Paul C. Buff, Inc. Technical Forum

Hello,
I really would like to get the B800 strobe, but I am not sure which modifier or modifiers I should use. I mainly have been shooting portraits and I am trying to decide between a softbox, octabox, and beauty dish. Can anyone provide any suggestions? Thanks.

I find the softbox the most useful for portraits I use the large and by feathering it or flagging off parts of it is very versatile for studio work. If you are having to tote to location I would get an octa

I would personally recommend a 64" Soft Silver PLM (8mm shaft).

More portable, larger, much cheaper, more controllable, much more efficient and easier to use than a softbox IMHO

Soft box and beauty dish have the advantage of being easy to use outdoors in a light breeze. The PLM is like a sail, and you will need to take extra care when using it outdoors.
I use mine on a 30lb chrome steel stand and I still need to sandbag it with about 40lbs of sand to keep it from blowing over in a modest breeze.

If you're working in a studio then hands down the soft silver PLM. Good bang for the buck because its two modifiers in one if you order the white diffusion panel for it. With the panel off its a very efficient modifier with contrast, specularity and punch. If you run off of battery power like the Vagabond or Vagabond mini lithium, you'll appreciate the efficiency. You'll use less power per pop than a softbox would. This is even more helpful outdoors during mid day sun despite the fact it's a wind sail.

With the diffusion panel on its a softbox, and a large, portable one at that. The 64" is a very large, very soft source that sets up in seconds, even quicker than a Buff octa. The disadvantage is that with the panel on you can't grid it like you can the octa, which controls the light spill. With the panel off, it's very similar to a gridded softbox, but from a specular source. If there was some way to grid the PLM with the diffusion panel on, it would truly be the ultimate light modifier.

If you decide on the octa, get the grid too. The grid really controls spill so you can get all the characteristics of a softbox without spraying light everywhere. It lets you put light where you want it, and keeps it from hitting where you don't.