Mounting an X-Large softbox

[cyrus]

I picked up an Xtra large softbox from the Calumet going-out-of-business sale, without realizing just how "XTra" large it really is.Best way to mount this on monoheads?

[Kirk Gittings]

116085

:)

[Mark Woods]

Usually Hi-Rollers with sand bags are used, or the light is rigged on speed rail over the subject. It's a bit of a rigging job.

[Scott Davis]

First, make sure you have the proper speed ring to attach it to your brand of mono light. Then a good 25lb sand bag on the base of the stand would help, along with making sure you're using a durable enough stand - something like an Avenger or a proper Mathews C-stand with a minimum 1" diameter tube. The box itself isn't too heavy, but it acts like a sail and the slightest imbalance will pull the sucker over in a heartbeat.

[cyrus]

Yup! They're huge and heavy and the torque causes my monoheads to droop if they're mounted onto the light so I need to mount it to the light stand directly. I have a Manfrotto Jr rolling stand with a Jr receiver. I need a riser and some sort of swivling adaptor head to go with it, and I think that will work.

But really the problem is that the softbox itself is saggy and droopy, so the front diffuser is not taut. Any suggestions for that? With a grid, it bellies-out if pointed even slightly down.

[lenser]

My problem with these is always with the clamp on the light that sets the angle. Big and bigger boxes work fine, but the giant ones always make my otherwise sturdy as hell While Lightning ultras sag. (Yes, I did replace the original clamp with their heavy duty ones. Still won't hold.) Suggestions?

[cyrus]

Lenser - I'm not familiar with WL/AB/Buff products but I think the solution is to *not* mount the softbox to the monohead which is itself mounted on the light stand. In such a setup, the light's bracket arm and clamp takes the weight for both the softbox and the light itself.

Instead you mount the speedring to the stand and attach the softbox on one side of the speedring and the head on the other side of the speedring. Now the lightstand takes the weight of the softbox directly. The speedring has a screw hole to be used for this arrangement, or you can tap one. Note that the light head is hanging in place just by its (locked-in) attachment to the speedring. There is no weight via the clamp because the light isnt attached from its bracket arm. You'll need a swiveling adaptor head to allow adjustments to the light's direction.

OR something like this, which is similar to what I described above except that the monohead has more support http://www.kaceyenterprises.com/?page_id=1054

[lenser]

Cyrus. Many thanks on the link to that mount bracket. Looks like it may well be perfect for my needs, but I'm trying to find out from them if the Ultra mount bracket matches the Einstein for height. Also, since they only filmed from the left side of the product, it's a challenge to see exactly what they use for a bracket to mount the unit to the light stand. Is that a Matthew product, the type of head that accepts their boom arms, or something else?

Thanks again for the info!!!

Tim

[vinny]

You haven't said how big "large" is. 6ft?
A C stand isn't suitable for something like this, neither is a 3 riser baby stand, but you know that.

Adding a Matthews tvmp onto the ring then using a matthews magic finger might work and give you the ability to lock it in place whereever you like w/o settling. Hard to say w/o knowing the actual size.
As far as the sag goes, here's what we've done in the motion picture world: 5/8" aluminum tubing cut to length with velcro wrapped around the ends and mid point. Stick that to the front of the box.

[cyrus]

Sorry Tim, I have no experience or knowledge of that line of monoheads. I am not even sure if that bracket thingy is still available or if there's a long waiting list for it. In general, mounting the softbox to the lightstand rather than the monohead is the best approach. I don't think that making your own version of this sort of thing would be hard either and would be REALLY cheaper

7 foot tall I'd say 3 feet deep so there's a lot of torque. Yikes! Typically, when I want this sort of soft lighting, I shoot into a large V flat. But since it was a deal...

I'm going to put it on a Manfrotto Jr rolling stand with a swivel adaptor, yes like the Matthews Magic Finger (I think Impact makes a cheaper version.) I am using another one of these stands for a Calumet Redwing boom arm; they are rock solid and should be plently stable for the softbox.

I was hoping not to have to add sort of jury-rigged frame to the front of the box since that just increases torque, but can't think of anything else too practical. Except to sell it and go back to V flats and umbrellas...

[Peter De Smidt]

I'd go with a bracket that mounts booth the speedring and the light. I wouldn't trust just mounting the speedring. I've had too many speedrings become unexpectedly unattached from a head over the years. Admittedly this is with highly used studio equipment. I'm thinking about you, Speedotron. I'm not familiar with how the WL lights attach to a speedring.

[cyrus]

Thats not hard to arrange, all youd need is a grip and extension arm to further support the light

Hopefully all heads are also attached to safety lanyards, especially overhead lights

[Peter De Smidt]

Right on, Cyrus. Just making sure... :)

[cyrus]

The Magic Finger on the Manfrotto Junior stand worked out well in mounting the XLarge softbox.

Just FYi for anyone else that runs into this thread, I also found out that Chimera makes a bracket that can be used to attach heavy softboxes directly to the lightstand, thus preventing droopy lights. You'll need the Chimera speedring for your brand of softbox, plus a grip to hold the bracket http://chimeralighting.com/Products/Parts-and-Lighting-Grip/Lighting-Grip