I did a series of articles over at Improve Photography testing a ton of lighting equipment. I only wanted to test the basic stuff that starters would be looking at so it was mainly reflectors, umbrellas and soft boxes from different companies. I tried a couple softboxes from Impact. The first was the 24″ Hexi model.
I really liked the Hexi Softbox. It was one of my favorite lighting tool to play with. It was a little confusing to put together at first, but I quickly figured it out and it only takes a few minutes once you know what you are doing. It is also easy to break down and stores nicely in the carrying bag that comes with it. By far, my favorite part of the Hexi Softbox is the pistol grip that allows you to angle the flash however you want it very easily. I really enjoyed using this tool to angle the light and felt much more comfortable shooting from high angles with this than I did with the umbrella.
All of these images were taken in a very dark room, yet the Softbox made a really nice soft light. I liked the results without the reflector better than the umbrella. You don’t get quite as much spread so you can still target the light to create the mood you want. With a reflector, you can get a really even soft light throughout the image. If you are shooting more than 2-3 people, I would recommend getting a larger softbox, but I have really enjoyed this one for 1-2 people. You can currently get one on Amazon for $118.
Be sure to check out all of our favorite lighting gear at our Recommended Gear Page.