Portable Setup Feedback

[Colin Creevey]

Hi all,

I am re-thinking my location kit and looking for some feedback about my thoughts regarding the setup for my key. The purpose of this kit is for taking portraits (upto full body) in a urban environment. Due to my disability, I will always have my gear cart with me which is has the interior dimensions of 49.5" L x 18" W (125cm x 45cm ).

I am looking for a setup that makes setting up and tearing down the light as fast as possible without giving as much focus to the weight of the setup.

For modifier I am thinking of getting a new octa box with a flip fold design. Something similar to the Glow ParaSnap 44" Octa. I've seen a 60" octa with the same design but already having a 60" I know what a pain that would be. Instead I was thinking of getting a 47" of the same design. If not I could look at the Glow 44" or a 36"

For my light I am thinking of either getting an AD300 or using my AD600Pro with extension head. If using the AD600 I could use a super clamp to clamp the body to centre column.

I have had limited experience with C-stands and all of that experience was in studio. If using my cart, I am wondering if a C-stand is going to be cumbersome. Specifically I was thinking of getting a Kupo 30" c-stand with turtle base (no leveling leg). The max height of this is 89" (226cm). Due to the size of my cart, this would mean removing the turtle base but I should be able to flip the softbox down and leave the light attached.

I already own some flat pack Manfrotto aluminum stands (1005BAC) that have a max height of 9' / 274.3 cm. However, while I am happy having an AD300 on top of this, clamping an AD600 to the central column is not a great idea as it is easy to damage the column with the clamp. Regardless which stand, I will be using a sand/shot bag.

Questions in summary:

1. Which size octabox do you feel would be best and why?

2. Should I look at getting an AD300 (no other uses for it) or just use the 600?

3. Which stand option do you feel is best?

Thank you in advance. I know my questions are lengthy but I rather type it out than people answering without context.

 

[stateit]

How about just having a plain reflector, or just a small softbox, on your light, and shooting through a pop-up diffuser? I really like shooting through my 1.5m x 1m (5'x3' ) diffuser. Much easier than dealing with giant softbox.

--
https://sullivangeorge.photo

 

[ronscuba]

Umbrellas. Doesn’t get much faster for setup.

 

[RL Photography]

I do not see how dealing with an extension head and extra clamp is part of a strategy for faster setup.

 

[Colin Creevey]

When unpacking the car (and putting gear into cart) it takes 2 mins tops to super clamp the body to the central pole. Likewise, when packing up, it only takes a couple mins to take apart. The point is it only gets done once.

As for why not just have an AD600 on the top, well that makes the light more top heavy and the heavier the light stand's load is, the harder it is to raise. That may not be an issue for you (of what I assume is average height) but for someone lower down, that's a big deal.

 

[BAK]

RE: >>I know my questions are lengthy but I rather type it out than people answering without context.<<

As a general rule, you ask good questions. And you ask them in a way that lets lurkers benefit, too.

BAK

 

[RL Photography]

When unpacking the car (and putting gear into cart) it takes 2 mins tops to super clamp the body to the central pole. Likewise, when packing up, it only takes a couple mins to take apart. The point is it only gets done once.

As for why not just have an AD600 on the top, well that makes the light more top heavy and the heavier the light stand's load is, the harder it is to raise. That may not be an issue for you (of what I assume is average height) but for someone lower down, that's a big deal.

2 mins is not long, but in your original post you said that you wanted to do things “as fast as possible” and 2 is bigger than 0.

An AD-S85 mounted on a AD300 Pro folded and left mounted to one of your Manfrotto stands has virtually 0 setup time and unless you are outside will not need a shot bag. If you want a bigger modifier you will need to mount the AD300 Pro in an S2 bracket and use a modifier with a Bowens mount.

 

[Gato Amarillo]

Trying to think through your situation, here's my first thoughts:

Questions in summary:

1. Which size octabox do you feel would be best and why?

Size is a matter of taste and shooting style, but I'm happy with about 36 inches for portable work.

For quick setup I like a "brolly box". I use these. The front panel is stitched on, so no dealing with Velcro - just pop it up like an umbrellas and shoot. I admit I sometimes wish for a bit more diffusion than the single layer:

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1110969-REG/savage_usb43b_umbrella_softbox_bounce_43.html



For better quality with slightly longer setup look at the Photek softlighter line. The diffuser panel fits over the tips of the umbrella struts, which I prefer to the Velcro on most softboxes.

