My first encounter with this light modifier was on a Christmas Day shoot when it was used as the primary light for a large family gathering. I so impressed with it that I ordered one shortly afterward. Well, it finally arrived on 12/31. I decided to try it out on New Years' Day.
I was impressed by the results!
Initial Test Shots
First, I walked around and took shots of a variety of objects at different distances and varying degrees of closeness: wide angle, up close, etc. (see images below). I was trying to get a feel for the quality and quantity of light.
In general, the diffuser does an incredible job of both softening the light and minimized specular highlights or hotspots. The images all had softer shadows that can be almost imperceptible to the viewer. But, this seems to come at a small price of a stop and a half to two stops for the flash and lens combination that I used. Here are a few images:
I was impressed by the results!
Initial Test Shots
First, I walked around and took shots of a variety of objects at different distances and varying degrees of closeness: wide angle, up close, etc. (see images below). I was trying to get a feel for the quality and quantity of light.
In general, the diffuser does an incredible job of both softening the light and minimized specular highlights or hotspots. The images all had softer shadows that can be almost imperceptible to the viewer. But, this seems to come at a small price of a stop and a half to two stops for the flash and lens combination that I used. Here are a few images:
My TestingI wanted to better understand the performance of the diffuser so I positioned it on a Sunpak 544D about 5-8 feet from some objects on a small table. I used an old Wein Flash Meter II to take readings and set the aperture accordingly. By opening up by a third of a stop more, the setup produced images that had soft shadows off to the right and images that had a fair amount of "wrapped lighting".
Results from bounce flash (no diffuser)
I experimented with adding a small homemade reflector inside the dome to reflect light that might otherwise be lost out the rear of the diffuser. Essentially, this reduces the sphere to 180 degrees flash coverage. Well this did not improve the amount of light produced significantly but instead, produced more directional light and harsher shadows... not really what I was looking for.
Finally, I removed the homemade reflector and used the unmodified flash reflector. What amazing results: softer shadows, nice wrap-around, reduced specular highlights or hotspots.
The image below shows results from using the LightSphere, as recommended: flash head pointing straight up (i.e. 90 degrees).
My Verdict: Thumbs Up!!
The results of my limited testing show that the modifier is very effective and can have positive impact on portrait and table top work. Even though I may lose about 2 stops or so, the quality of light produced is more important to me. Besides, my flash units have fairly high guide numbers.
Check out Gary Fung's web site for a video demo of the Lightsphere-II Cloud. Thanks Gary, you have created a really great gadget that is a 'must' in my camera bag and many others who shoot weddings, events portraits, etc. It is quite versatile.
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