Lightscoop is a smart low-tech device that creates soft, flattering light by redirecting your camera's built-in flash to a ceiling or wall. Don't let your convenient little built-in flash flash ruin your photos with evil red eye, ugly shadows, hot spots, bleached out faces, underexposed colors, and blurry movement that exist only in your photographs, not in the real world. Slip a Lightscoop on your camera and never miss out on another fabulous picture! Lightscoop creates soft, natural light and lets you capture the scene the way you see it.
Redirecting the small light from your camera's built-in flash to the ceiling creates a larger source of light that also comes from a natural direction (rather than from the middle of your forehead). Softer, more diffused light coming from a natural direction will instantly improve your photos. Professionals create soft, directional "window light' with strobes and umbrellas or light boxes. You can do the same by aiming your built-in flash and Lightscoop to a light-colored wall. Angle the Deluxe's mirror to aim toward the wall when shooting verticals OR horizontals. Plus, using the flash will stop blur from subject or camera movement.
So many creative options! You'll start to LOVE your built-in flash - and your friends will think you hired a pro!
How to use Lightscoop Jr.
First steps to bounce lighting with compact cameras that have a built-in flash powerful enough to bounce: like the Nikon Coolpix 7100, Pentax Q, Canon G12, G1X, Powershot S100, Olympus XZ1, Fuji FinePix X10.
GETTING STARTED
Bouncing a built-in flash requires these settings to optimize the amount of light a scene receives.
SET UP YOUR CAMERA
- Turn on the camera.
- Metering Method: Any.
- Exposure Mode: Manual (M).
- ISO: 800 or higher.
- Widest lens aperture (f/2.8, f/3.5, f/4, depending on camera).
- Shutter speed: 1/200 or higher
- Flash "on" - no red-eye reduction, slow sync, etc.
- Flash Exposure Compensation: plus 1 or plus 2. Experiment.
USE LIGHTSCOOP JR. IN THESE SITUATIONS
The Lightscoop works great in most home and office situations - rooms with light, neutral-colored ceilings no higher than 8-12 feet or walls no farther than 3-4 feet from the camera. As when bouncing an external flash, the Lightscoop redirects light from a pop up flash to a ceiling or wall - so there MUST be a surface from which it can bounce. The Lightscoop will not bounce outside. As these comparisons show, neither will an EXTERNAL flash. Outside, there is nothing for the light to bounce from. The same is true in churches, gyms, rooms with cathedral ceilings.
Troubleshooting:
Use the Lightscoop as directed and you will love the results. Problems? Consider the following...
Pictures too dark?
Look for a lower or brighter ceiling or wall; open the aperture (f-number) wider; zoom lens back to wide angle; be sure your camera is compatible; use a faster ISO (some very recent cameras produce great exposures at 1600 and even 3200).
Pictures too light or too blurry?
Confirm that the camera exposure mode is on Manual and NOT an automatic setting that could slow down the shutter speed to admit too much light or cause blur from movement. A very slow shutter speed can result in blurry images even with flash. To reduce brightness if you are on Manual, try lowering the ISO or reducing the pop-up flash compensation.
No effect from the flash?
In a brightly lit room, there may be more available light than light produced by the flash. You may not need the flash at all. Or, you can darken the room by turning out lights or closing curtains.
For ADVANCED compact cameras LIGHTSCOOP Junior
For advanced compact cameras that have a built-in flash powerful enough to bounce: like the Canon G12, G15, G1X, Powershot S100, S110; Fujifilm X series (including X10, X20, XF1); Lumix DMC-LX7; Nikon P310, Coolpix 7100; Pentax Q; Olympus XZ1, TG-1x, Panasonic CMV-zs30, DMC-zs25
NOTE: Less advanced compact cameras do not have built-in flashes powerful enough to bounce... it's physics. Sorry!
