What Soft box to buy in 2024- Aputure vs Nanlite
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 29 ม.ค. 2024
- In this video I'll compare 4 different soft boxes. This video will help you make the right choice if you're considering one of these soft boxes. I really think the Aputure SE is the right choice for most people who are starting out in their lighting journey. The SE is the best choice if you want to save money. It's also the best travel friendly soft box. If you need a larger soft box you should consider the "Lightdome iii". It has the most advanced design allowing you to quickly set up and not fuss with the rods that come with the "LightDome SE". The "Nanlite 90" should be considered if you want a larger soft box. The Nanlite grid is a bit larger than the aputure grids so the "Directional effect" isn't as strong with the Nanlite. I prefer the smaller squares of the aputure grid. Finally the "SunPower Pluto" Beauty dish soft box is a very unique design and look. Because of the beauty dish you'll technically lose light output but the effect is beautiful. If you're also a "beauty portrait" photographer you might consider this option.
Below you will find affiliate links that would give me a small kickback on purchases. Please consider using these links to support our channel.
Aputure Amaran 300c
amzn.to/3UoW9iP
Aputure Amaran 150c
amzn.to/4bjpPnK
Lightdome SE
amzn.to/3SiuzBa
Lightdome iii
amzn.to/3SCGSJT
Nanlite 90 Parabolic
amzn.to/3w2Y4PS
*My Studio Gear:*
Camera- Sony a7siii
amzn.to/4a7UO55
Lens- Sony 16-35 f2.8 GM
amzn.to/48XTvUX
Lens Filter- Tiffen Black Pro Mist 1/8
amzn.to/3xeCLf3
Variable ND filters Polar Pro Peter McKinnon
2-5 stops- amzn.to/3xkAGhn
6-9 stops- amzn.to/49ftwsj
Mini Tripod- Leofoto MT-03
amzn.to/3VzW1xG
Cheaper Sony camera option
amzn.to/4afInnw
Fujifilm XS20
amzn.to/4cBfBzu
My studio mic
Deity VO-7U amzn.to/3Ps2YwN
My Studio lights
Aputure F21c amzn.to/3VBexWd
Aputure PT2c amzn.to/3IZG6ks
Aputure MC Pro amzn.to/4ci0QBE
Zhiyun C100 amzn.to/48XKRFY
Zhiyun G200 amzn.to/49eQrEd
Zhiyun G60 amzn.to/3TFxENx
*Rigging Gear:*
VariPole
amzn.to/3TAoKQn
C-Stand
amzn.to/3vsZW4C
Cheaper C-Stand
amzn.to/3PAfRFd
Great video. Very easy to see what they each do. And, I like the cat (visible at 1:45, 9:55, and again at 13:00).
Thank you! He is sneaky! His name is Snowball ❄️ 🐈
9:34 - Lighdrome SE - No Grid
10:18 - Lightdome SE - w/Grid
10:49 - Ligthdome III - No grid
11:20 - Lightdome III - w/Grid
11:35 - Nanlite - No Grid
12:02 - Nanlite - w/Grid
12:28 - Sunpower - No grid
13:18 - Sunpower - w/grid
Thanks for the video! Amazing comparison!
Thanks for adding these time stamps!
Great content,
Most youtubers make the dome se look difficult to setup.
You make it look easy. Might just get one.
Thank you so much! The SE is a great option. The way I’m setting it up seems to be the best way I’ve found. Center piece down inside of the rods. It’s a great deal if you don’t mind setting it up. 🤙🏼
Love this!!! So informative. I need this video so much
Glad it was helpful! More on the way!
great video very helpful
Glad it was helpful!
I really want to like Nanlite more simply because I like that they are keeping the big brands competitive and on their toes. Aputure is a great brand and has a great ecosystem and app. Nanlite has some really unique offerings as well and seems to play nice with mixing brands with theirs. The only Aputure lights I have to have with me at all times is the LS60x which has a very slick spotlight adjustment built-in. It's so clutch!
Regarding their softboxes the differences are so minor. If you blind tested us and had us try to figure out which softbox was in use from any brand, most of us would struggle to get even half right.