2. Should I look at getting an AD300 (no other uses for it) or just use the 600?

I would go with the 600, but try to come up with a mounting option other than the super clamp

3. Which stand option do you feel is best?

My concern with a C stand is that the height adjustment is typically 3-1/2 or 4 feet off the ground. Would that be a problem for you? EDIT: On second thought, the Manfrotto are almost as high, so maybe not an issue.

I like the Manfrotto stands. Either use a soft touch with the clamps or come up with an alternative way to hang the flash body.

Thank you in advance. I know my questions are lengthy but I rather type it out than people answering without context.

Length seemed about right to me - gave us the key info and pretty tightly written.

Gato

--
People: Portraits, fantasy, cosplay (mildly NSFW)
https://www.instagram.com/jrsprawlsphoto/
.
Personal pictures, road trips, rural nostalgia, and kitty cats:
https://www.instagram.com/j.r.sprawls/

 

[Colin Creevey]

Trying to think through your situation, here's my first thoughts:

Questions in summary:

1. Which size octabox do you feel would be best and why?

Size is a matter of taste and shooting style, but I'm happy with about 36 inches for portable work.

For quick setup I like a "brolly box". I use these. The front panel is stitched on, so no dealing with Velcro - just pop it up like an umbrellas and shoot. I admit I sometimes wish for a bit more diffusion than the single layer:

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1110969-REG/savage_usb43b_umbrella_softbox_bounce_43.html



For better quality with slightly longer setup look at the Photek softlighter line. The diffuser panel fits over the tips of the umbrella struts, which I prefer to the Velcro on most softboxes.

I will look into these, thanks.

2. Should I look at getting an AD300 (no other uses for it) or just use the 600?

I would go with the 600, but try to come up with a mounting option other than the super clamp

3. Which stand option do you feel is best?

My concern with a C stand is that the height adjustment is typically 3-1/2 or 4 feet off the ground. Would that be a problem for you? EDIT: On second thought, the Manfrotto are almost as high, so maybe not an issue.

I like the Manfrotto stands. Either use a soft touch with the clamps or come up with an alternative way to hang the flash body.

No this was something useful that you pointed out. I did get one of my stands and set it up. I measured the distance from the ground and then looked at the minimum height distance of the c-stand. I raised the lowest riser is that it was at the minimum height of the c-stand I was looking at.

TLDR, I was able to raise it by myself but if I went another 10inches up then I would not. Thanks for getting me to check

 

[Off The Mark]

I can affirm that the typical brolly boxes are easy to set up and convenient. They seem to produce good light, If one is using a Fresnel head speed light, one can mount one of those diffusion domes over it to soften the light (since the brolly box has only a single layer of diffusion and aren't all that deep, making it difficult for a Fresnel head of a typical flash to "fill out" the brolly box).

Having said that they might make sense, I find that I almost never use my godox brand brolly boxes because they have a serious blue / magenta color cast and tint shift. The cheaper ones also use thin metal ribs and won't survive long with much packing and unpacking, and definitely will die in any sort of a tip over.

If you are going to be on uneven ground, then I would agree that a C stand PROBABLY makes more sense than a spreader stand if the leg is adjustable in height. Note that this is coming from someone who owns a grande total of zero c stands and avoids them like the plague due to their weight (although I will probably have to get at least one).

 

[Colin Creevey]

Thank you for all the help.

With the help and feedback of you all I have decided that while the size of a c-stand wouldn't be an issue on location (for me), the weight would be. Not so much the transport but rather just moving from cart to upright and back again.

The solution I have decided on is to use my AD600Pro superclamped to the main riser of a light stand with the remote extension. Paired with a flip fold softbox. If I want another small light I will use one of my AD200Pros and chuck it on a nanostand.

I was worried about super clamping the body of the AD600Pro to an aluminum based stand as the pressure may impact the functionality/telescopic ability as I have over tightened one previously that I feel impacted the ease of use of the air cushioned stand.

The solution I found is getting a Matthews Maxi Kit Steel Stand (9.5') which has a steel construction (afaik) but does not have the high weight of a c-stand.

I opted for the AD600Pro over getting a AD300 as I read conflicting reviews about the colour cast it produces and I was going to have to use a S2 bracket for modifier anyway. Furthermore, I already own the 600 so why spend when I have something more than reasonable.

 

[ojenfish]

Not sure if I'm understanding the whole picture but I used to use one of these. Hanging off one of the knobs on my C-stand.

https://www.adorama.com/fplfxp0036....BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds&utm_source=inc-google-shop-p

 

[Colin Creevey]

I have one of those as well but I rarely use it. Attaching body of AD600Pro using that bag or a super clamp is pretty much the same thing. Only difference is super clamp is more secure.