My Favorite Portrait Lighting Accessory: Westcott Rapid Box Octa Kit Review

[@scottsater]

Hey Brent! Nice review! I'm likely going to purchase the Westcott Rapid Box Octa Kit this week! This helped me decide! Thanks much! Scott :)

[@BrentHall]

Hey Scott, I'm glad I could help! Thanks for the kind words!

[@nelsono4315]

I have this softbox and it is great. Definitely cannot go wrong with it. Thanks for the video

[@swhamilton]

Great video! I’d love to see more examples of how an accessory like this is helpful. I’m still learning a lot, and I’m very intrigued by the fantasy shots you’re talking about. Thank you for keeping the videos coming!

[@BrentHall]

Thank you very much! I'll definitely have more things coming about doing those styled portraits.

[@swhamilton]

Brent Hall I look forward to it! I’m sure you don’t want people copying or stealing your ideas, so I don’t expect a tutorial of any sort, but an idea of how you accomplish some of those shots would definitely be inspiring.

[@BrentHall]

I don't care if people copy my ideas. It's kind of impossible to be completely original in this day and age, with so many people. I will do some more short videos of this type of stuff for the channel, but we're also working on a very in depth video tutorial on how to do fantasy portraits which will be for sale on my site. It will likely be a couple of hours of content.

[@LeeGarrard]

Your channel has inspired me to be a better photographer.. Thank you so much.. 😁

[@BrentHall]

Hey thanks for the kind words, I really appreciate that! Super glad my videos are helping you!

[@SusanneGeert]

Thank you for a great review ;-) Does this fint with Godox lights (= Bowens mount)?

[@BrentHall]

No, unfortunately it's not a bowen's mount.

[@JMDPhotography-Chi]

I have a few of the Rapid Box series and they’re amazing I get them as opposed to the Profoto brand soft boxes

[@andremorissette]

Thanks for these very informative and practical tutorial. What’s your flash setup there ? Regular flash remotely activated through the device in the hotshoe?

[@BrentHall]

It's a Canon 600 ex rt with the ST e3 rt transmitter. The links are in the description if you want to check them out.

[@MrBudanoff]

please tell us which side all the same to put the plate? when it is better to use together with a diffuser ? and another question for Speedlite - what settings are zoom put?

[@marclabro]

Hi Brent, I see you are using 65cm silver rapidbox. is 65cm diameter big enough ? not too hard light with silver interior ? do you sometimes use its grid ? I am disapointed by pocket wizard for d750+sb900, especially for high sync. Just ordered a godox V1 round head+x2 transmitter+ark1 kit. unfortunately rapidbox is not compatible with its rectangular aperture. So, I ordered a S2 bracket for V1 with bowens interface. i am still searching for a softbox. I have seen on amazon a GLOW EZ beauty dish silver 65cm with bowens interface. any suggestion ? any experience on godox V1 ?

[@BrentHall]

I mean, the bigger, the better in terms of soft light, but I've never had a problem with this one. As long as I'm shooting a single person or up to a small group of like 3 or 4 people, it does great for me. Plus I like being able to be more mobile. I've never used anything from godox except for the flash and trigger I have, the flashpoint, which I believe is technically made by godox. I love them and have never had any issues with them.

[@jamesquartararojr1298]

Nice video. I'm wondering if the bracket is included when you buy the sotfbox alone, not the stand kit that you have. (it is pictured in listings)

[@BrentHall]

I would hope so. Seems like it should be included. I guess if you wanted to know for sure you could email Westcott to make sure.

[@ashish0831]

I just ordered mine

[@StevenPaulTassi]

Should I purchase just the rapid box or should I get the kit? Is the kits light stand good?

[@BrentHall]

I bought the kit just because I needed a light stand. It's a decent one, but if you already have one, there's not anything super special about it.

[@geoliebert]

Hey, like your review and i bought one. I want to know if you can mount it to a Westcott Strobelite Plus. I bought a Westcott 790 adapter ring but it doesn't look like it will fit. Any ideas? Thanks

[@BrentHall]

hmmm, I don't know, I've never used one of those. If the adapter doesn't fit, I'd reach out to Westcott and see if they have any suggestions.

[@old4004]

Thanks...........that was just what I wanted to see.

[@BrentHall]

That's awesome, thanks for watching! 😀🙏

[@bgbrandon06]

Looks great. Have you tried the Rapid Box Switch yet?

[@BrentHall]

Hey thanks Brandon! No I haven't heard of that.

[@24mjohnson]

What made you pick the 26" over the 36"? Im looking at either the rapidbox switch 26 or 36" version so i can switch between alienbee or speedlights but trying to figure out if i should get the 26 or 36"

[@BrentHall]

Price and portability were the two biggest factors for me. I couldn't afford the 36 at the time, and I also like the portability of the 26. I would love to have the 36 for the extra soft light though. The bigger the box, the softer the light!

[@24mjohnson]

@@BrentHall Yea and thats me. I can get the new 36 switch octa-m version with alienbee insert and speedlight insert with no center reflector plate for $301 with kelbyone discount or the 26" switch octa-s with reflector plate for $221 or so but trying to figure out how the 26" would compare doing full body shots to the 36" version. But like you mentioned price and portability are a big factor. I am more on portability especially since i don't have anyone to hold the stand or anything for me. But the 36" has more softlight but not sure if it would be easy for a one person band so to speak that don't have anyone to hold anything for me. At times i might have an extra person but not all the time.

[@24mjohnson]

Brent Hall if you could afford either but still wanted portability but be able to do full body shots and still have soft lighting which would you choose? 26 or 36” rapid box octa switch?

