# Your favorite OCF modifier...



## PhotoWrangler (Oct 5, 2013)

I've always used bare flash when shooting with OCF, but I'm interested in trying out some modifiers. 

I'm wondering what there is out there, besides the ever popular Gary Fong gear.

So if you shoot OCF, whats your favorite modifier(s)?


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## pixmedic (Oct 5, 2013)

i love shoot through umbrellas. 
sometimes softboxes if i need more directional light, but for people shots, its mostly shoot through umbrellas.


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## PhotoWrangler (Oct 5, 2013)

Well, I do have to admit that I have used umbrellas from time to time. I forgot about those.


What kind of softboxes do you use?


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## pixmedic (Oct 5, 2013)

PhotoWrangler said:


> Well, I do have to admit that I have used umbrellas from time to time. I forgot about those.
> 
> 
> What kind of softboxes do you use?



nothing terribly fancy or expensive. 
promaster softboxes. the only local camera store in our area carries them. 
same with our shoot through umbrellas. 
cheap(ish) but they work well enough.


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## Derrel (Oct 5, 2013)

The Lastolite Umbrella Box at $69...Lastolite LL LU3226F Umbrella Box LL LU3226F B&H Photo Video

followed by the inexpensive Steve Kaeser Enterprises knock-offs at $29 each...   Steve Kaeser Photographic Lighting


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## Robin_Usagani (Oct 5, 2013)

Unless you are shooting when the it is kinda dark (dont have to close down the aperture to maintain sync speed), a speedlite isnt really that powerful.  Bare flash is your best bet.  Just my honest opinion.


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## Derrel (Oct 5, 2013)

Strobist


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## EIngerson (Oct 5, 2013)

Octo-box and umbrellas.


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## cgipson1 (Oct 5, 2013)

Photek Softlighters ( I usually use my Monos for these... but will sometimes pop one with a flash). Lastolite EZ softboxes come in really handy for some situations... and can even be used on a bracket if need be. My other favorite OCF modifier is the nearest wall or ceiling if it provides the light I need...


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## Josh66 (Oct 5, 2013)

Snoots and umbrellas are pretty much the only modifiers I use frequently (not at the same time, haha).


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## ronlane (Oct 5, 2013)

Derrel said:


> The Lastolite Umbrella Box at $69...Lastolite LL LU3226F Umbrella Box LL LU3226F B&H Photo Video
> 
> followed by the inexpensive Steve Kaeser Enterprises knock-offs at $29 each...   Steve Kaeser Photographic Lighting



Derrel, does this work with speedlights?


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## tirediron (Oct 5, 2013)

ronlane said:


> Derrel said:
> 
> 
> > The Lastolite Umbrella Box at $69...Lastolite LL LU3226F Umbrella Box LL LU3226F B&H Photo Video
> ...


Yep, you'll just need a speedlight umbrella bracket.  

I've got a 50" Wescott box that produces absolutely gorgeous light with a single SB800, but really my favorite depends on the situation.  Sometimes it's a BD, sometimes a brollybox.  If you want the most versatile, I'd grab a couple of convertible umbrellas.


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## PhotoWrangler (Oct 5, 2013)

tirediron said:


> If you want the most versatile, I'd grab a couple of convertible umbrellas.




That's what I've been thinking about trying. Something like the  Westcott - Light Modifiers - Apollo Orb Speedlite Kit


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## cgipson1 (Oct 5, 2013)

ronlane said:


> Derrel said:
> 
> 
> > The Lastolite Umbrella Box at $69...Lastolite LL LU3226F Umbrella Box LL LU3226F B&H Photo Video
> ...



Not Derrel, but yes to both.. the lastolite and the softlighter / PBL copies will work with any thing that will fit into that sock / hole.

check out the videos  http://www.lastolite.com/umbrellabox.php


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## tirediron (Oct 5, 2013)

PhotoWrangler said:


> tirediron said:
> 
> 
> > If you want the most versatile, I'd grab a couple of convertible umbrellas.
> ...


Those are nice too!


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## cgipson1 (Oct 5, 2013)

PhotoWrangler said:


> tirediron said:
> 
> 
> > If you want the most versatile, I'd grab a couple of convertible umbrellas.
> ...



I don't recommend the orb.. it as very limited range of motion when trying to point it lower... if you are trying to adjust where it points. It won't go past a certain limit until the outside frame hits the lightstand! There was a thread here the other day about it...  I think Paigew?


