Softbox Grid design

Hmmm...that is a great question.

In a practical sense, no. No difference. The purpose of the grid is to restrict the light to a more narrow path than without the grid. Although, that said, I have applied the grid in order to reduce the light output. Basically, you use the grid to stop the light from going all over the room / from lighting up the background behind the subject. The soft box with grid is typically positioned at a downward angle on a subject and the grid "cuts" the light off of the background.

In a technical terms, I suppose it might make a difference in relation to a given position. Thus the reason for use of "honeycomb" grids as opposed to linear pattern grids. You are essentially asking if a linear grid controls the spill equally in all lateral direction. More like a polarizing filter where orientation makes a difference...or more like a par lens where the orientation doesn't make a difference.

I don't know the answer to that. Thinking about it makes by brain hurt. :cheesy:


Someone smart chime in here, please.

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I don't see a picture for the first one on the Adorama site. But a diagonal grid is just a square grid rotated 45 degrees. Since you can rotate the speed ring, just rotate it 45 degrees and it becomes a square grid.

What makes a difference is how far apart the grid is spaced and how deep it is. Just think of each square as a snoot for that portion of the softbox. If you made a 2" square 12" deep, it would produce a very narrow beam. If you had a 12" square 1" deep, it would have very little effect.
 
Paul F said:
I don't see a picture for the first one on the Adorama site. But a diagonal grid is just a square grid rotated 45 degrees. Since you can rotate the speed ring, just rotate it 45 degrees and it becomes a square grid.

What makes a difference is how far apart the grid is spaced and how deep it is. Just think of each square as a snoot for that portion of the softbox. If you made a 2" square 12" deep, it would produce a very narrow beam. If you had a 12" square 1" deep, it would have very little effect.
Click to expand...

The inquiry regarding the orientation of the grid raises the question of whether or not a square snoot reduces spill equally in all direction. Does a square snoot restrict light equally in the direction of its sides as it does in the direction of its corners? If yes, then why the creation of honeycomb pattern grids and use of honeycomb pattern grids?

This is more a question raised by the OP's question than a question directly raised by the OP. It is something that had never occurred to me until I read the post from AdobeCS. Obviously uni-linear light control such as the vertical louvers and venetian blinds do not control spill equally in all direction. Vertical window louvers control spill in direction perpendicular to the louvers only.
 
Ok, got it. I see what you mean about a brain teaser. Let's take a 2"x2" square piece of diffusion with a light behind it. The light passing through the diffusion scatters in all directions. So we would see a diffused light on a wall. Now add a 2"x2"x 12" snoot. Only the photons that shoot out from any point on the diffusion to any point on the end of the snoot escape (let's assume the snoot is perfect and no light reflects off the sides). So if you traced every point on the diffusion to every point at the end of the snoot as a line and extended it out to a wall, it would form a square. Of course, the snoot is not perfect, and the light is not a point source, so the edges of the square on the wall would be soft.

To prove this, I took a light and put it in a box. I cut a square hole and projected it on a wall. Without a snoot, as expected, the wall had a soft light on it. Then I made a 6"snoot of black wrap. It projected a square light on the wall. The further the light was from the wall, the softer the edges of the light became. but it was still a square.
 
Around here a fabric grid is referred to a as an "Eggcrate", whereas a "Grid" is typically rigid, & made of aluminum.

Perhaps these terms are just a Hollywood thing, & we're out of step with the rest.
 
Bern Caughey said:
....... Perhaps these terms are just a Hollywood thing, & we're out of step with the rest.
Click to expand...

Not just Hollywood; the entire state of California is out of step..... and not just about "eggcrates".

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/sear...Search=yes&sts=ma&typedValue=&Top+Nav-Search=

Post Script: Oh, wait, I'm from California. What am I saying?
Post Post Script: Industry jargon is fun and clickish. If you don't use the right terminology, your instantly identified as a noob and outsider.
 
Paul F said:
Not just Hollywood; the entire state of California is out of step..... and not just about "eggcrates".

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/sear...Search=yes&sts=ma&typedValue=&Top+Nav-Search=

Post Script: Oh, wait, I'm from California. What am I saying?
Post Post Script: Industry jargon is fun and clickish. If you don't use the right terminology, your instantly identified as a noob and outsider.
Click to expand...


and this from Samy's Camera:

"The Soft Fabric Egg Crate Grids have revolutionized your light control options for location film and video crews and photographers."
 
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