Umbrella vs. softboxes - DPChallenge Forums

Canon EF 24-105mm f/4.0L IS

01/06/2005 10:44:04 PM · #26

Originally posted by mk:

a local photographer advised Santa that umbrellas are much more portable than softboxes which might be something to take into consideration depending on what you'll be using the equipment for.

I think it depends on the softbox. The one that came in my kit, and I can't for the life of me remembere what they called the flipping thing, collapses down flat for storage. Takes about a minute to put together, so a little longer than an umbrella but not by enough to matter.

As the kit I bought did not list there being a softbox, as it was called something else, I had to ask and it turns out these are exactly the same and it was just their jargon.

Not shown clearly, but it is the Prolinca whatsit in this photo. They do them in larger sizes, this was just the size that the kit came with.

Originally posted by mk:

That is a very long sentence.

Yes it was, but not as long as .... "I'm married" ;)

Canon EOS-20D

Tamron SP AF 28-75mm f/2.8 XR Di for Canon

01/06/2005 10:54:23 PM · #27

Originally posted by Natator:

Yeah, I thought they folded so was curious about that. I think "less portable" just sounds better than "too expensive." :)

Thanks for posting a photo of your studio, though. Now that I have these new lights, I'm quite interested in what other people's setups looks like. Where did you get your backdrop stand? Is it paper only?

Originally posted by Natator:

Yes it was, but not as long as .... "I'm married" ;)

Ha!

01/07/2005 12:38:33 AM · #28

Wow! Lots of great advice. Thank you so much for your time in answering my questions.

I have an "IOU" from santa for an item that was out of stock and I'm thinking about seeing if the lighting might be a viable option as a replacement. :) I've really wanted to play around with portrait photography for awhile now, and the lighting is just such a huge part of that.

I would also be interested in seeing home studio set ups. I think there may have been a few posted in threads awhile back, so I'll have to do a search.

Thanks again. You all are the greatest most helpful group!

Kevin ...re: my PAD chandelier shot - the ceiling is a flat off-white color. What you see are merely lighting effects caused by the lights and the underexposure of the shot. Glad you liked it!

Mick

Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM

01/07/2005 01:37:01 AM · #29

AlienBees Octaboxes are octagonal and produce a very pleasing round catchlight. I have two of their 35â�� units and I love â��em.

This was taken in my little garage studio using the two Octaboxes.

Natator

Canon EF 24-105mm f/4.0L IS

01/07/2005 02:49:37 AM · #30

Originally posted by mk:

Where did you get your backdrop stand? Is it paper only?

I simply used 2 of those nice wooden curtain rod holders, the ones designed to be a feature rather than hidden. I then used a piece of thick wooden dowel that I put through the tube the paper is on.

The only thing I am careful of is that I store the paper flat on the floor, not up on the holder, when not in use, otherwise over time it can sag in the middle and crease really badly.

The guy in the photo store when I got the paper was trying to get me to spend $1000 on a proper paper roll system, refusing to hear that I had a total budget closer to $100. He kept saying I'd get sick of rolling it up by hand .... not an issue, takes maybe a minute to do, which I can happily live with to save that much money.

kiwinick

Sony DSLR-A550

Sony DT 18-70mm f/3.5-5.6 Aspherical ED Zoom Lens for Sony Alpha

01/07/2005 03:13:46 AM · #31

Umbrellas can give more directional light, remember the closer the light the softer it is and I find softboxes easier to work with, umbrellas are more conveniet tho.

swagman

Nikon D200

01/07/2005 09:05:16 AM · #32

Umbrellas make aiming trial and error.

I'd like to disagree. The size of the umbrella makes a big difference, as does the part of the light one uses. An umbrella has more flexibility in the wuality of lighting it produces. Most people just don't know how to use an umbrella. A softbox is just easier.

hyperfocal

Nikon D7000

Nikon MF 105mm f/2.5 AIS

01/07/2005 09:37:28 AM · #33

Tip:

If you go the Softbox route be sure to get some sandbags or you might just bust your bee.

01/07/2005 12:21:02 PM · #34

I have to say that choosing which camera to purchase was much easier than figuring out what lighting to buy! I'm feeling overwhelmed, even after reading through many sources and tutorials. Not only are there many types of units, there are many ways to accessorize those units and there are so many different powers available. It's all a bit mind boggling when you have not used any of them.

I do everything on a budget, so I tend to do a LOT of homework before any major purchase. (Which for me is pretty much anything over $100) Very seldom am I dissatisfied with my final purchase. Shoot...I even bought my car from Ebay (and love it!), so I think I'll be okay - but it's a lot of homework!

Anyone else experience this overwhleming feeling when starting to buy studio equipment?

01/07/2005 02:17:26 PM · #35

Well, I found a place I can rent a set up to maybe experiment and see what I want to purchase, but it's not cheap....$80 a day altogether.

I am also investigating joining a local camera club, which actually has it's own studio set up available for members to schedule to use. It looks very nice, and might be a good investment, even beyond access to the studio. The only trouble is the meetings are on Thursday night, and I have a standing committment for that night.

Mick

Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM

01/07/2005 03:07:47 PM · #36

Originally posted by jpochard:

I also like to do a bit of research before purchasing big-ticket items. In my opinion it would be silly not find out as much as you can before plunking down your hard earned cash. Thank God for the Internet! I did a lot of research on studio lighting equipment before I bought my AlienBees, and Iâ��m very happy with them.

Once you decide what type of lighting equipment you want, then itâ��s just a matter of trying to get the most bang for your buck. In my case I decided that I wanted some monolights with stands and softboxes. So I started searching for information on every brand that I could find. I also asked around for suggestions. I got lots of suggestions, and I built a list of features and prices for each brand that I found. Once I had the list and the suggestions it was pretty easy to make my decision.

Good luck!

swagman

Nikon D200

01/07/2005 04:14:51 PM · #37

Judy

Could you send me info on that studio club?

Jerry

Check here fot lights

Message edited by author 2005-01-07 16:18:00.