Light shaper / Softboxes

Guide for Softboxes

Provide flashes & continuous lights with the right light shaper

Softboxes allow you to direct and guide the light. Working with artificial light is also artistic at the same time, because there is no limit to creative freedom. Especially in product & portrait photography artificial light is very popular. The use of softboxes is also essential in film and video creation.

Quickfold or no quickfold, that is the question here

A softbox that does not have to be transported regularly can be purchased as a normal softbox without hesitation. You just have to be aware that a built-up softbox takes up more storage space. A Quickfold Softbox offers the advantage that it does not have to be assembled every time and also takes up less space during storage. A disadvantage of Quickfold softboxes is that they usually break at the rods due to the constant movement or tear out at the pockets on the edge of the softbox. This can also happen with a standard softbox if it rubs over a rough floor more often.

What types of softboxes are there?

Each softbox / light shaper has its own characteristics, so the photographer should have a variety of softboxes on hand to give their work the maximum potential

Variety of light shapers:

• Octabox / Octa Softbox
• Deep Octa / Deep Octabox
• Square Softbox / Rectangular Softbox
• Striplight
• Lantern Softbox
• Parabolic Softbox
• Light Umbrella
• Beauty Dish
• Snoot

When choosing a suitable softbox, there is not only the shape, but also the connection, which must fit the system used. Most flash units use the Bowens Mount. This can also be adapted for clip-on flashes. We recommend a maximum size of 60cm here, as anything beyond that will exceed the power of the clip-on flash unit. Another problem with the clip-on flash is the angle at which it flashes into the softbox. Another well-known connection would also be the Profoto connection.

What role does the size of the softbox play?

The size of the softbox plays a role in many levels, bigger does not always equal better. Because the larger a softbox is, the more power is needed to illuminate the softbox. In return, the light will be softer or illuminate a larger area.

How do I get softer light?

You can control the hardness of the light not only with reflector cloths or honeycombs, but also with the distance of the softbox/flash/continuous light to the subject. This changes the beam angle of the light source on the object and the light output is lost at a higher distance. Another way is to use a larger softbox.

Why use a reflector cloth?

A reflector cloth / diffuser cloth is used to soften the light in the first step in a softbox, but still allows some harshness. The more foils / cloths are drawn into a softbox, the more power is also consumed by the flash light at the same time.

Why use a honeycomb / grid?

A honeycomb does the opposite of a reflector cloth or a diffuser cloth. The honeycomb directs light in which the black cloth swallows the emerging light rays and allows only the straight rays to exit the softbox. If these have previously fallen through a diffuser cloth, you get some enhanced edges / shadows again.

Our honeycomb assortment

Well-known brands for softboxes

In our assortment we carry many brands, among the better known brands in our assortment are the following:

• Profoto
• Godox
• Walimex / Walimex Pro
• Aputure