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## PhotoWrangler (Oct 5, 2013)

cgipson1 said:


> Not Derrel, but yes to both.. the lastolite and the softlighter / PBL copies will work with any thing that will fit into that sock / hole.
> 
> check out the videos  Manfrotto Lighting Ltd, Manufacturer of Umbrella Boxes and Studio Equipment.




If the speedlight doesn't go inside the umbrella, how does it work? Is the sock part long enough to slip over the flash?


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## cgipson1 (Oct 5, 2013)

PhotoWrangler said:


> cgipson1 said:
> 
> 
> > Not Derrel, but yes to both.. the lastolite and the softlighter / PBL copies will work with any thing that will fit into that sock / hole.
> ...



Watch the videos at the bottom of the link... The diffuser is zippered... to allow almost anything in... if you mean the lastolite.

The others? Yes.. sock will fit almost anything too...


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## cgipson1 (Oct 5, 2013)

Found the link to the post where Paige was having problems with the Apollo orb she had...  http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/lighting-hardware/340874-softbox.html


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## PhotoWrangler (Oct 5, 2013)

cgipson1 said:


> Found the link to the post where Paige was having problems with the Apollo orb she had...  http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/lighting-hardware/340874-softbox.html




That is the exact issue that I was just wondering about. There's no way to angle it without a boom.


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## Derrel (Oct 5, 2013)

Yes, Ron, Tirediron and cgipson are correct. The Steve Kaeser $29 umbrella boxes are made pretty well, and have an easy-to-use zipper + drawstring closure system that allows almost any sized flash head or speedlight to fit right. Just buy an umbrella mounting bracket that has some kind of cold-shoe foot on top, and you can mount the speedlight on top, slide the umbrella shaft into the hole, and use the zipper and drawstring on the Steve Kaeser umbrella box to make a decent fit. You can put the speedlight ALL the way inside, OR leave the back of the speedlight out and just cinch the drawstring tight around it, so the controls are still visible.

Here's the Steve Kaeser umbrella box, the $29 model, in a couple of iPhone snaps for you, Ron. Shown with a Vivitar 285HV left "out"
 and then shown with the same 285HV fully "inside"


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## PhotoWrangler (Oct 5, 2013)

Thanks for the visual Derrel.


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## PhotoWrangler (Oct 5, 2013)

cgipson1 said:


> Found the link to the post where Paige was having problems with the Apollo orb she had...  http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/lighting-hardware/340874-softbox.html





Well this kinda changes things a little.


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## Derrel (Oct 5, 2013)

PhotoWrangler said:


> Thanks for the visual Derrel.



Yeah, sure. The "sock" part on the Steve Kaeser umbrella box has a zipper and a drawstring. I just place a Stanley steel tape on there, and the top-to-bottom dimension is 10.5 inches with the zipper open, and the left-to-right is about 10 inches wide, so it can accept pretty good-sized reflectors. I have used the Lastolite Umbrella Boxes and the Steve Kaeser imitations with lights as large as the Speedottron Brown Line M90 flash head, which has about an 8.5 inch diameter reflector and is roughly 5x bigger than an entire speedlight.


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## cgipson1 (Oct 5, 2013)

PhotoWrangler said:


> cgipson1 said:
> 
> 
> > Found the link to the post where Paige was having problems with the Apollo orb she had...  http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/lighting-hardware/340874-softbox.html
> ...



Still a crappy design... and lighting from the side is not going to make for balanced light. That is a cheesy "fix" if you ask me.


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## Derrel (Oct 5, 2013)

PhotoWrangler said:


> cgipson1 said:
> 
> 
> > Found the link to the post where Paige was having problems with the Apollo orb she had...  http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/lighting-hardware/340874-softbox.html
> ...



You will notice he does not show how one angles the light modifier, once that monstrosity has been put toghther. And that flimsy plastic connector on TWO umbrella shafts. OMG...that oughtta last about 10 seconds in a breeze...

And again,shooting the strobe in, from the SIDE? Just simply "wow"...as in "wow, what a half-baked solution". How does one tilt the box's face downward when the strobe is mounted side-saddle? Studio flash units only tilt Up and down, and with the studio strobe mounted side-saddle...the "tilt" axis on the strobe will only raise or lower the light in an arc...how will the forward angling be achieved.

OMG...what a ridiculous concept. again--notice, the video is designed to allay concerns, but all it does is STOPS, right at a critical point...notice that he does not even show how the setup works...it's shown in a static placement. Makes me want to take the lord's name in vain and add a couple expletives... How about a demo? Oh, wait...there's not 10 seconds we can spare to show the hoops you'll be forced  to actually jump through to ADJUST the light's placement...trust me, trust me, this is a solution.

