Home Made Speedlight SoftBox

[Aussie Dave]

I'm at home on holidays at the moment and got to reading on the net about some speedlight softboxes that people have made, so thought I'd throw one together to see what it was like.

I have designed my softbox to work with my 18-70 kit lens, though it should work for any lens really (except for perhaps UWA lenses which might pick up the lower edge of the softbox.

Materials were what I had available around the house (it still needs some prettying up):
- a couple of cereal boxes
- tape
- baking paper for the front diffuser
- aluminium foil for the inside
- stiff cardboard for the sleeve that goes over the speedlight (mainly for durability)

The front dimensions are 24cm x 18cm and it fits snuggly over the front of the speedlight for quick and easy operation.
I have only done some very brief and minor test shots but I will post some up in the next couple of days (both on-camera and off-camera photos).

The softbox looks like this:



The things we do when we're bored...
Dave

[zafra52]

Thank you. That was very interesting. I must admit I
made a box to photograph marmalades and jams for
a friend and worked better than the commercial
I bought later product (light tent).

[aim54x]

Very nicely made! Will you consider making these out of non-Wheet Bix box materials if someone is willing to purchase? BTW...post the results!

[colin_12]

Gee Dave you have gone all out, I did not use more than one cereal packet or line it when I made one.
Your's should last much longer though.

[Mr Darcy]

Hey I wish I had thought to use baking paper. I just used a sheet of A4 photocopy paper. It worked well, at least until it ripped, but it lost a lot of light to the paper. Note to self. Must remake it. BTW have you had a look at Andrew"s (ATJ) wire frame one? It has the advantage of folding up to fit in a bag for transport/storage.

[Aussie Dave]

Well, I managed to get a bit of time this morning to fire off a few test shots.

I used my kit lens (set to 50mm) and available/natural light was from a nearby window, to the left of view, with flash/softbox either on the camera or to the right of view.

On-camera tests:

*Bounced flash was off of ceiling (I was laying on the floor)

Off-camera tests:

*as you can see in the final image, my test subject had had enough and wanted no further part in testing

I plan to have a bit more of a play with the softbox and I will post up a few more test shots in due course.
From this morning's session it seems that the softbox does give a nicer/softer fill-flash effect and it will be good to play around with it further in other scenarios to see how it fares.

Will you consider making these out of non-Wheet Bix box materials if someone is willing to purchase?

If I had the time I might, but I don't have plans to do so.
If others are interested I am happy to post up a copy of the plans I drew up (for others to work from to create their own).

Hey I wish I had thought to use baking paper. I just used a sheet of A4 photocopy paper. It worked well, at least until it ripped, but it lost a lot of light to the paper. Note to self. Must remake it. BTW have you had a look at Andrew"s (ATJ) wire frame one? It has the advantage of folding up to fit in a bag for transport/storage.

I originally made a mock-template out of A4 paper to make sure dimensions worked with the lens etc and although it worked I also found it lost alot of light...but the cardboard with aluminium foil on the inside doesn't leak any light and the baking paper seems to do an OK job...perhaps draftsman's tracing paper might let a bit more light through (and be stronger)...but for the experiment the baking paper works fine.

I haven't seen ATJ's wire softbox, though I had read up on a couple of people who had done similar.
If I get to like the trial version I've made and want a more permanent solution then I might go down the "transportable" road....though I think I'd get quite a few looks if I were to go walking around the city with a softbox atop my dSLR

Cheers,
Dave

[ATJ]

I haven't seen ATJ's wire softbox...

Here you go: http://andrewtrevor-jones.com/softboxes.html

[Aussie Dave]

Thanks ATJ. I like the comparison images you have on your webpage. Clearly shows the benefits the softbox gives.
Do you use your softboxes much ?

I had some further playtime this afternoon and took a few product sample images (flash vs softbox).
These are straight out of camera, just resized for web.

I used the camera on a tripod, 18-70 kit lens @ 50mm along with timer, then hand-held flash/softbox off-camera.

Left images show flash vs softbox being held above and approx 45deg from subject.
Right images show flash vs softbox being held underneath lens, directly in front of subject.


This image shows the difference between flash vs softbox being held about 45deg and above (from left to right).


Next I think will be macro playtime....stay tuned!

Dave

[biggerry]

I haven't seen ATJ's wire softbox...

Here you go: http://andrewtrevor-jones.com/softboxes.html

I made one of these up last friday and got lots of giggles on saturday when trying to take macros of fungi. That said it works quite well and for teh cost of a A4 sheet paper, two coat hangers and half an hour its pretty darn good. However for close quarter macros it can be a bit cumbersome and limiting when trying to get beside or under subjects with sticks logs or other obstacles close by.

The other option is the portable diffuser which is a piece of diffuser material placed on a ring which can be folded up, Ray had one of these on the weekend which I used a bit and they work quite well with the only real PIA being you have to hold or position them in place so it can be a bit of juggling act.

The other option I am gonna try is a cheap ebay diffuser http://cgi.ebay.com.au/Foldable-Flash-Diffuser-D3R-mini-Reflector-F-Canon-Sony-/130475991578?pt=AU_Cameras_Photographic_Accessories&hash=item1e60f9a21a

This fits over you lens in front the flash, hopefully this will make a bit less of a juggling act.

Nontheless in the spirit of the softbox theme heres one from the weekend using ATJ's foldable flash diffuser.

[ATJ]

Do you use your softboxes much ?

Pretty much all the time above water. Almost all my photography is macro.

However for close quarter macros it can be a bit cumbersome and limiting when trying to get beside or under subjects with sticks logs or other obstacles close by.

Which is why I have my special 1:1 and greater soft box.

[aim54x]

Looks like these softboxes really do work nicely! I think I may have to try to modify my dome!

[surenj]

Hi Andrew,

I assume your 1:1 softbox is smaller?

[Mr Darcy]

Hi Andrew,

I assume your 1:1 softbox is smaller?

See his Softbox #3

[surenj]

Thanks Greg.