Cheap softboxes

G

Garinion

Active member
Hello

I'm going to rent this MZ Lighting quartz set of lights with the HVX200
mz_ph.jpg


Type: Kit with 3x800W Soft lights and tripods
Power Consumption: 800W/220V
Color temperature: 3200K
Weight: 2kg each
Features: Focusing features
Includes: 3 Lights with Power Cable (switch ON/OFF) and 4-leaf Barndoors, 3 tripods 2.4m each, Carrying Bag
Accessories: Lamp Oshram 800W


But the company only sales Chimera softboxes that are too expensive for me
They said that a compatible ring with them is the
9902 adjustable speed ring and for cloth the 8215

Do you know cheaper brands compatible with these standards ?


Thanks a lot !!
 
Yes, when you get to the speedring thing (trying to fit a certain fixture), thats when it all goes south and your choices are limited. What you've got there is a basic redhead clone and like a fresnel, it is a little extra pain to fit it to a softbox and needs a special speedring.

So it sounds like you're saying that you have to buy a softbox for the rental lights? Or, they don't have a reasonably priced softbox that can be added onto the rental for their redheads?

You could also do the same thing by putting up a bedsheet, shower curtain, silk or whatever at an appropriate distance on a frame and get the large diffusion that will make these lights a better soft source than even a softbox can. You see, a softbox is not quite as efficient anyway to fit in front of a fixture like a fresnel or redhead where the bulb is recessed inside the fixture. This is because the bulb should be in the middle of the parabola of the softbox reflector, rather than behind it. So, while it works, its not optimum. Backing the fixture up a few feet so that the wide beam of it covers a larger diffusion frame yields the big soft source which will give the diffusion people seek. A softbox can't perform this backing up since the hood would be giant to get that few feet distance. If you use a diy diffusion material like a bedsheet or shower curtain though (which isn't inherently fireproof), please make sure the distance is adequate so as not to catch anything on fire. Hope this helps.
 
Well I just found another company that rents chimera softboxes !!

"Chimera for 800Watt Quartz (Ring 9120 + Bank 8125 ή 8135)" 7 euros per day (without taxes)

and if you rent it for 15 days you have 50% handing-over
I think it's a great deal .. I will contact them the Monday to talk about

Thanks for your answer !!
 
i have another question .. I want to light with the "3 point system" so I will use the one lamp with the 800 Watt as the Key but the Fill and Back light should be less than the half of the Key power ... under 400Watt .. right ??

So I have to replace the other lamps with Bulbs of 300 watt e.g. ??
Is that the way?


Thanks again !!
 
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Open face lights like that get really hot so I wouldn't skimp out on the softbox. Chimeras are extremely sturdy and reliable, the cheap stuff might cost you less at first but in the long run you may end up spending more than if you got a good Chimera.
 
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