LMFAO.

The whole idea that the light stand MUST go through the bottom of an umbrella box is just...plain nonsense. The Westcott company has some good products, but the FUNDAMENTAL idea underlying this thing is a loser. With a monolight INSIDE of the umbrella box, to adjust the power levels one needs to...rip off the diffusing panel to access the flash. Again, WHY does the light stand shaft need to go inside of the light modifier? This is just about the only product in the entire industry that has a pivot point located INSIDE OF the light modifier...


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## table1349 (Oct 5, 2013)

My favorite OCF modifier is the one that gets me the light I want for what I am shooting at the time.  Modifiers are tools.  The various tools each have their good points and bad points, strengths and weaknesses.  If you are serious about this you will end up with a collection of modifiers that suit the various needs you have.


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## cgipson1 (Oct 5, 2013)

Derrel said:


> OMG...what a ridiculous concept. again--notice, the video is designed to  allay concerns, but all it does is STOPS, right at a critical  point...notice that he does not even show how the setup works...it's  show in a static placement. Makes me want to take the lord's name in  vain and add a couple expletives....



Agreed! A silly solution to a bad design flaw!


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## PhotoWrangler (Oct 5, 2013)

cgipson1 said:


> Agreed! A silly solution to a bad design flaw!




Well, to be fair, its only a design flaw if you're using it on a strictly vertical stand. If it were on a boom it would be perfect.


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## Derrel (Oct 5, 2013)

PhotoWrangler said:


> cgipson1 said:
> 
> 
> > Agreed! A silly solution to a bad design flaw!
> ...



Umm,sorry, but no, it is FAR from perfect....the whole doggone LIGHT goes INSIDE the modifier??????????????

Sorry, but that's far from a "perfect" solutiuon. With a fan-cooled flash head, where does all the hot air go to??? Oh, wait...


The idea of having "slits" in the box, through which the light stand or boom arm much "reach", and then placing the tilt-head's lock/un-lock control inside the modifier, and placing the entire flash head and controls inside the box leading to overheating with anything except low-powered or convection-cooled flash units...and then, to adjust the flash head, or its power, one needs to partially disassemble the lighting set-up? This thing  has pain-in-the-A$$ written alllll over it in the real world.

This design was made to allow a quick set-up rectangular box for people who cannot figure out how to put 4 rods into 4 holes to assemble a softbox. Again, the simplest solution is usually the best, and having a light modifier that has the tilt location, the pivot point at the BACK, or at the "outside" of one edge is the normal paradigm....*this product creates more problems than it solves.*


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## PhotoWrangler (Oct 5, 2013)

Well, I'm referring to something like an SB700.


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## Derrel (Oct 5, 2013)

PhotoWrangler said:


> Well, I'm referring to something like an SB700.



Well, every time one wants to change the power level, the flash will need to be accessed, unless the flash power is being controlled wirelessly. Every time the flash needs to be tilted, you're going to HAVE TO get right to the umbrella bracket's tightening mechanism. For people who have to shoot/chimp/adjust/shoot/chimp/adjust to get their flash exposures right, this thing is gonna be a regal PITA.

Also, the line of sight between multiple units on slaves or wireless might very well be impaired by nifty black fabric and metallized reflective interior panels, with the flash's remote receiver "eye" enclosed in black fabric,lined with metallized silvered fabric...

Trust me...this thing has plenty of issues no matter what kind of flash is being used INSIDE of it. See, the issue is that the ENTIRE flash unit is enclosed within the confines of a big box. To get to it...one needs to reach in and work BLIND, or remove the front diffuser, adjust the flash power, then re-attach the front fabric...


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## cgipson1 (Oct 5, 2013)

PhotoWrangler said:


> cgipson1 said:
> 
> 
> > Agreed! A silly solution to a bad design flaw!
> ...



It was DESIGNED to be used on a vertical stand... look at the majority of the Westcott advertising, you probably won't see a BOOM! Only stands! Why are you so insistent on defending this.. do you have one, or something?


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## PhotoWrangler (Oct 5, 2013)

cgipson1 said:


> Why are you so insistent on defending this.. do you have one, or something?




No, and I haven't a clue. I am neither endorsed nor sponsored by Wescott... LOL

Just bored and talking out of my ass I guess.


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