7' Octabank...how many WS minimum?

[jtk]

With the huge Octabank, what have you found to be practical minimum or optimum WS?

 

Is it too big to make good use of 800WS (eg Norman)?

 

Comparable suggestions for 800WS?

[john_murphy1]

I use the Elinchrom Style BX 400 W/s unit, which weighs 4.2 pounds in my Octabank without any problems. I get f/11.6 (ISO 100) at 4.5 feet with the unit at full power.

[jmf]

I have a 5 ft so your milage will vary. I tend to use it close to the subject with a pretty wide aperture to get a shallow DoF. I've used it at both 200 and 400ws with a P800D and a 2000 fan head. I've also pushed 2000ws into it when I needed it to be further away and to give me more DoF. Gotta love that 2000ws POP

 

You're asking the question from the wrong end of the equation.

 

What are you shooting? How big/bright/directional a light source do you need?

[jtk]

Jim, good point about "equation." Here's my situation:

 

I'm very experienced with small (eg 36") portable soft boxes and similar sized shoot-thru umbrellas, positioning one or two very closely to food and products and individuals (executive portrait style), and of course bouncing...but I'm looking for a much softer one-light solution that I can uposition at a greater distance, such as 6'.

 

I don't currently want to invest beyond my 800ws antique Norman, but eventually I want a set of something like Travelites with batteries...and at that point I wonder if one Octabank will adapt to multiple heads.

[steve_roark]

FWIW: I use one with my old Powerlight 1500s. Works fine.

 

One factor you really may want to consider is how well a 7' softbox will fit in your planned work area. The 7' was really designed for large studios...I have barely enough room to open mine in my living room (never mind positioning it). Some 7' owners said they wish they got the 5' model instead. If you do have the space, its a great soft source, though.