LumiQuest Mini SoftBox vs. SB800 deffuser

Any one use the LumiQuest ProMax Mini SoftBox instead of the Standard defuser for the SB-800



I apoligize if this has been asked a million and one times.

Can be found here for only $20:
http://www.adorama.com/LQSBM.html?sid=11548531144000469

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Mark

http://www.markmicallef.com

The SB800 automatically compensates its output when the included diffusion dome is used. It doesn't compensate as well when something like the LumiQuest is used. The lighting from the Lumiquest can have "hot spots" as well. I have the LumiQuest, but after experimenting with using it and the SB800, compared to the included diffusion dome, the Lumiquest has been buried in the back of the closet for quite some time.

The diffusion dome included with the SB800 works especially well if you have a white ceiling or wall to bounce off.

Bottom line: Don't bother with the Lumiquest, you can get better results with the diffusion dome. (And the dome is a lot easier to put on and off, etc.)

If you need softer light, bounce the Sb800 (or two) into an umbrella. Two SB800s fired into an umbrella are fairly mobile and can provide very nice light on a subject.

Hope this helps,

Keith

http://www.SpiritofPhotography.com

I have the Lumiquest you pictured and shots I have taken with it look just like a straight flash. Seems like a good, small way to soften the light a little, but it doesn't work.

You need a larger soft box for direct flash or the included diffusion dome tilted up 45 degrees and a rather low white ceiling to make it soft.

I use a Photoflex Litdome XTC for my direct flash technique. works well for single head shots or couples at no more than about 8 ft to get an effective F-stop and avoid long recycle times on the strobe. I also use a Stroboframe bracket.

Robert
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http://www.streamlinestudio.com

Keith Snell said:

If you need softer light, bounce the Sb800 (or two) into an
umbrella. Two SB800s fired into an umbrella are fairly mobile and
can provide very nice light on a subject.

Click to expand...

SB-800s to fire into a single umbrella, and how do you have them set (same chanel, same group, etc.)? I am very interested in this, as one SB-800 can be slightly anemic when used in this way in some cases. My solution has been to add a second stand, umbrella, and SB-800, but your two-into-one idea would be more practical and more speedy. Thanks in advance for your explanation.

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Mike St James

mike,

I use the photoflex "multi-clamp" lightstand adaptor to hold the umbrella (photoflex 45" convertible) and a mounting bar that I mount two nikon AS-10 hot-shoe adaptors on, with the SB800s mounted in the AS-10s, about 4 inches or so apart and firing straight forward into the center of the umbrella.

The mounting bar could be something like this: http://www.berezin.com/3d/twinbar.htm or like this: http://www.reallyrightstuff.com/mpr/index.html

to be honest, I have an old Kirk mounting plate for my 500mm lens that I pressed into service.

I've found that setting the SB800s on the 24mm zoom setting is sufficient to fill the 45" umbrella, with very little light spillover.

Using two SB800s firing into the umbrella also has the advantage that your range depicted on the SB800 LCD is fairly accurate. (You loose just over a stop of light by reflecting off the umbrella, so the second flash makes up for that stop, making your range calculations accurate again.)

As much as Nikon's CLS system has been touted, I have found through practical experience that I can't always count on it to work properly when shooting outdoors or into an umbrella. (Probably too much "stray light" to contend with.) Therefore, I find radio remotes much more trustworthy. Even something as simple as this cheap $25 radio remote from ebay: http://cgi.ebay.com/Wireless-Digital-Radio-Slave-Flash-Trigger-16-Channels_W0QQitemZ280014030364QQihZ018QQcategoryZ30086QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem seems to give me much better results than relying on any of the Nikon flash-based methods of controlling remote flashes.

