what do you prefer

[hatteras76]

softboxes or umbrellas? strobes or continuous lighting? what are the pros and cons?

[jerryph]

It depends on many factors.

Umbrellas will give out a brighter light making better use of the flash being used (important if you are using off camera battery powered strobes), but there is no way to EXACTLY control where the light falls, the "beam" is very wide. This is an advantage if you want to light a larger area.

A softbox will give you a softer more diffused light with the same power flash, perhaps needing you to increase flash power to light the subject properly or obliging you to place the softbox very close to the subject. They can be very precisely controlled as to where the light falls based on the size, distance and shape of the box. Of course, flash strength/intensity plays a role.

I've played with softboxes a little, but my personal preference is to use the 2 umbrellas that I own. They are not very big (47 inches), but when combined I can get very good results in small (10 inch wide), and wide (15-20 feet max), areas. Now the main limitation is my 110v strobes, they are not the strongest, but I don't have any real need to go more than ~10 feet wide anyways.

Examples of pics taken with umbrellas:

Using a single umbrella/strobe. Something small and narrow... the concept to practice with here was how would I light something as if I wanted to sell it on eBay or something:
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2311/2089596822_1b5ed1298c.jpg

Using 2 umbrellas and 110V strobes. Concept here... a very generic family group portrait:
http://www.proudphotography.com/forum/gallery/files/1/0/0/0/basicportrait.jpg

In the end, it depends on what your needs are. Each has it's place in my bag, but I tend to go with the umbrellas more times than the softbox.

Edit:

To complete my thought, I would tend to stay away from continuous lighting and stick with strobes. To get the amount of light that you need for good results, if you were using continuous lighting, that kind of light gets very hot and is uncomfortable for the poeple underneath those lights. Over time that level of heat could also damage the softbox or umbrellas too.

[LensBaby]

Jerry is right - stay away from continuous lighting. It gets VERY VERY hot, causing people to sweat and be miserable. Also, the umbrellas and softboxes put out a different light. I like both, but I use my umbrellas more!

[jerryph]

Oh, here is a thought that I forgot about... you can use certain umbrellas just like a softbox by shooting through them instead of bouncing the light into them onto your scene. My umbrellas have a black and white layer. When I remove the top black layer, they become a "shoot through" instead of a "bounce off" style. The effect is very close to a softbox effect on the client. Of course, again, what bouces out back during your shoot through modes may or may not affect your results. It all depends on what you want to do.

[LensBaby]

I have a shoot through umbrella and I love it!

[nikkirose]

Can I ask what is a "Shoot through umbrella"? Excuse my ignorance I just don't know what this kind of an umbrella is.
Nikkirose

[LensBaby]

This information is taken straight from a site about umbrellas -

Umbrellas soften, broaden, and diminish the light output of any tungsten or flash light source. Umbrellas with a white interior will soften and weaken light more than an umbrella with a silver lining. A white umbrella without a black backing may also be used as a makeshift softbox, although the use of the light will not be as efficient as with a lightbox.

(A lightbox contains the light and of course with the umbrella there is some light loss)

[jerryph]

Can I ask what is a "Shoot through umbrella"? Excuse my ignorance I just don't know what this kind of an umbrella is.
Nikkirose

There is only one place to put the flash, and thats to point it into the umbrella and there are 2 ways you can use umbrellas:

- when the flash points away from the subject, shoots into the inside of the umbrella and whatever bounces out of it falls on your subject. (you use a black cover to contain the rays inside the umbrella)

The second way the umbrella is turned so that instead of the subject seeing the inside of the umbrella, they see the outside and the flash is shooting THROUGH the umbrella and lighting your subjects. (you removethe black outside cover to release the rays through the umbrella, hence shoot through).

If this is not clear, just post here and let me know. When I get home tonight I can take a picture for you. :)