What do people think of the the "Lightscoop"

[Incognito]

^^ All that stuff is great when you're shooting random stuff but I couldn't imagine going into a persons house to do a session with foil and a cigarette box as a bounce light. They already look at me odd when I bring my backdrop stand made out of PVC pipes. lol

I couldn't imagine going to a client for a shoot with just the pop-up flash for lighting.

Of course these DIY suggestions are for non-essential types of shoots.

I guess that's where we differ. I hate studio lights - I use natural light 99% of the time and if a little extra is needed I can throw on the lightscoop. I dont see the point in wasting a few hundred on a OCF that wont get used.

 

[ANDS!]

Wait. You hate the look of "studio lights", but a redirected flash burst is a-ok?

As much as I detest equipment-qualifiers for "professional" quality photographs, if someone that I was paying money for told me all they needed was their pop-up flash in a STUDIO BASED environment, if I knew anything about photography I'd tell them "thanks but no thanks".

 

[kundalini]

I guess that's where we differ. I hate studio lights - I use natural light 99% of the time and if a little extra is needed I can throw on the lightscoop. I dont see the point in wasting a few hundred on a OCF that wont get used.

I'm guessing you haven't read much or look upon lighting to enhance your photos. That's okay, whatever works for you, but I also think you're either scared, ignorant or not willing to invest. None of those is meant to be a slam on you, but it fills the attitude I've witnessed amongst others.

 

[Derrel]

Maybe we could get this back to the question at hand, which is the Lightscoop product. Looking at the company's web site, they have specific instructions on how and where to use the product.

light scoop digital photography pop-up flash Olympus Nikon Fuji Canon Pentax

The web site lists the following categories right on the top of the front page:babies, family,pets,scrapbook,eBay. It's pretty clear from the introductory page that this is a small device,aimed largely at indoor shooting
for casual, social photography,and it's not intended to substitute for a large speedlight or studio lighting equipment. The how to use page specifically mentions ceilings or walls need to be nearby to get the bounce effect.

Those who can't see "any use" for a product like this, or who think that photos have to be made with a certain type of lighting in order for the resultant photos to be good are, typically, pushing an agenda that's pretty narrow-minded and myopic.

How "good" were all the photographs made before 1929 and the invention of the flashbulb????? The answer one gives says a lot about one's own prejudices.

 

[Ked1986]

lol...great suggestions guys thanks

 

[chip]

I have a Nikon SB400 which is a small flash that bounces. I find its usefulness limited because of the lack of power. The built-in flash is even less powerful than the SB400. So if you have an older camera with poor high ISO performance, the lightscoop's usefulness would be highly limited. For example for a D200 or D2Xs I would not use anything over ISO400. The lightscoop can be useful under the best of circumstances: 1) white ceiling 2) low ceiling 3) subject 5 feet or closer to camera 4) camera has good ISO performance at ISO800. To get a good shot with something like that you would have to be very intentional to pose the shot before you shoot. It is not good for snapshots as you'll likely miss the shot. To me, there are just too limiting for something like this to be useful to me. So yes, under the best of circumstances you will be able to get a good bounced flash picture out of the light scoop. I submit in 90+ percent of the time it will not work well.