My DIY " SOFTBOX''..........

Thanks man,...............and if any of you guys think that i left out, or over looked something.......................... please let me know. I'm always open to suggestions and ideas.Thanks
 
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I'm not familiar with the light you have attached there. Where is the bulb? I'm looking at the 3rd photo. Is the bulb behind or inside of the softbox? Is there a lens on the front of the light?

-GageFX
 
(1) I cut 4 peices of foam core 2 are 24'' and 2 are 32'' . (2)I cut 4 peices of mirrior flex (3) I glued the mirrior flex to the foam core (white side) using hot glue.(4) Lined up the sides and used the hot glue to seal the sides together. (5) Taped all of the outside joints and edges with black paper tape. I also left an opening at the back of the box, so that i can attach the box to the barn doors, of the light fixture. I did this by useing #1 spring clips. The type of diff. used on the front of the box is full grid, the shower curtain also works well. You can attach this by just useing tape. I hope that you guys can understand this. Writing is not one of my better skills............thanks for the interest.
 
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The light fixture is a Mole Richardson 1k baby (fresnel) , the fixture is at the back of the box. The box is attached to the barndoors of the fixture. The light projects into the box ,threw the opening at the back of the box.
 
The materials and tools used are as followed, 1/4 foamcore coroplast on one side black on the other, pencil, sharpie, measuring tape, sissciors , box cutter,glue gun, mirror flex, ruler, paper tape and grid cloth.
 
Hi Julian:

Nice job!

How does the output look? Does it do the job that you were hoping for it to do? I am proud of you, I recall your posts asking about softlight and how to get it. You are one of the feww that actually got off your rear and did it, very nice.

I am in the midst of creating a cheap Kino Flo knock off. It will be an 8 tube flo with 13 watt, 3,050K fluorescent tubes for a total of 104 watts with hum-free, flicker free ballasts. Total cost will be $185.00. Will post pictures and screengrabs as soon as it's finished. Only challenge is that nobody makes 5,600K tubes in the size that these GE/Jasco fixtures take so I will be stuck with 3,050K GE warm white color temp.

I dig DIY lights, it's a lot of fun to experiment and create something for your own needs.

Dan
 
Hi!, Puredrifting and thankyou for the support. You gave me many useful ideas for making this DIY "soft box''. The output looks great, and it gave me more than i was hoping for. I 'm also able to place gels (c.t.o. etc.) on the inside of the diffusion just by using a small peice of tape. Do you think that i can get an egg crate effect by just making a pattern on the front of the diff. material with black 1'' or 2'' paper tape ?.

I will also be waiting to see what you came up with, in creating a cheap knock off, to the Kino Flo. because that will be my next project. Down here (Bahamas) i don't have a big variety of stuff to choose from. I was looking at a few flo. fixtures but they all came with magnetic ballast, i'm looking for something with an electronic ballast. If and when i do........ i think i will start with a 2 ft 2 bank fixture and see what i can do with it. So please holla back and let us know what your findings are. Thanks again for all your help.............J
 
the reason i asked about the exact position of the light and if it has a lens - does it? - is because the most efficient and soft softbox will have a bare bulb INSIDE the box so it reflects off the walls and shines out evenly. a lensed light behind the box will be center bright and the only light bouncing off the wals wil be the little reflected back by the diffusion panel- almost none.

As for the grid, just taping a grid does nothing but maybe cast a patern. the point of the grid is that it is 3 dimensional - and a couple images deep so it
blocks light on all sides making the light directional.

please excuse typing - on phone.

- GageFX
 
If you have a lensed fixture, and you can't remove the lens, then you can add "double diffusion" by adding a layer of diffusion about 1/2 way inside the box.

My photoflex softbox has one, suspended at 4 corners by bungee (I imagine rubber bands would work for a while), and I think (personal opinion only) that the inner diffusion panel is the main reason that the photoflex makes such amazing light (even compared to other softbox type solutions I've used).
 
Thanks for the info. I also tried this box on my 1k micky, and got a great output. I also plan to get a 1000 watt photoflex starlight , this fixture just has the lamp and no housing. When i do get it i will post the results.

Also thanks for the tips on the egg crate, I'm glad that i found that out before i wasted time and paper tape on it. Do you or anybody have any ideas on how i can make something that may work. I'm just thinking about if i ever need light control. As for eg. keeping light of the background without moving the light source. If there are any ideas please let me know. thanks again ..............J
 
You should be able to make yourself that grid. Decide how deep you want your grid (how directional you want your light) and cut some strips of your black foamcore that depth. You want the length of your strips to be the length of the front of your softbox. Then, cut your strips so you can interlock them (cut slits half through and about 2-3 inches apart - however big your want your light openings - the closer together, the more strips you'll need). Then assemble them together. I am bad at verbally explaining things, I hope that makes sense.

Make THIS pattern: (but of course it will be complete to all edges)
egg_crate.jpg



Your grid should then be the size of the front of your box (if youmeasured and cut well). So tape that sucker to the front with black gaffer's and you are set.

So, for a 16x16 softbox (which I use for video) I would cut 18 (I think) strips of foamcore, 16 inches long and 2 inches wide. I would then cut a 1 inch slit every two inches in all the pieces (or maybe just 14 of them. I'd really have to try it myself and see). Then I'd interlock them and I'd have a big square grid and then I'd tape it to the box. Or cut off extra and tape it to the box. Arrgh. I'll sacrifice a piece of foamcore and try it this week if I have time.

Hope that was clear enough.

-GageFX
 
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Thankyou GagFx.........and it does make sense. I totally understand what you are explaining, and as soon i as can get a little time. That's what i will be making, thanks again........... you guys are the best, J.
 
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