Flashpoint Pop Soft Box for Shoe Mount Flashes, 16" With mounting hardware

2013-08-08T21:00:00

This little softbox was on sale so I decided to give it a go. The softbox itself is reasonably constructed. It folds flat and the extra diffusion panel is nice when needed. The included mounting hardware works with my flashes and even extends tall enough to fit a radio trigger under the flash. I have my doubts about the longevity of the ball head, as I have seen these fail before. Where this softbox completely falls apart is the way it attaches to the mounting ring. The entire mount depends on the thin nylon "skirt" on the back of the softbox to fit "snugly" onto the metal mounting ring. There are no other mechanical means to firmly affix the softbox to the mounting ring. In practice, the softbox just flops around and even slides down over the flash when pointed up. What a piece of junk! I was about to send it back for a refund when I had an idea. I constructed a clear plastic horseshoe-shaped "washer" that fits over the nylon skirt along with two bolts with wing nuts to hold everything in place. It takes me a bit longer to set up, but now it holds the softbox firmly onto the mounting ring. The other modification I made was adding a 1/4" plastic spacer between the vertical mast and the metal mounting ring, along with an extra bolt to keep the ring vertical. Now I can move the softbox all over the place, including pointing it straight up and it will stay attached to the ring. I just hope the nylon skirt on the back of the softbox will hold up over time.

STEVE A.

2013-07-10T21:00:00

It's a soft box without breaking the bank, but the price reflects some of the features. The speed ring mounts to the box with compression only. It's doesn't seem extremely secure, although has not fallen off. Additionally, the flash mount only connects to a light stand with 'tip' mount. It doesn't work with an extra camera tripod mount. The diffuser is a bit saggy when mounted. the additional inner diffuser is a bonus. Maybe not pro-quality, but great for the casual photographer or enthusiast needing a softbox intermittently, or a second box.

RONALD J.

2013-07-08T21:00:00

I bought this to use hand held and it does the job just fine. It can easily be mounted on a light stand and the second internal diffuser was an unexpected plus. My only reservation is the way the speedring holds on to the soft box. It works OK but I wish that it had a more positive hold rather than just wedging it under the frame. For the price you can't beat it.

HAROLD H.

2013-04-22T21:00:00

**Pros: The carrying case is a nice touch, and it folds down flat pretty easily. Double baffle system creates very soft light, but the small size means its a better fill than a key. Also, it was quite inexpensive. **Cons: The back of the softbox extends out to accept the speedring, but is a very poor, friction-only fit. The box stays on the ring, but not it's definitely a situation where you need to move the flash bracket carefully, or the box might fall off. The ring of the bracket that came with the kit was rusted in several places were the paint peeled off. But a bit of sand paper, some flat black spray paint and acrylic sealer took care of that. **Final thoughts: This same flash bracket sells for about $5 less by itself than what I paid for the kit when it was on sale. For that, can't complain too much!

Zachary W.