You’re absolutely right about the softboxes. The main points I was trying to make was the differences in the design and how to put them together. Although the grid on this nanlite 90 doesn’t cut/direct the light as well as the smaller squares from Aputure grids. In some scenarios that might be helpful though…
Both are incredible brands. I’m happy to use either of them.
Thank you so much for watching and leaving a thoughtful comment! Appreciate you 🤙🏼
Hello. Thanks for the information and taking the time to compare. Do you know if the aputure dome 3 or SE fits nanlite lights?
The soft boxes are “Bowen’s mount”. If the light is also “Bowens mount” they should work just fine. Although there are a few reasons to try to pair the lights with their brands soft boxes and modifiers.
What do you think about NEEWER 35.4"/90cm Parabolic Softbox compared to LightDome SE. I am stuck with my choice.
I haven’t ever used Neewer products. I just took a look at it on B&H. For the price it seems like a good deal. The LD SE takes a bit more to set up but that means you can pack it flat. I use the SE when we travel because it can fit in my luggage. The Neewer seems the have the same of similar design to the Nanlite softbox I’m using in this video. The metal quick snaps are great for a quick set up and break down. But you’ll have to be careful if you’re traveling with it because it’s easy to stack something on top of the softbox while it’s packed up potentially bending the rods.. Also the metal design will add more weight to your light. So if you’re using a smaller light with a plastic build it could potentially become a problem depending on how you’re setting it up. Honestly both of them look great. If you need to save some $$$ and you’d like to be able to travel with it I’d go for the SE. If you need to be able to set up and break down quickly I’d go for the Neewer.
@codylander Wonderful video Cody. I just bought the Light Dome III after watching it and I had a question. I’m using it with the Amaran 200XS. Shooting with a Canon R5 in manual mode. Are you shooting typically at a high ISO in the studio and then using a small amount of power from the key light, or vice versa?
That you so much! Can’t wait for you to try out the Dome iii! The new design really is great.
This question deserves an entire video explaining some of the details.
Short answer. I try to keep my ISO as low as possible. Especially when we are shooting serious/commercial projects.
When we don’t have all of the light or power we need we then rely on pushing the iso higher or in some cases adjusting the shutter depending on the motion in the shot.
These cameras are so good now that I’m never too concerned about pushing the iso within reasonable limits. My go to questions with exposure now is “What is most important part/subject for my viewer to see in this frame or scene?” & “Am I preserving the highlights of that subject?”
Feel free to ask more questions if this wasn’t clear.
Are you shooting in a clog picture profile?
@@codylander. Thanks so much for the quick response. I’m not shooting in Clog, but I am in 4K30, 1/60, f/2.8 and I generally shoot low ISO (around 100 - 400). I know the base ISO for Clog is 800, but I don’t know what is really advisable if you are on standard MP4 recording.
You should be fine if you’re able to keep your iso that low. I think you’ll start to notice the noise when you push up into 800+ iso. I just took a Quick Look at some reviews. It seems that the standard picture profile base iso is 160 and 640. But these iso values are so clean already it will be difficult to see the differences. The dual native iso really applys to shooting log footage. You are correct clog base iso on the R5 is 800 and 3200.
Sounds like you are on it and shooting quality videos already. I wouldn’t be too worried about breaking some of the rules if you need. I used to be really hard on myself to keep everything perfect. But at the end of the day the viewer can hardly notice the difference between proper motion blur etc.
While shooting standard I make sure to nail my exposure and color balance in camera because I won’t have much wiggle room in editing when compared to a log profile.
Using beauty dish cause any problem for the light...? Like over heat or burn the led....?
This is a good question. No we have never had any issues with over heating or the beauty dish causing damage. I know we have had the Amaran 300c powered on for hours on end with 0 issues. I cannot speak for other lights or beauty dishes.
But I’ve never heard of it being an issue. The only light I have ever had issues with was the Zhiyun x100 first version. I actually just posted a video talking about that issue. The video is about the Amaran 60x S.
@@codylander thank you so much for your kind words ❤️
I’m happy to help! Let me know if you have any more questions. 🙏🏼