Fotodiox EZ-Pro Octagon Softbox 60" with Speedring for Bowens Gemini Standard, Classica Powerpack, R, RX & Pro Series Strobe

I found this while looking for something else but it seems to be great for taking a large softbox on location. It was delivered on time and nicely packaged by both Fotodiox and AMAZON. Fedex delivered with hardly a scratch on the outer packaging. No instructions provided, but everything was straightforward. The metal Bowens style speed ring needed to be attached but a screwdriver took care of that. Next, I opened it up and snapped it open, very much like an umbrella. The Bowens fit right on. I was very happy with the overall kit which includes inner and out diffusers as well as a nice deflector dish to bounce the center of the flash back into the umbrella and block the hot spot. I note that the on-line photo above depicts the deflector installed backwards! Be sure to mount it with the side (with the ridges) you see in the photo facing back towards the flash tube and smooth side facing out of the umbrella. Any number of beauty dishes and some umbrellas use a curved deflector like this to achieve the same effect. None are bowed out like in the photo above. On a heavier duty light stand (westcott), this modifier and a Bowens Gemini 400 work quite well. It is well balanced, not too heavy. My initial results were a wonderful fill against a daytime outside window with just 1/3 power, 125th sec at F11 and about 800 ISO. I was expecting wonderful soft light and easily got it. The finish of this modifier is very good. The umbrella style works well; easy to set up and disassemble. The fabric is on the lighter side as may be expected for this application. Overall, I think it is a good fit for the photographer who cares for their equipment and does not intend it for everyday, heavy use. For a lot less than the price of a great modifier, I have two Fotodiox modifiers for the Bowens Gemini: this 48-in portable, easy to set up, deep octabox, AND a very nice 60-in octabox which, once set up, is quit solid, but much less portable. Note: results after using the deflector dish and the two diffuser panels were excellent. This set up lit up a whole portion of the room like it was a television set, yet the light on subject had a naturally soft, window light like cast. This ones's a keeper just like the last Fotodiox box I purchased.

I already own the Fotodiox Pro Octagon 48" Softbox, but required something more convenient to mobilize for outdoor/on location shoots, away from the studio. This is where the "EZ" in the EZ-Pro Octobox comes in. Unlike the former; which requires the standard setup of forcing fiberglass rods into the octobox and into the ring adapter, the EZ-Pro sets up just like an umbrella (albeit pretty stiff when opening), then pop on the small, included beauty dish, velcro on the inner and outer diffuser panels and voila-giant light source in a couple minutes. The rods are made from thin metal and not fiberglass. Fiberglass umbrella rods tend to snap easier while these should last much longer.The shell's material is not as heavy duty as their non-"EZ" Pro softboxes. It is more of a tough, nylon type material versus more of an imitation leather/vinyl ("Pleather") material that is thicker and weighs more. But since the "EZ" Pro line is designed and constructed with mobility and field use in mind, it is perfect for the intended use. One could use either/or both in studio, but with the low per unit cost compared to the more well known brands, I have a few of the Fotodiox standard Pro line softboxes that stay in the studio and a couple of the EZ-Pro line softboxes for outdoor/location shoots in the 48" and 36" sizes. (The 36" EZ-Pro Octagon Softbox cost about $30 less and is a screaming bargain. I actually use the 36" more outdoors, but on calmer days, bring out the "48).The first sample image had slight editing while the 2nd image is a jpg right off of the camera's raw file which may or may not show the slightly cool color of the light source with the Fotodiox EZ-Pro Octagon Softbox with the two diffuser panels. WB set to Bright Daylight and easy to work with in post if needed.

This is one of my favorite softboxes. I like that it is portable, easy to set up and tear down, and I love being able to control the light when I am doing artistic portraits. The light from it is nice and soft, as expected. On the minus side, first (and minor) is that it puts a lot of side load on the light stand, so you might find yourself needing a sandbag on a lightweight light stand to avoid having it tip over. More serious and related to the setup and tear down is that the eggcrate grid (included with mine) is fragile. One of the short edges completely separated from the velcro. I make that edge the bottom, and everything still works OK, but I foresee a need for a new eggcrate grid in the future. Given that the grid by itself costs a large fraction of the cost of the softbox with grid, this is disappointing.