LumiQuest Soft Screen & Softbox III
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You can clearly see the texture of the fabric I used for a backdrop and the reflections of the flash on the white plastic of the controllers I took pictures of is almost blinding on the Softbox III shot. Using the flash diffusers tone down the reflections and amount of light that objects have on them and even out the light for a better picture.
You would use diffusers like these when taking pictures to give you less effort and work in after shot editing so you have less work when it does come time for that Photoshop work. Both diffusers have their own particular needs but both are used for the same benefits of getting less harsh shadows and more even and general lighting on your subjects whether its product shots or portraits.
The Soft Screen installs easily over the name plate area of your DSLR camera and if you have problems with it staying on you can always use the enclosed piece of Velcro for a more secure fit. The Soft Screen is a nice convenient size for shirt pocket or easily slips into a bag and works great on my Canon Rebel cameras.
The other diffuser I received for reviewing is the Softbox III, a large diffuser that fits on conventional flashes to diffuse light when taking flash pictures. The Soft Box III measures 8 by 9 inches and sits about 4 inches out from the front of the flash unit in a conical box shape.
The Softbox III attaches to the front of the flash using Velcro pieces to securely hold onto the flash creating a conical box for light to disperse outward when the flash is activated. This unit uses the flash mounting and may cover over the font autofocus sensor on flash units so you have to set the flash and camera settings accordingly.
Without Softbox III on top.
When attached to a flash on a camera you will have a large diffuser for light from the flash to give even better soft lighting to your subjects as well as soft shadows. The diffuser works very well with a small oval area in the center that has an extra layer of diffusing textured opaque plastic for even less hot spots from the direct line to the flash units center.
The Softbox III is a sturdy plastic with interior bracing that feels like cardboard for a lightweight and yet dependable box structure for light diffusing. The Softbox III attaches in seconds and can be removed just as quickly to allow for quick professional photography results in the field as well as the studio.
When you install the Velcro onto your flash using the four precut pieces you may have to cut it some but I had no problems installing it on a Vivitar flash. The Velcro is easy to use and you can always use more for other flash units you may have to use one diffuser on several different flash units.
Using both the Softbox III and the Soft Screen for portrait work is nice to give you a more even lighting when using flash and you can see how it distributes light well in my comparison photos. The Softbox III with its larger size gives even broader coverage of the flash light so you don’t have as much need for reflectors or umbrellas in portrait work.
If you’re looking for a simple and very portable solution for evenly lighting subjects in the field or studio the Softbox III and Soft Screen make a simple and inexpensive solution. Check out the Soft Screen and Softbox III at LumiQuest or your favorite photography store.