[@BrentHall]

I'd probably still go with the 26. The portability is too useful for me. Plus I can still do full body shots and small groups with it well enough.

[@24mjohnson]

Brent Hall is the lighting and shadows still good doing full body shots with the 26? trying to figure iut if i should get the 26 or 36. from the sound of it im thinking the 26. i do have umbrellas and a big cheap 48” softboax just the 48” i have is an elcheapo thats take a bit to put together

[@hoangle6670]

could you help me insert the metal to the box.. i tried so many times it didn't work

[@marclabro]

Hello, nice tuto. I'd like to buy one. I am using d750+24-70 2.8 at 2.8+mini-tt1 and remote sb900+flex tt5 pocket wizard. I want to darken background outdoor and set high sync at 1/2000s. i was surprised on flowers,... to see how much i lost flash power at 1/2000sec (1 stop per multiplier of 1/200s +diffuser stop ???). It seems that with cobra directed to flower or mannequin for portrait, i can't exceed 1meter. correct ? can you tell us at which distance you can place the rapidbox 66cm ? just another idea. it seems d750 is not very good for high sync. i thought about using a variable Polar pro 2-5 ND filter (in belgium, ND10 at the beach :-) ) to keep shutter speed at 1/125s so i would keep full power of sb900. it seems not having any color cast or contrats loss. what do you think ? best regards marc

[@BrentHall]

I usually prefer using an ND filter over HSS. I've been using the Polar Pro filters for a little while now and I have found them to be quite exceptional. They are far better than any of my previous filters. I'm actually working on a review for them now, but it will still be a bit before I have it finished.

[@marclabro]

Thank you Brent, in the tutos you don't mention ND filters so, were you in high sync ? which distance do you recommend between rapidbox and the girl ? 1 meter ? do we really loose 1 stop per multiplier of 1/200sec in FP mode ?

[@BrentHall]

I don't remember, that was a while ago,lol. I think I might have had a 3 stop nd on, that's usually in my bag and was a go to back then. If you want nice, soft light then you definitely want to get it close as possible. With the size of the softbox 1m is probably getting about as close as possible without getting in the shot. That's usually how I place it. I don't know if you lose 1 full stop every 1/200 sec in FP mode, but you definitely do lose some light.

[@marclabro]

hello Brent, is polar pro better than hoya and as good as BW ? Polar pro support advises quartline CP or ND8-PL./ND16-PL do you use these or standard variable at 250usd ? thanks for advises

[@BrentHall]

@@marclabro In my opinion, having used all 3, the Polar Pro's are definitely better than the Hoyas I've used, and are easily as good as the B + W. I am actually working on a review of a couple of the Polar Pro filters (only the ND 64 and CP, as I haven't been able to try their variable ND yet). Hopefully I'll have that done and posted within the next few weeks or so. If you need multiple ND strengths though, I'd definitely consider the Polar Pro variable ND, since their stand alone filters are also quite expensive, it would save you a bit of money and be a little more convenient. I should have links for the ones I use in the description as well.

[@TravellLove]

Doesn't the umbrella knob right in front of the speedlight block lots of light?

[@BrentHall]

I doubt is a noticeable difference, the inside is all reflective material, so it bounces the light back out, which is what helps to further soften it.

[@Itmam]

nice, great video. I like it

[@BrentHall]

Thank you very much!

[@andrescherpenberg5306]

The beauty dish reflector plate is NOT included!! It has to be sold seperately. The diffuser screen is not well attached to the softbox. It easily comes off because there is nothing really holding it. Despite that I do like this compact softbox. It can be even handheld while shooting, in case of emergency.

[@BrentHall]

That's weird, it was included when I bought mine. I definitely like how light it is too, because more often than not we handhold it when we use it.

[@seanstours3913]

Will a xplor 600 watt strobe fit?

[@BrentHall]

I've never used one of those, but I feel like it probably wouldn't.

[@tommynikon2283]

Yeah, and it works even better when you Reverse the REFLECTOR....so the flash is hitting the INSIDE of the dish- bouncing it back to the rear, in turn bouncing out the FRONT. Just sayin'.

[@bundhooatmadev7779]

Sir if this may use with Nikon cameras

[@BrentHall]

Yes. You can use the rapid box with any speedlite system.

[@FotodioxInc]

Nice review

[@BrentHall]

Thank you so much! 😀🙏

[@deolsgirl]

Please what’s the size of these octa?

[@BrentHall]

This one is the 26" version.

[@nuisance12]

What wireless flash trigger do you use with this softbox ?

[@BrentHall]

Well, in that video, I was using the canon 600 series flash and the canon trigger. Links for both are listed in the video description. However, I have since switched to the Flashpoint system and am now using this trigger: www.amazon.com/gp/product/B017HA0T8S?ie=UTF8&tag=lightbender06-20&camp=1789&linkCode=xm2&creativeASIN=B017HA0T8S with this flash: www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01HE7H3EC?ie=UTF8&tag=lightbender06-20&camp=1789&linkCode=xm2&creativeASIN=B01HE7H3EC

[@Gliebert49]

Music very annoying but good video for me.

[@selom6139]

First

[@PostPlusVideoProd]

Sorry Wescott and Brent Hall, This video skiped WAY too many set up steps. You MUST remake this video and show EVERY STEP, MUCH SLOWER. THIS issue of training videos is what I find fault with Wescott. You ALLOWED and OK'd THis video even if not produced by you. I didn't learn ANYTHING HERE.