# made a custom DIY small softbox for my speedlight



## matthewo (Mar 6, 2012)

i didnt want to spend money on one of those softboxs you can put on your speed light so i made one myself just to see if it was even worth having.  it actually does work decently.  i used cardboard and two layers of wax paper, along with reflective foil. on both sides.  i may spray the whole outside with plasti dip, to give it a black coating.


----------



## Tee (Mar 6, 2012)

Fun!  How are the results?


----------



## 2WheelPhoto (Mar 6, 2012)

Nice !


----------



## matthewo (Mar 6, 2012)

it works pretty good.  the sb-24 isnt the best flash for upclose photography cause it only goes down to 1/16th power, but works fine at subjects 5 or more feet away.  i will end up just using two sb-24s and using them as off camera flashes on a lightstand with a large softbox or umbrellas, with wireless triggers.  but for right now this little softbox does help a little.  not bad for free.  

seemed to work really good at 1/16th power at 6 feet with the flash directed right at the subject.


----------



## matthewo (Mar 6, 2012)

i know im using lower end flashes and lighting that can be picked up cheap.  i paid $65 for the sb-24 and i love it, its a great manual flash, i wish it went a little softer, but its not going to be a problem, i know i will probably never need any less then 1/16th when properly used behind an umbrella or in a large softbox.

IMO, i would rather spend my money on good lenses, and camera bodies.  cause a $65 sb-24, is going to perform just as good as a $325 sb-700 as a manual off camera flash.  i would much rather just manually set my power levels on the off camera flashes and fire away.  i will still probably buy one sb-700 for an oncamera flash.


----------



## Mach0 (Mar 6, 2012)

matthewo said:
			
		

> it works pretty good.  the sb-24 isnt the best flash for upclose photography cause it only goes down to 1/16th power, but works fine at subjects 5 or more feet away.  i will end up just using two sb-24s and using them as off camera flashes on a lightstand with a large softbox or umbrellas, with wireless triggers.  but for right now this little softbox does help a little.  not bad for free.
> 
> seemed to work really good at 1/16th power at 6 feet with the flash directed right at the subject.



I have one as well as the sb28. I kinda like the fact that the sb28 goes down to 1/64th. Not bad. I personally don't use it that low but can see a benefit. Plus its smaller if you ever need to mount it on camera.


----------



## matthewo (Mar 6, 2012)

i may buy a sb-28 then instead of another 24.  would be nice to have the extra adjustablity.  the 28s are pretty much the same price anyways.


----------



## Big Mike (Mar 7, 2012)

At much more than 5 feet, you won't get much softening from this.  

Remember that to make light softer, you need to enlarge the light source, relative to the subject.  So the farther away the subject is from the light, the larger the light source has to be.


----------

