Has anyone tried diffusing their LED panels with a cheap shoot through folding softbox used for Speedlites? These $6 dollar folding diffusion panels normally strap to the front of a portable flash, but now they are advertising it for LED video lights. Effective? Maybe, maybe not, but i'm sure it would be easier on the eyes of your subject. Could be a simple place holder for your colored gels too. Check 'em out below.
Foldable Softbox Diffuser for Flash LED video light
SkunkWorks
@Nitsan
Depends what you want to use it on. The LED bulb(s) I'm going to use it on have a starting spot size not much bigger than a golf ball. They give off 430 lumens each which is actually too much for what I typically use them for and have to dim them anyway so some light loss isn't an issue (I probably just won't need to dim them anymore). But I'll end up with a bigger softer light source that will also completely eliminate any slight pattern in my beam from my particular bulbs.
Light loss is going to be a natural consequence of any type of diffusing on any light source. It's par for the course and to be expected and planned for.
Emm
Post author@Nitsan - I think it would make the biggest difference for your subject if they have to look towards the light.
Nitsan
i dont see the point. it reduces power and only give about half inch bigger light source.
Tony
@SkunkWorks - Thanks for the reply. Good info.
SkunkWorks
Edit:
On that 3rd page of results I mentioned above, you'll see the bluish one like the one Emm posted... it might be a tiny bit bigger than the others like the ones I bought without the black lip around the front white diffuser. His is listed as 150mm x 120mm while mine is listed as 130mm x 100mm (13cm x 10cm).
SkunkWorks
@Tony
I just typed "flash diffuser" in the ebay search and sorted the results by "Price + Shipping: lowest first" and started seeing the type I was looking for on the 3rd page of results (at the default 50 items per page) starting at around $3.50
They all seem to be pretty much the same one. The one Emm posted has a bit of a black lip around the front white part, I went for one of the ones that doesn't have that. But who knows?... maybe they actually are all the same and do or don't have that lip depending on how you open it. And maybe you might not even get sent the exact one in the picture. Will see when mine arrives I guess 😉
I'd link directly to the seller and the exact ones I bought but my copied ebay urls don't usually work properly for others when I paste them into forums... it might have to do with what the url ends up being, depending on whether I'm logged in to ebay or not when I copy it...
... seller's member id is liufutang2009
Tony
@skunkworks: Link to where you got them? One one showing from Emm's link. We need link to other sellers.
Carlos
I do this quiet often. I have 2 of them that I used to use for my flash. It works nicely as long as your subject is very close. Otherwise you loose a huge amount of light through the diffuser. I have used one that the diffuser is soft plastic light and one that is more like the expensive diffuser fabric. The latter works much better!
c
SkunkWorks
Well, they're going to increase the size of my lights significantly 😉
http://www.skunkworksonline.ca/misc/MR16-10w-LED.jpg
imgpro615
i do t his with my own sunpak diffusers...and add gels right inside
Rob
I have one of these mini softboxes for my flash, and I didn't think it worked very well for still photography. It's okay at very close range. The problem is that it doesn't increase the size of the light very much. Never tried it on an LED video light but seems like it would have the same issue.
Harold House
I have three of these things. They do a better job of diffusing the light than the one that came with my 120 and 160 led lights. I've even used both the one that came with the lights and these to knock down the harshness that can come from these led lights.
Emm
Post author@Jordan - We have constant batteries in rotation on chargers. Most of them are Sanyo Eneloops both AAA and AA which can operate most accessories. Otherwise we have rechargeable 12V battery packs.
Jordan Mederich
Hey guys,
I've got an unrelated related question. In terms of batteries, what is the wisdom concerning 9V, AA, and AAA in NiCD v NiMN v Lithium?
Emm, what keeps your studio from batteryless chaos?
Emm
Post author@svem - When used on camera and interviewing someone, it's definitely easier on the eyes to look at. I like it. To control spill off the corners, maybe adding some Industry Tape would work.
svem
Here is a video of the soft box attached to a Z96 Led light with filter.
https://youtu.be/dmEB54D3X3w
The soft box straps hook onto behind the filter corners to keep it secure.
The soft box slightly softens the light compared to without the soft box. Nothing dramatic. But it might be easier to just stack a few magnetic filters onto the Z96 then the soft box and still get the same result?
Homing
Great idea.
Some that would fit perfectly would be even better. From what i see in those pictures there's a lot of opening since it's a bit too small so quite a bit of light loss/spill
svem
It's funny because just yesterday I was looking for a diffuser for my LED light and I tried this exact thing with a soft box secured to the LED light and it seems to do the job.
SkunkWorks
@Spiros
LOL - I was actually just about to make myself a couple of these useless accessories... I do have a need and use for them. But for a little over 3 bucks a pop I'll save myself the hassle. 2 ordered 😉
mark london
Looks a great idea.
Spiros Zaharakis
If there was a poll for the most useless accessory for DSLR this would take my vote.
SkunkWorks
You can get 'em even cheaper than that... just grabbed 2 at $3.50 each 😉
... will put them over those 10w MR16 LED bulbs I told you I put on my shoulder rig at Halloween.