Paul C. Buff, Inc. Technical Forum

Hello,

As I anxiously await the arrival of Einstein I would like to temporarily connect my speedlite 580 ex ii to my 42" Paul C Buff foldable softbox. And I also need to connect the softbox to a light stand. Can anyone please point me in the right direction as to what adaptors I will need to get this done?

Thank you so much!!
MrLentz

I have yet to find a good cost-reasonable solution. The closest i have found is getting an "s" type speedring insert (Porter's carries them, but i think may be out), and a strobies speedlite bracket. This set up is clean, but will run well over $100, not including the softbox. I have removed the inner speedring, clamped a Bogen super clamp to the outer speedring. This can then mount to a lightstand, if the threaded part is facing down. I did get the speedlite attached (in the MythBusters' yes-it-was-done-but-more-trouble-than-it-was-worth sort of way). More time and parts, it may have gotten going, but it was ugly.

Do you think these two items would fit the bill?

S - type speedring
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/4 ... r_for.html

Strobie XS bracket:
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/6 ... NT326.html

ok, so i aimed a bit high in price. The second link you sent was what i was referring to. But the first link i would not get. Instead look here: http://www.porters.com/easy-open-soft-b ... ights.html

the measurements for the insert is the same, so it should work. HOWEVER, i have not personally put all the pieces together, so i cannot gurantee it will work. This is the only clean possible solution i have found.

Cool, so that setup should (I know you cant guarantee it) get the speedlite to attach to the softbox, but how would I get the softbox to attach to a stand? I need something reasonably stable. Or are you saying that the Strobie XS Bracket connects the speedlite to the speedring which also attaches to the stand?

Thanks a lot for all of your help!
Evan

i believe the bracket ataches to the stand.

Good Lord - the Porter's people said it's on backorder until July 15th. Have you seen any alternate option for the S - speedring?

Thanks

the only 2 places i have found them seem to be on back order. (i cant find the other link right now)

If you already have a speedring for the softbox and that speedring mounts to a lightstand then you could try the ball bungee method...

http://strobist.blogspot.com/2007/07/di ... t-box.html

Connected in this manner the speedring supports the softbox and the flash.

the issue would be that the foldable softboxes cannot attach to a light stand (perhaps the super clamp method would work though). Also, the speedring cannot be replaced or removed to allow a ring that does attach to a stand.