Soft Boxes for vivitar 285

[prcdslnc13]

I picked up a pair of vivitar 285's at my local camera shop this week and some optical slaves to start playing around with off camera lighting. Im looking for some simple softboxes I can use for these guys to take portraits of my 6 month old and play with some other types of things. Do you guys have any suggestions? I may eventually be taking these out to do some car photography for a friends body shop too. This is my first go around with this type of setup so Im not sure where to start.

Thanks!!

[brucep]

I have two different kinds of boxes I use with my hot shoe flashes. I have one Lastolite 24x24" box (http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/552448-REG/Lastolite_LL_LS2463_Hot_Shoe_EZYBOX_Softbox.html) which pops up very quickly and stows almost as fast. It comes with a hot shoe bracket and speedring.

I also have two Photoflex medium softboxes (http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/276536-REG/Photoflex_FV_HDMS_HalfDome_2_Medium_Softbox.html), and I've found I can use their Adjustable Shoe Mount Connector (http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/197439-REG/Photoflex_AC_B222SM_Adjustable_Shoe_Mount_Connecto r.html) with that box (even 'tho it's for their smaller box).

The Photoflex requires a speedring. Since I also have Alien Bees flashes, I got speedrings (http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/366395-REG/Photoflex_SC_B9002BR_Speed_Ring_for_Balcar_.html) which are also compatible with the Alien Bees (even tho' I have several AB softboxes, too). I mount the Adjustable Shoe Mount Connector to that speedring.

Since I also have a couple of old Norman 200B flashes, I got Photoflex speedrings for those as well, so I can use those two boxes with any flash I own.

With either rig I'm able to use a Pocket Wizard FlexTT5 receiver under a hotshoe flash. Naturally, I have to use an umbrella (swivel) bracket under either unit so I can tilt the box up and down.

If I have time to set up the larger Photoflex boxes, I prefer to use them. The Lastolite is faster but smaller.

With those 285's you'll have to use Manual flash. If you were to use dedicated flashes and the PocketWizard system, you could shoot ETTL/iTTL thru the lens auto flash, which I prefer.

[zerocool]

also Interfit has a kit called Strobies, has a bunch of goodies including Beauty Dish, Softbox and other modifiers, .... they have them for SB's and 285's and are designed strictly for the hotshoe flashesClick Here For More Info On Strobies (http://www.interfitphotographic.com/Strobies/Strobies%20index.html)

also if u cant afford PW's ... the Alien Bee CyberSync's are great option

[brucep]

Is that what you settled on, Roy... the Strobies setup and Cybersyncs? What do you think of those? How well do they work for you?

I checked your gallery for examples, but it's empty.

[zerocool]

Is that what you settled on, Roy... the Strobies setup and Cybersyncs? What do you think of those? How well do they work for you?

I checked your gallery for examples, but it's empty.

have not purchased my strobies yet, ive had a few things come up over the last month thats required attention first, car maintenance, 2 computers randomly dieing needing to be replaced lol

but yes i use CyberSyncs with my 2x 285hv's (u have to buy a certain type of cord from FlashZebra for the connection though), and i love them....they are the " Poor Mans " PW .... you can also get some el-cheapo stuff from Ebay, but you cant always rely on those for dependability...

as far as the strobies ive not used them but i know people that have used them, and have seen some great results out of the products... so these will be my main, until i can get my AlienBee's

however i have to agree with u though, their are times where a regular Medium Soft Box comes in handy...

[prcdslnc13]

The strobies set up is alot like what Im looking for and in the price range Im looking at. Thanks for the tips on the cyber syncs too! I was looking at the Cactus setup on the site that the Strobist recommends, but those look like they would much more trustworthy for not much more money. Heres one of my first attempts to use the new lights. This is undiffused and for the most part unedited.

[zerocool]

The strobies set up is alot like what Im looking for and in the price range Im looking at. Thanks for the tips on the cyber syncs too! I was looking at the Cactus setup on the site that the Strobist recommends, but those look like they would much more trustworthy for not much more money. Heres one of my first attempts to use the new lights. This is undiffused and for the most part unedited.

your first attempt looks good, good lighting and shadows are no to harsh..

something else i would suggest u get, is one of those 5 n 1 reflectors, will help act as a fill light on the opposite side of the flash bouncing the light back at the subject helping eliminate harsh shadows...(same thing can be achieved with White FoamCore Board)


i was going to ask, are you running 285hv ? or the regular 285?

[brucep]

Those Strobies look pretty small. Remember, the smaller the light source (box, umbrella... whatever) and the futher away from the subject it is, the harder the edges of the shadows will be.

The larger the light source (or the closer it is... making it seem larger), the softer the shadows will be.

A reflector will fill the shadows, but it's not going to make them one bit softer-edged.

On a tight budget, a wall or white reflector would work nearly as well as a softbox. When I shoot family candids, I put a Stofen OmniBounce diffuser on the flash that's on the camera. By itself, it won't give you softer shadows (say, outdoors at night, away from reflective surfaces), but it's great for spreading the light around to multiple surfaces for soft bounce light. With my subject near a white wall (that's out of the photo), I'll just point my flash directly at the wall and get soft, directional light from the side of my subject.