How do I buy a Softbox...

<p>Please forgive this somewhat stupid question but I really do want to know.</p>

<p>I just purchased a very old but still operational Speedotron 1202 pack and 4 M11 strobes. I have played with umbrellas but even at the lowest power setting for a single light it is still too powerful by 3 or so stops. So I thought I would try a softbox with it's baffles and diffusion fabrics that should eat a few stops and give me some really beautiful light.</p>

<p>So there are many brands of softboxs out there from Chimera to ebay. Where I am most confused is the speedring or connection to my lights. Do I buy a speedring from the softbox manufacturer, or Speedotron. Speedotron also sells an Accessory Mounting Collar that looks like I could screw it to something to attach it to my lights. I also see a square speedring from Speedotron and wonder if I would replace the Softbox speedring with that but don't know if that is the "right" way to do it?</p>

<p>Can anyone tell me what I am supposed to do?</p>

<p>Thanks,</p>

<p>James McMann<br>

San Jose, CA.</p><div></div>

<p>The speedring comes from Chimera, or whoever makes the box. Installing and using is very simple.</p>

<p>The photo looks like the right ring for Sppedos</p>

<p>A softbox doesn't eat up that much more light than an umbrella does, in fact it may deliver more light because you don't lose any backwards. That said, my usage of umbrellas has fallen precipitously since I got my first softbox, they seem much more useful to me.<br>

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The speedring has to match your heads, but a lot of vendors will be able to match Speedotron. I suspect that you could actually use any speedring that fits your heads although you might have to trim the length of the rods in the softbox or accept a little less tension if the rods are too short. Or maybe you can figure out where to get suitable raw stock to cut your own. That level of surgery doesn't entail a lot of risk.<br>

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If the pack dumps all it's power into a single head, plug all four heads in and point three of them in another direction, or two of them. Otherwise a 2-stop ND filter can't cost that much. Remember that you'll probably want your softboxes very close to the subject, so moving them further away is not a good way to cut the power.<br>

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Van</p>