For Video whats better Softbox or Umbrella ??

C

Cabrera

Well-known member
Looking for lights been researching whats out there...whats better for video Softbox or Umbrella....Lighting is a whole new ball game!!


Thanks for the help!
 
You rarely see umbrellas being used for anything other than photography. Softboxes seem to be a lot more popular for video although I'm not sure why. Perhaps they're better for continuous light sources since they are probably more optically efficient and would have a better quality light than a reflection. Does anybody know for sure?
 
They are more efficient, and a little softer most of the time. I don't like them because I don't work with experienced actors very often, and it's easier for them if the light isn't as direct (gets in their eyes and all that). Plus I'm a photographer pretty often. Softbox is probably what you want.
 
Umbrellas use reflected light (soft) where you loose about 2/3 of the wattage (those numbers are HUGE oversimplifications are used here only as an example) while with softbox you use light shining through a large diffusing surface of the box and you loose only 1/3 of the wattage -- thus softboxes are more efficient as you don't need as much power as with umbrellas.
 
Cabrera said:
Im new to lighting....Whats eggcrate used for?
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The "softer" the light, the less directional it is. That's often nice for lighting talent because it's very forgiving and offers nice qualities. The downside is the light tends to spray EVERYWHERE. On the talent, on the surrounding furniture, on the background, on the lady down the hall...

An egg-crate is used to shape the light. It keeps the soft quality, but makes the light more directional, so it goes where you point it, and less goes where you don't want it.
 
Cabrera said:
Whats the difference - Shooting through a softbox vs shooting through an umbrella ...Not umbrella reflection
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Both have their place. I've done reflected umbrella, shoot through umbrella, and softbox (as well as other light modifiers). Each gives a slightly different look. Most softboxes tend to be square or rectangular. And that shape shows up in the eyes of the subject. Sometimes you really don't want a square light in the eyes of your subject, so a round umbrella can be used.

The umbrella tends to be faster to use if you're in a hurry. It packs easier, and it's cheap. All important benefits depending on that you're doing. If you are lighting a reflective object, sometimes the umbrella will give a better looking highlight than a softbox. Again, it's a choice.


Cabrera said:
Im looking at the Cowboy Studios 3000K kit ....Any feedback on this kit
http://www.cowboystudio.com/product/c16/p16-13.php
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Garbage.

Avoid kits. Noobs buy kits and they are usually crap. Good kits cost real money, and new shooters tend to budget about 1/10 what they should for lights, so they never buy good kits.

If you want advice on what to buy, tell us what you need to light, and we can advise you. My lights cost half as much as my camera, and I don't have near the lighting I should.
 
Oh yea, I remember that video...

Let me revise my question to you since I didn't get the answer I needed to help you.

Find me 3-4 music videos that you want YOUR videos to look like, and I can tell you what kind of lights you should buy to get that look. Lighting is all about creating a look and feel. And different lights used in different ways create different looks and feels.

The two Lowel Tota's can be very helpful for certain things. A lot of people don't care for them, but they are exactly the right tool sometimes. I use the heck out of mine. And they work nicely with umbrellas.
 
Well, you're in luck. This video really only has about 3-4 lighting setups. And thanks to the fact that much of the talent is wearing sunglasses, you can clearly see a lot of the lighting. All the daytime stuff is being lit with HUGE sources. What we call blanket lighting. While this isn't hard to do, it does require some very specific tools, and frankly some pretty powerful lights.

The nighttime stuff by the pool and such is likely going to be out of your league unless you are much more of a high roller than I take you for. Most of the closeup work is being done by large, soft sources. And you can get there without spending a fortune, but you're going to need some cash if you want that look.

So, the question now, is how much do you have to spend? And how "cheap" can your setup be before your artists begin to worry that you have no idea what you're doing?! :)
 
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