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!
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!
Color: Gold warming mirror -for portraits (creates "warm" light for a more pleasing skin tone)
LIGHTSCOOP ORIGINAL, SONY
Sony cameras require a Sony Lightscoop Original, NOT a Universal model.
Sony a100, a200, a250, a300, a350, a330, a380, a500, a550, a700
Protective film: The mirror is NOT scratched, though its protective film may be. Scratch the film with your fingernail to get started removing it.
SET UP YOUR CAMERA
- Metering Method: Any method works
- Camera Exposure Mode (not flash exposure): Manual (M)
- ISO: 800 or higher. Experiment
- Widest lens aperture - f/2.8, f/3.5, or f/4.0 depending on the lens.
- Shutter speed: 1/200 or higher. Experiment.
- Flash Exposure Compensation: plus 1 or plus 2. Experiment.
- Flash "on" (front curtain sync) - NOT red-eye reduction, slow sync, etc.
- Pop-up flash metering mode: TTL.
SOME CAMERA-SPECIFIC HELP:
- Sony: Set Flash Exposure Compensation to plus 1 or more by pressing the Menu button on back of camera to bring up the menu on the LCD screen. In section with Camera icon, select Flash Control. Set flash control to Pre-flash TTL. Do not use ADI.
USE THE LIGHTSCOOP 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. Outside, there is nothing for the light to bounce from. The same is true in churches, gyms, rooms with cathedral ceilings.
Horizontal Photos: Rooms with light-colored ceilings no higher than 8-14 feet tall.
Vertical Photos: Rooms with a light-colored wall no greater than 3-4 feet from camera.
HINT: When using a zoom lens with a variable aperture, leave the lens at its widest focal length. For example, if you have an 18-55mm zoom lens, stay at 18mm. If you zoom in, your aperture may change and no longer be at f2.8, f3.5 or f4.
