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If you’re quite new to photography and need to buy a good speedlight softbox, choose from our list of products to get the best softbox for speedlight.
If you’ve been doing photography or have been interested in the hobby, then you have most likely heard about softbox for speedlight.
These devices are an integral part of professional photography (particularly for portrait and product photos) because they concentrate light and reflection in the direction of the subject.
Fortunately, this kind of device can be found in any photography shop so looking for one isn’t a problem.
The challenge here is choosing the best one out of all the choices. In order to help you with that, we’ve created a guide and a detailed list of the top picks out there.
That way, you’ll have an easy time choosing the best softbox for speedlight.
Contents
What Is A Softbox And How To Use It?
We’ve already explained why softboxes are important for photographers. Now, if you’ve just gotten into the hobby and haven’t come across one yet, we’ll explain what it is and how to use a softbox with a speedlight.
In a nutshell, a softbox is a device that diffuses light by focusing and reflecting a large amount of light in the direction of the subject. The advantage of having a small softbox for speedlight at your disposal is that you can get rid of harsh shadows and dark angles that plague your photos.
To use a softbox, you just have to mount it on or alongside your camera. When connected, the speedbox will turn on when you take a picture. From there, your photo will have better lighting.
Buying Tips For Softbox With A Speedlight
Now that we’ve explained what a softbox is and how it’s used by photographers, let’s go on to the buying guide. While all softboxes are built in a similar fashion, each variant and each brand has its own set of unique features.
To choose the best one, you need to first understand your own needs and wants when it comes to owning a softbox. From there, you align your needs with the features of each softbox of your choice.
To do that, you’ll need some sort of criteria for grading. Our buying guide will provide you with that criteria.
Check out these factors below:
Built And Mounting
The first thing to take into consideration is the built of the softbox and the mounting style. There are softboxes that can be mounted on your camera (smaller sized ones) while there are those that can’t (bigger sized ones).
The mini softbox for speedlight usually look like small spotlights and are pretty easy to carry around. However, the bigger ones are usually built like umbrellas and are foldable. The one you choose depends on how much light you’ll need for your subject.
You’ll also need to take into consideration the portability of your choice. The smaller sized ones are obviously more portable than the big umbrella-shaped types.
Compatibility
If you’re going with a smaller sized one, then you’ll need to determine whether it’s going to be compatible with your camera or not. A typical softbox will be compatible with popular camera brands such as Canon, Nikon, Sony and more.
But if you want to save yourself the hassle of checking for compatibility, you can get a softbox that has a universal mounting, allowing it to fit on any camera. A good example of this is the canon speedlight softbox.
Size
You also need to take into consideration the size of your softbox. This is important because the size will determine how much is concentrated on to your subject. Obviously, the bigger sized ones will focus more light than the smaller sized ones. You just need to determine the size of your subject, the frame size you’re using for your picture, and how much shadow you want to be covered.
For most small product shots, an 8×6 inch type is already good. But for big jobs, you’ll probably want to get the big sized ones like the 24 to 30-inch type. In the case of portrait photos, a 60-inch one is also ideal.
Durability
The last factor to take into consideration is the durability of the softbox. This is directly related to the material that was used to make it. For small types, velcro or nylon with a strong PVC frame is good.
For the bigger types, you might want to go with the very high-density nylon types that come with a metal frame.
5 Best Softbox For Speedlight Reviews
By reading the buying guide, you are now equipped with the knowledge to choose the most suitable one out of these 5 choices.
With that, we may now move on to the top 5 products:
1. Altura Photo 6×5 Inch Softbox
Via: Amazon.com
Outdoor photographers love this softbox because of its compact size and its even lighting power. It has a size of 6×5 inches, making it easy to carry around when in the field. At the same time, it has an internal diffuser further adding to its overall lighting strength.
Best Features:
- The internal diffuser gives better wrapping of light
- 6×5 inch compact size
- Compatible with all camera mounts
- Velcro strap material
- Foldable built for better portability
- Comes with a 90-day guarantee
2. Neewer 32 Inch Octagon Softbox
Via: Amazon.com
If its size that you’re after, this is the biggest on this list. This one is specially made for shots of big products or high-quality portraits. It’s highly durable and portable as it can be folded. It can be also be used alongside other studio flashes.
Best Features:
- Big 32-inch size
- Umbrella type built for wide light diffusion
- Foldable and easy to bring around
- Durable double metal frame
- Compatible with other studio flashes that have an umbrella hole
- Lightweight built for high portability
3. Waka 2 Pack Light Diffuser
Getting the best bang for your buck is one of the incentives of buying this diffuser. That’s because the package includes two light diffusers— an 8-inch octagon softbox and an 8×6 inch rectangle one. It’s not big like the studio umbrella types but it can be used for everyday photography. It can eliminate red-eye and eliminate shadows with its internal diffuser.
Best Features:
- Package includes both an octagon and rectangle diffuser
- Comes with a microfiber cleaning cloth
- Made of black nylon with a frame made of silver PVC
- Universal mounting
- Internal diffuser gives more efficiency
- Foldable and comes with a carry bag
4. Godox 24 Inch Portable Diffuser
Via: Amazon.com
Even though this diffuser is on the big side, it’s one of the most portable ones you’ll get. It is collapsible and extremely lightweight. It’s an ideal softbox to bring on trips if you want to capture the scenery. It comes with an S-shaped mounting bracket, silver reflective interface, and both an outer and inner diffuser.
Best Features:
- Foldable and portable design
- S-shaped mounting bracket is collapsible
- 24-inch size for high light coverage
- Comes with removable inner and outer diffuser
- Comes with a carry bag
- Compatible with all tripod stands
5. Neewer Bowens Grid Type Softbox
Via: Amazon.com
Last on the list is the Neewer Bowens Grid Type Softbox. The unique thing about this softbox is that it is equipped with grids. The advantage of the grids is that it gives more flexibility on how much light you want to be diffused. This is great for those who want a more artistic and unique touch to the photo that they’re taking.
Best Features:
- Grids allow more versatile lighting
- S type speedlite mounting
- Comes with outdoor and indoor diffuser
- Comes with a carry bag
- Has an umbrella input hole to be used with other camera flashes
- Durable plastic material
Conclusion
With our reviews of the best softboxes to pick, you now have a more narrowed-down list to choose from. All that’s left is to choose the best softbox for speedlight for your own needs.
If you’re still having trouble choosing the best one out of the 5, may we recommend our favorite— the Waka 2 Pack Light Diffuser. This is our favorite pick because it offers 2 types of softboxes in just one package. This allows you to experiment with various lighting styles to suit your artistic preferences. At the same time, you can bring it anywhere and mount it on any camera.
