lightscoop-deluxe-feature

Introduction to the Lightscoop Deluxe

Many of you might have heard of a product called the Lightscoop Original made by Professor Ken Kobre, but today I am reviewing its follow-up called the Lightscoop Deluxe Flash Bounce. It is a mirror that attaches to your camera in front of your pop-up flash and reflects the light from the flash off of the ceiling or a wall to give your images a softer look.

(Side Note: The textbook for one of my photojournalism classes in college is by the same Ken Kobre. It is one of the best books I have ever read on the subject. If you’re interested you can check it out here.)

When I first saw this product by Kobre, I was pretty excited about it. I never use the pop-up flash on my DSLR because I absolutely hate the harsh, direct light it creates. So I was happy to spend some time experimenting with the Lightscoop Deluxe in the office and see what kind of results I could get.

Here are a few examples of before and after photos I took, they haven’t been altered in any way:

Before and After Images

f/1.8, 1/160, ISO 320
f/1.8, 1/160, ISO 320
f/2, 1/250, ISO 640
f/2, 1/250, ISO 640
f/1.8, 1/160, ISO 320
f/1.8, 1/160, ISO 320
f/1.8, 1/160, ISO 320
f/1.8, 1/160, ISO 320

Lightscoop Deluxe Pros:

  1. Soft, Diffused Light – In normal indoor situations it does a great job of bouncing the flash off a light colored ceiling or wall, giving photos a nice, even, diffused light look. Notice that with the Lightscoop Deluxe on the camera, there is no longer any ugly white highlights on the subject.
  2. Portable – The Lightscoop Deluxe is also made of a light plastic and mirror that can fit in your hand or your pocket, making it easy to transport.

Lightscoop Deluxe Cons:

  1. Limited Use – Just like the instructions say, it isn’t very effective in rooms with tall or dark colored ceilings but it worked fine in our office.
  2. Less-than-sturdy Build – The plastic it is made of is a little less sturdy than I expected. It slipped and fell out of my hands a couple times when I was taking it off the camera but didn’t break. I don’t know if I will be that lucky next time so I will be handling it more carefully in the future.

Conclusion and Rating

Overall, I am pleased with the product, it does what it promises and it is portable enough to carry around with me on all of my shoots. As long as I am careful with it, I believe it will last me quite a while.

Our overall review is 4 out of 5 stars. Check it out on lightscoop.com and see for yourself.

4-of-5-stars