Chimera vs Coolights Softbox

I

Indyreel

Well-known member
I'm interested in purchasing a softbox and have been checking around. I think the price of Chimera is high but I'd probably pay it if nothing is better.

Coolights has a softbox that looks great, and for a reasonable price. But, does it produce the quality of soft light that the Chimera does?
 
I don't know about the Coollights softbox, but look at the Photoflex Cine line of softboxes. I have two and they are great. Not quite the quality of Chimera, but pretty close for a lot less $$$.

Matthew
 
Coollights softboxes are, I believe, for their fluorescents ONLY. They are not rated for tungsten lights.

For tungsten lights, you could also look into Westcott. I have a couple of their older softboxes that were rated up to 1000w. They were very reasonable and have held up well for me. Call Westcott, they have really good customer service reps that can point you to the best models for you.

If you want cheap, then buy a 4x4 foot piece of diffusion and hang it off of a c stand arm about 2 feet in front of your light. Or bounce your light off of a piece of foamcore. Lots of spill and not quite as efficient, but the quality of light will be very similar to the chimera.
 
A softbox is a softbox as far as quality of light. With a Chimera, you are paying for the workmanship and quality of construction, not for light quality. Softlight is softlight as far as comparing softboxes. I have owned other brands or softboxes and they are not built as well as Chimeras. I own five Chimeras and have had two of them for over 15 years. Other than some yellowing of the white diffusion and a few burn marks from my 2k, they are all still going strong.

I have a Photoflex softbox that ripped seams the first time I ever used it. I had a Westcott that fell apart with holes at the end of where the rods came through the corners.

You get what you pay for. If you want something that is the best and will last you for years rather than months, buy a Chimera.

Dan
 
Hi Mark,

It's been a while since you've been to our site perhaps. We have the softbox kits for our 650/150 and 1000/575 (and forthcoming CDM 400) fresnels now:

http://www.coollights.biz/-c-28_41.html


The speedring is the key of course to allow that to happen and its very tough. I personally think the build quality is pretty good considering our price and its about the only lesser expensive softbox out there that comes with an eggcrate attachment as part of the package as do all our softbox type lights.
 
Sorry Richard,

Didn't mean to come off as negative about your softboxes, I have never used one so I cannot evaluate yours. My experience other than Chimeras have only been PhotoFlex and Westcott. If your softboxes are built as well as the lights are, I am sure they are a good value for the money.

Talk soon,

Dan
 
Its okay Dan, I was just referring to Mark's (sunporchmedia) comment. He probably didn't know we had the new fresnel softbox kits as its been a while since he bought his equipment from us. That's a relatively new addition to our line.

I'm certain Chimeras are about the best out there but as far as quality build, but when you're talking quality of light output I think you nailed it, the output should be the same for all softboxes unless they screw up the polysilk front or the reflector somehow.
 
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