Softbox diffusion cloth?

Rogue Crew

Rogue Crew

Well-known member
I want to try some experiments in "portable diffusion", but I need some basic materials.

What's the front of a softbox made from - the actual diffusion material?
Can the material be purchased easily? If it's not readily available, is there a gel equivalent?

Thanks.
 
Re: Softbox diffusion cloth?

Well, as far as from a fabric store...there are things that are similar to the diffusion on the front of a softbox, but they don't have the heat tollerance required to resist bursting into flames.

You could try using a silk out of an open ended flag, or from a butterfly...but they're not very heat resistant either.

Gel equivilants are widely available, but not as quiet. 215, opal, frosts, etc. A gel book from Lee or Tiffen will have several varieties of diffusion for you to look at.

It'd be nice to know if there's a supplier out there who does sell the material used in the front of the softbox, but I don't know of one personally.
 
Re: Softbox diffusion cloth?

Don't know where you can buy the stuff, but you can always use a white bed sheet.
 
Re: Softbox diffusion cloth?

.. lightly frosted clear acrylic shower curtians work pretty well too. but they dont like hot lights too close either.

lightly frosted pastry will be good on the set as well.
 
Re: Softbox diffusion cloth?

No, for my experiments I need the real thing, or as close to it as possible. What goes on a butterfly? Same thing?
 
Re: Softbox diffusion cloth?

..just take the pastery man.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home;jsessionid=BjTBJu6H1S!41151477?ci=1&sb=ps&pn=1&sq=desc&InitialSearch=yes&O=SearchBar&A=search&Q=*&shs=butterfly
 
Re: Softbox diffusion cloth?

Most butterflys use silks though, still too lightweight to withstand a softbox.

It's the look you want, but not the durability you're going to need to use it in a softbox, and the light doesn't stay that soft after the front of the softbox bursts into flames.
 
Re: Softbox diffusion cloth?

You should look into stuff called "tough spun" - We used it alot in lighting class - just use some C47's on the barndoors and its almost just as good as a softbox.
 
Re: Softbox diffusion cloth?

yeah you can get a rosco gel book for free from almost anywhere and they have various grades of spun, criss cross and opal in there, and its only about 10 bucks a sheet, should do you well.
 
Re: Softbox diffusion cloth?

Yahoo, $5.50 for 20 x 24" sheet color or diffusion at B&H, although I couldn't find the free gel book from either B&H or Rosco. Fifteen to choose from:

3000 - Tough Rolux, 3006 - Tough Spun, 3007 - LT. Tough Spun, 3022 - Tough Spun, 3008 - Tough Frost, 3009 - LT. Tough Frost, 3010 - Opal Tough Frost, 3020 - LT. Opal Tough Frost, 3011 - Tough Silk, 3015 - LT. Tough Silk, 3026 - Tough White Diffusion, 3027 - Tough White Diffusion, 3028 - Tough White Diffusion, 3001 - LT. Tough Rolux & 3040 - Powder Frost

But isn't "Tough Silk" a contradiction in terms? ;D
 
Re: Softbox diffusion cloth?

I got a free gell book from B&H yesterday.. search for rosco and sort cheapest to highest, its marked as $0.01.

And yes.. 5.50 is the price, $10 Canadian dollars.
 
Re: Softbox diffusion cloth?

FWIW, you can look for white rip-stop nylon at the fabric store. Very tough stuff. Looks like gridcloth. I built a coop light recently with two 300w tungstens inside. Wood frame and foil insulation as a reflector inside. The ripstop was 6-8" below for diffusion and were on for hours and hours - no problem. Heat is vented out the top. Test it first. 

coop_light_01.jpg
 
Re: Softbox diffusion cloth?

hatever you end up using, be careful and test it out somewhere outside for a few hours to make sure you're not going to have any problems with hellfire.

Softboxes are like tiny ovens, so you're not only got to worry about the heat coming off the direct beam, but also the buildup in the box itself. A lot of spuns will burn once they get hot enough, and plenty will warp and change color before they burn.

Test it somewhere safe before you get it in the cramped confines of a location shoot with all the tripping hazards between your crew and the exit.
 
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