Given that I use the radio remote, and not CLS to control the flash, I'm obviously not using TTL on the remote flashes, but I haven't found this to be much of a disadvantage. In fact, I find that manually setting the flash output, and then making minor adjustments via my aperture (or ISO) settings can give me MUCH more consistent results than TTL and CLS. Once I get the flash exposure set the way I want it, I can freely move people in and out of the group poses without worring about a white dress or group of black tuxes overly influencing my meter results.

Hope this helps. Please let me know if you have any additional questions.

Keith

http://www.SpiritofPhotography.com

are you asking about indoor pictures with the SB-800?
I use the flip-it and have great success.
The Lumequest you showed is not really too effective.
do a google for flip-it and do some reading.
For $25 you can't beat it.

Outdoors use the regular plastic diffuser that comes with the SB-800.
When you get past about 10 feet you have to take it off to get more power.
Outdoors do not rotate the flash head , keep it straight at subjects.

There are many diffusers on the market , the plactic diffuser dome that comes with the SB-800 is very very good.

Indoors I switch to the flip-it. You will see some of my pictures on the website.

Joe Demb is a wedding photographer and deveolped this small reflector diffuser that works fine. It really opens up the room and does a nice joc at the reception with the candids.

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Sam
http://www.samjsternphotography.com

I have used the Lumiquest Softbox (LQ-925D), larger than the one you are showing, extensively for several years on an SB800 and on other flashes. I also use the Nikon Dome on my SB800s.

I like them both, but for different reasons. I like the Softbox because it softens the chin shadow a little better than the dome, but I like the dome when I want to scatter light. As Sam said, neither are really useful beyond 10'.
This image is with the Softbox.



--
JohnE
Equipment list in profile

'My children say that I am the family paparazzi .'

I find the mini and the slightly bigger one works great for macro work, don't use them for anything else though.

--
Kramp
http://martind.smugmug.com
Hummingbird Hunter #4

I really like using the Flip-it much better than the Gary Fong Lightsphere II, for a portable situation.
--
Jeff Rogers
'There is a landscape greater than the one we see'

Thanks all, Your posts have been very helpful.
--
Mark

http://www.markmicallef.com

Let us know the exact position of the flash and flipit indoors.

I am just not able to get the perfect setting.

Dilip

Dilip,
great question.
It takes some learning.
Low ceiling flip-it back.
High ceiling flip-it tilted foward.
Within 8 feet tilt back.
Further away tilf foward.
The learning curve is slow but once it makes sense you will love it.

--
Sam
http://www.samjsternphotography.com

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Mike St James

I've been using the LumiQuest SoftBox, and it doesn't really work that well given the drop in the output light. It kinda flops around on the SB-800, usually sagging, and doesn't allow for spreading out the light for wider angle lenses. So, I suspect that the MiniBox isn't that much of a help, either. Gary Fong's Lightsphere II is ok if you have a reflective surface, but it falls off even easier than the SoftBox flops around. Recently, I've moved to the Joe Demb diffusor. Overall, I think the Nikon DomeDiffusor does a job that's similar to the Lumiquest Softbox, with the advantage that the flash zoom for wide angle lenses is still operative.

(WHY HAVE I SPENT SO MUCH MONEY ON PORTABLE DIFFUSORS !!??!)

I wouldn't mind using a big portable softbox that is 12x18" or so.

I think I saw one on "Sex in the City" episode (yeah, I ended up watching all five seasons on DVD) when Sarah Jessica-Parker did some sort of modeling debut. Who makes those ? I think it was too thin to be a flash
attachment, though.

There is a new diffuser system on the market called the Ultimate light box.

I have one and I'm quite pleased with how it stays on my sb-800 and the different ways it can be used. It's really quite adaptable and works well in most situations or settings.

Niether, I use the Flip-it! Works great.

http://www.joedembphotography.com/flipit/
--
Jeff

digital-freak said:

Check out my gallery at http://www.jkphotogallery.com

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Light Modifiers and the Portable Flash
by PAUL F. GERO created AUGUST 2006

http://www.shootsmarter.com/infocenter/pg005.html