the light by essentially enlarging the size of the light (relative to the subject).  Umbrellas can be shoot-through or bounce.  Umbrellas tend to give you a wider spread of light, which may be good for group shots, but they also spill light around, which can make it hard to contain, especially if you are shooting in a smaller indoor space.  
Some softboxes have two diffusion panels, which can make for more even light output.  
There are very subtle differences between softboxes and umbrellas...even between different softboxes or different umbrellas.  Things like how the light falls off at the edges etc.
Of course, umbrella are round(ish) and boxes are usually rectangular, although you could also get an octo-box. 

In terms of functionality, 'normal' softboxes are a pain to assemble.  So if you travel with it, it's annoying to take it apart and set it up again.  The PCB foldable softbox solves that problem, but the folding softbox doesn't break down to a small package like a normal softbox does.  Umbrellas fold down nice and tight for easy transport and set up, and they are usually cheaper.

PCB does have decent products for decent prices.  I've heard good things about OCE Camera Accessories (for cheaper boxes etc.)   HERE is their E-bay store.


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## Scatterbrained (Aug 24, 2011)

Big Mike said:


> .....
> In terms of functionality, 'normal' softboxes are a pain to assemble.  So if you travel with it, it's annoying to take it apart and set it up again.  The PCB foldable softbox solves that problem, but the folding softbox doesn't break down to a small package like a normal softbox does.  Umbrellas fold down nice and tight for easy transport and set up, and they are usually cheaper.
> 
> PCB does have decent products for decent prices.  I've heard good things about OCE Camera Accessories (for cheaper boxes etc.)   HERE is their E-bay store.


I actually have 7 different Visico softboxes that I've bought from OCE. No problems with any of them so far.  The only issue I do have is that my largest octa is too big to use without a support, the light will not even try to hold it up, but that is not the fault of the Visico.   Of course I've heard of a few people that were happy with these Amazon.com: PBL Photo Studio 40" Reflective Umbrella Softbox by PBL: Camera & Photo .  The price is certainly right and I've been planning on picking some up to try out myself.


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## Shadowbox (Aug 24, 2011)

just a comment here, but people who refuse to answer questions and say things like 'search here' or 'go to google' are forgetting one important thing- if you don't answer questions and someone who happens to go to google first and types in this same exact question and finds this thread where everyone is not answering, but simply being sarcastic and annoyed, then how do you expect this forum to grow? This is what the site owners and moderators want, they want questions that are answered with good keywords. Otherwise, it's just wasted space and google will direct their traffic to some other forum. Just a thought. If you support this forum then maybe contribute or leave it be, no need to always come to every thread and say 'search' or 'google it'. She/he probably DID google and probably found THIS site from google.. I know I did.


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## Scatterbrained (Aug 24, 2011)

Shadowbox said:


> just a comment here, but people who refuse to answer questions and say things like 'search here' or 'go to google' are forgetting one important thing- if you don't answer questions and someone who happens to go to google first and types in this same exact question and finds this thread where everyone is not answering, but simply being sarcastic and annoyed, then how do you expect this forum to grow? This is what the site owners and moderators want, they want questions that are answered with good keywords. Otherwise, it's just wasted space and google will direct their traffic to some other forum. Just a thought. If you support this forum then maybe contribute or leave it be, no need to always come to every thread and say 'search' or 'google it'. She/he probably DID google and probably found THIS site from google.. I know I did.


Don't get your panties in a bunch there Nancy.


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## Shadowbox (Aug 24, 2011)

Scatterbrained said:


> Shadowbox said:
> 
> 
> > just a comment here, but people who refuse to answer questions and say things like 'search here' or 'go to google' are forgetting one important thing- if you don't answer questions and someone who happens to go to google first and types in this same exact question and finds this thread where everyone is not answering, but simply being sarcastic and annoyed, then how do you expect this forum to grow? This is what the site owners and moderators want, they want questions that are answered with good keywords. Otherwise, it's just wasted space and google will direct their traffic to some other forum. Just a thought. If you support this forum then maybe contribute or leave it be, no need to always come to every thread and say 'search' or 'google it'. She/he probably DID google and probably found THIS site from google.. I know I did.
> ...


I guess my simple comment was too much for your scatterbrain to handle.. not surprised there.


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## Scatterbrained (Aug 24, 2011)

You're getting pissy because someone was told to Google something. Funny.  You obviously haven't been around this forum long. The OP demonstrated her impatience by posting back 5 minutes after opening the thread, in that amount of time a simple trip to youtube would have rendered a wide variety of videos demonstrating what she wanted to know, so you'll have to excuse a few people for being annoyed with her impatience. Telling us we should be worried about how this forum comes up on Google search is rich.


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## Shadowbox (Aug 24, 2011)

Scatterbrained said:


> You're getting pissy because someone was told to Google something. Funny.  You obviously haven't been around this forum long. The OP demonstrated her impatience by posting back 5 minutes after opening the thread, in that amount of time a simple trip to youtube would have rendered a wide variety of videos demonstrating what she wanted to know, so you'll have to excuse a few people for being annoyed with her impatience. Telling us we should be worried about how this forum comes up on Google search is rich.



I'm hardly pissy, at all. It was a simple observation, and I have noticed on ALL forums that people get annoyed by repeat questions which could have been answered had someone done a search. I simply presented another POV to the standard response of 'go find the answer yourself' and said hey, the question could be answered, it would be good for google also not to mention, maybe other people on this forum are wondering the answer too.. it's really not that big of a deal to answer redundant questions as long as it's not every day the same thing, but technology does change so if I find a thread from 3 years ago I may be misinformed which is WHY I think some questions are okay being brought up every now and then.

I certainly didn't mean to upset you over my POV, but just because I see the world from a different place than you do doesn't mean I'm pissy. I simply had an observation.

ETA: My observation wasn't just about THIS thread. It was about any similar situation.


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## KmH (Aug 24, 2011)

Shadowbox said:


> just a comment here, but people who refuse to answer questions and say things like 'search here' or 'go to google' are forgetting one important thing- .


No one refused to answer her question. In fact, I made the extra effort to actually do the Google search *for her*, so she was led directly to a variety of sources that would *answer her specific question*.

I used the web site www.LMGTFY.com, to highlight that there is an alternative to being spoon fed.

Many new members see TPF as a way they can avoid doing their own in depth research, prefering instant information instead. By doing in depth research one often discovers information the researcher didn't know, they didn't know they would want to know. 

In another thread the OP clearly indicated a willingness to buy gear, but was apparently un-willing to make any effort at all, beyond posting a whine here on TPF, towards gaining even a rudimentary knowlege of how to use that gear.

Again, 5 minutes after her OP, she was indignant someone hat had not spoon fed her what she wanted to know. In those 5 minutes she could have used an internet search engine and learned even more than she knew she would want to know.


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## Big Mike (Aug 24, 2011)

Lets all play nice, shall we.


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## joealcantar (Aug 24, 2011)

Here we go again..
-


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## Shadowbox (Aug 24, 2011)

KmH said:


> Shadowbox said:
> 
> 
> > just a comment here, but people who refuse to answer questions and say things like 'search here' or 'go to google' are forgetting one important thing- .
> ...



No need to defend yourself and no need for me to defend myself either, it was just a POV. Seriously, calm down people. The world isn't going to end for another two months, remember.


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