The 10 Best Soft Box Lights to Take Along Yourself in 2024

Soft box lights, or sometimes referred to as softboxes, offer a great way to evenly illuminate your shot with controlled lighting. Not only do they produce a beautiful soft light, but they can often be adjusted or softened even further with diffusion panels or flags. 

In this post we'll outline the best soft box lights on the market and discuss important features and considerations for achieving the best results in your work. Let's check it out.

Buying Guide for Best Soft Box Lights

When you are in the market for the best soft box lights for your studio photography, there are certain features that you must consider before making a purchase. The main objective of a soft box light is to create a larger, softer source of light with even illumination. Here is what you need to keep in mind when looking for the best soft box lights:

1.    Size

The size of the soft box should be based on how much space you have in your studio and what kind of subject you want to photograph. Smaller soft boxes tend to offer more directional lighting, while larger boxes can provide more even illumination with minimal shadows.

2.    Type

Soft box lights come in different shapes, such as square, rectangular, and octagonal. The type of shape will depend on the type of lighting effect or mood that you want to create in your photos.

3.    Mounting System

Each light has its own mounting system, which can range from a simple umbrella adapter to a specific bracket system that is compatible with certain stands or poles. Make sure that the mount system works with whatever type of stand or pole you have available in your studio before making a purchase decision.

4.    Diffusion Material

High-quality diffusion materials help soften and evenly distribute the light from the soft box across its surface area, thus reducing harsh shadows and creating an overall softer look in your photos. Choose diffusion materials made from dense fabrics rather than paper or other fragile materials for better results.

5.    Accessories

Many modern softbox lights come with accessories such as honeycombs and grids which help control and direct light in specific areas within the frame for better precision and control over exposure levels. Look for these features when buying a new light set up so that you can get maximum value out of it when shooting in your studio setting.

1.     A softbox or ring light would be more effective?

As the light from a ring light can be too intense for some people, you should only use it for close-up shots. Softboxes, on the other hand, allow natural light to fill your studio, making them ideal for shooting portraits or products.

2.     Can a larger softbox be preferable?

In general, the larger the softbox, the more diffused the output. Hoey is going to show you this very thing by using light modifiers of four different sizes.

3.     Can you explain the distinction between a softbox and a speedlight?

A softbox is a light modifier for photography that uses a box-shaped enclosure to diffuse and thereby magnify the light from a flash or other light source. White light is used to line the inside of the box, reflecting and focusing all illumination inward. A speedlight softbox is constructed to fit snugly on top of a compact flash unit.