Is the Glow 71″ Grand Softbox on your Christmas list? Should it be? Did you get a smaller softbox for Hanukkah and want to upgrade? Read this Grand Softbox review and learn if it’s the right product for you.
(Disclaimer: Adorama recently sent me the 71″ Grand Softbox for review.)
The Grand Softbox currently retails for about $350.
My right soccer boot illuminated by the Glow 71″ Grand Softbox. The light produced is beautiful and comes with very subtle, soft shadows.
First off, this thing is huge. I can normally test products without issue in my living room, but this was a tight squeeze! The size is great though because the light is very soft, without losing efficiency from your strobe.
My second impression: it’s a little tough to assemble for the first time. Granted, I didn’t look for instructions (as usual), and I ended up breaking one of the 16 metal rods because I began putting together the softbox incorrectly. Oops!
You’ll notice that the speedring in the center has 16 holes, which means there will be a lot of tension from all angles when every rod is inserted. This does create a strong, sturdy final product.
I tried to insert the rods beginning at the top and moving clockwise until they were all in. Do not do this, as it creates too much tension on one side. With a little foresight, and following the obviously labeled numbers on the speedring, you can insert the rods across from each other, instead of clockwise around the speedring, if that makes sense. The first four looked like a plus sign when they were all in, with the tension evenly distributed around the Grand Softbox. This will prevent you from breaking anything!
Now we are rolling and ready to shoot. You’ll notice the reinforced velcro closures, which are a nice touch for securing the end of each rod.
Just to add an element of scale, you can see how large this Glow 71″ Grand Softbox is compared to my Canon 5D mark II.
The Glow series of products by Flashpoint is proving to be a consistently reliable and quality resource for professional photographers. I had some trouble with the initial set up today, but overall, this Glow 71″ Grand Softbox Review is a positive one. I would recommend the Grand Softbox and I will continue to use it for portraits and product shoots.
The Grand Softbox can be used without the white diffuser/baffle in order to get more of a crisp look, since the light will reflect off the silver lining of the Grand Softbox. With the diffuser, the light more resembles a large soft window, which I really like.
It ships with a bag for everything to neatly fit into once folded and taken down. If you want something versatile, efficient, and large for your studio strobes, the Grand Softbox is a great choice.
A bear wearing a reindeer costume thanks you for reading this Glow 71″ Grand Softbox Review. Happy holidays.
