multi speedlight octodome setup?

<p>Forgive me if this has been asked before. I did a google search and didn't come up with much.</p>

<p>I was wondering if anyone has tried using a 5' octodome or large softbox with hot shoe mounted flashes?<br>

I currently own 6 nikon speedlights and was thinking that 4 may be enough inside a softbox of this size, leaving me two free for hair or rim lighting. I would be using it outdoors as a key light to illuminate two people (in the shade or during twilight). If you have done it please let me know how things went. If you have not done it but think that it will or will not work out well please share your opinions with me.<br>

I do not own a large sotbox so I cannot try it myself. My google search turned up others asking about it but I didn't see where anyone had tried to fill so large a softbox.<br>

Thank You.</p>

<p>6 Nikon speedlights would be about 300 to 400 Wattseconds of energy.<br>

It would be very expensive to use them for purpose that they were not designed for, but since you have them, then it should work for you.<br>

I used 3 shoe mount flashes, 2x SB800 and a SB900, shooting at full power, but rather for an experiment. I prefer multiple remote CLS flashes instead.</p>

<p>look at http://www.lightwaredirect.com . I have and regularly use the 30" version of the FourSquare softbox with anywhere from 1 to four Speedlights. Dave Black uses the double FourSquare rig to use up to eight.<br>

LightwareDirect makes adapter wands to use the FourSquare block with larger Chimera, Plume, etc. Softboxes. </p>

<p>In case anyone is interested...<br>

I ended up going with 3 speedlights in a semi-large 36"x48" softbox. With all three units at 1/4 power, meter reads F/11 6' from sofbox at ISO 160.<br>

Thank you Frank and Ellis for responding. </p>

<p>Nick,</p>

<p>Does that mean that you can get the same result using 1 speed light at 3/4 power?</p>

<p>@jeffery C.</p>

<blockquote>

<p><em>Does that mean that you can get the same result using 1 speed light at 3/4 power?</em></p>

</blockquote>

<p>Maybe but of course your recycle time will be be longer as will flash duration. For some people those factors are more critical than for other people.</p>

<p>One Speedlight off camera and close to the subject in shade would be fine. It seems a 5' octodome outddors would be a pretty hard to control kite if the wind started blowing. I would use the strobes single or tied together but without the softbox not really needed outdoors.</p>

<p>No, I don't get the same results with just one light. The meter reading is the same but you can see that the softbox is not being lit evenly with just on light; there is a hot spot in the center. Also, I do try to keep all the speedlights at 1/4 power or less to speed up recycle time. I have not tried using it outside yet because I must wait for a calm day with no wind. I imagine that I would need to use the lights on full power and keep my subjects in the shade or use the sotbox as a fill light.<br>

Last sunday I shot a couple outdoors with just one light in a photoflex XS softbox. I used it as a fill light in the sun and as a main light at twilight. I was very pleased with the results and so were the clients.</p>