"Lightscoop"?

rebecca the curious · Jul 27, 2007

has anyone used this Lightscoop thing? if so, what do you think of it?

i couldn't find many reviews on it. but it looks like it would be useful for someone like me who doesn't use flash often and doesn't want to carry around a big external flash.

M24 · Jul 27, 2007

I'd curious to know how well it works or if it's just a gimmick.

aftone · Mar 8, 2008

Did either of you try the Lightscoop? I've been researching, too, and there are lots of good reviews, including David Pogue of the New York Times and Terry White's Blog. The inventor posted a comparison of diffusers just today.

JIP · Mar 8, 2008

In my opinion the instant you can afford to purchase an external flash you should. I think pop-up flashes are about the worst thing to happen to SLR photography.

DeadEye · Mar 8, 2008

Ill bet that with the little pop up flash diffused and bounced around its not much help. Did they use a tripod and longish shutter to get the better comparison pictures?

Big Mike · Mar 10, 2008

In my opinion the instant you can afford to purchase an external flash you should. I think pop-up flashes are about the worst thing to happen to SLR photography.

I agree.

Helen B · Mar 10, 2008

I’ve tried using a small mirror in front of the flash on a P&S and, not surprisingly, the biggest problem is lack of power. You can try it for yourself by using a small makeup mirror or mirror foil. The closer the mirror is to the flash, the smaller it can be. It’s not being used as a diffuser, so there is no benefit in it being larger and further away.

I have a P&S that has a two-position pop-up flash. In one position it points straight ahead, and in the other it points up at about 45 degrees. This seems like a great idea, and it is, just as long as I use a wide aperture and high ISO, the ceiling is not too high, and the subject is close. When pointing up there is still a small amount of light leaking straight forward, which gives a catchlight and some slight fill. The big problem with all of these built-in flashes is their power – they often don’t have enough to be much use for bouncing.

Best,
Helen