Solid as it should be

If you are used to manfrotto / Bogen camera supports then you know how solid and well machined their equipment is. This little adapter is no exception. I have no worries about any breaking flexing or "give" when attaching any lighting equipment to this thing. Well worth a few extra bucks.

One little extra feature I really like is that the pivot handle can be adjusted to any rotational position after tightening the position by pulling out on the spring loaded handle turning it out of the way and then back in.

(BTW the photo shows the adapter upside down to the position one would most likely have mounted to a stand.)More detail ...

There's a much cheaper way to bounce...

I own an SB400 flash and looked at this diffuser attachment. First like the diffusion adapter that comes with the SB800 it's a bit bulky and takes excess space. Secondly it costs. Thirdly you can lose it.



Much easier way to bounce and diffuse an SB400: tape a white business card to the top of the flash so it hangs off the front. Bend the card at the middle upward to a 45 degree angle. Tilt the flash tube upward 90 degrees so it dumps the light into this mini white card. Shoot the photo.



You can leave the card on the flash fold it up and stick the whole thing in the SB400's cute little carrying case. Zero cost. Replace it when it wears out.



By the way the SB400 in a room with an 8-10' white ceiling works really well by simply rotating the flash tube up 90 degrees. By design the exact amount of light emits from the edge of the SB400 flash when it's pointed upward. This gives a perfect amount of fill light and the very important eye highlight. You really only need the diffuser or this whitecard trick if the ceiling is so high the flash runs out of gas. The "before and after" photos shown here would look exactly the same if you simply point the flash tube toward the ceiling.



I also found that pointing it up at less than 90 degrees allows too much light to go forward and overexposes the upper half of the frame. If I use the tilting flash at all it's always up the full 90 degrees.More detail ...

It Is What It Is

Hard to say much about this quick release plate. It is super-solid and works exactly like it should. If I have any criticism it is a bit pricey. More detail ...

Wrote this after using for a month!

I ordered and received the Collapsible Lightsphere to use with a Nikon sb900 flash unit. I read several reports that it did not fit properly or would not fit at all! Watched several videos from Gary Fong demonstrating how it went on the SB900. Gary was right! Yes the first few times you put it on the fit is tight (this is a good thing!). A friend has the older version of the Lightsphere and is ordering the collapsible after he tried mine.



Best of all the result speak for themselves...the light "wraps" around your subject and gives a very soft illumination to the subject - say "goodby" to harsh shadows. If you want even more control you can put the sb900 with the lightsphere attached in "remote" mode and use the pop-up flash on the Nikon in "command" mode to trigger the flash without spilling direct light on the subject - allowing you to get very creative illumination.



I've owned two different "three-light" systems and the results with the Collapsible Lightsphere are quite impressive - best money for lighting that I've every spent.More detail ...

It's not just for international use!

FORGET THE INTERNATIONAL PART. This is a light for domestic US use that you can also use internationally. It should completely replace the Sima SL-20LX and addresses all it's primary deficiency: the SL-20LXI can be used with the AC Power plugged in unlike the LX.



After buying 3 Sima SL-20LX I discovered that you couldn't run the light on the AC Charger. When you plug the charger in with the LX version it cuts the light out while it's charging.



During an interview my lights started flashing and then went dead. Then you have to wait for it to charge before you can use it again.



NOT SO WITH THE SL-20LXI! The LXI comes with a nifty charger with interchangable plugs which work I presume in Europe and other countries with 220 volts AS WELL AS US 120 volts and I imagine it's a constant regulated voltage charger. As such Sima seems to have changed the circuitry so the power from the battery no longer cuts out to the light while you're charging. BUT ONLY ON THE LXI VERSION. The power supply doesn't help with the LX at all. So now I have 3 LXes and 3 LXIs. Well you can never have too much light.



These things put out a lot of light especially for their size. I'd estimate color temperature at around 4500K but it white balances well on its own and works well with florescents which thanks to compact light bulbs are really really common. I've bought 3200K gels when I'm mixing with incandescents though that does give a nice warm fill with the 4500K white balance



The light interlocks with other 20LX and 20LXI lights and is simply the most amazing value in video lighting today. I also like that they're cool to the touch and if I have to use them on battery power alone they last a little under an hour. The throw isn't too far so they're not going to replace your 50 watt halogens but for 15 feet and under they do beautifully with my Canon HG-21 for interviews. They also pack small enough to carry a bunch of them so if you need to light a larger area you can discretely tape them up or put them around with light stands. The light is fairly soft even with the highish color temp the built in you-don't-have-a-choice diffuser having a really nice dispersion.



Since the lights interlock if you really do want a ton of light on top of your camera you can interlock as many of these things as you want. I've tried 5 of them on top of the camera and it lights up a really wide area with 180 LEDs. For [...] 5 (or thereabouts) that's a lot of light. The Sima SL-20LXI is the most practical amazing value in lighting I've seen and I love using it. There is one drawback. You can't change the battery. Sorry. But they're almost as cheap as a lithium-ion battery alone. Not enough of a drawback for me to dock it a star though.



Also I had to get a cold shoe adaptor to use it with my Canon HG-21. You can find those here: [...] and here: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001AHUPRA (same company either way).



Summary: Epic WIN!More detail ...

Good value for money but...

The pair of lights are good value for the money. They were relatively easy to assemble and use (adjust). I am a beginner with indoor lighting. The lights give off a strong white light that brings our details in house interior photos.



__ But



The bulb rests on the umbrella's metal rod. I called the vendor cowboystudios.com and they said that is not a problem since the bulbs do not get very hot. I agree the bulbs do not get very hot but I am concerned that any sudden accidental jerking of the lights when moving could cause the bulb to break because of the contact between the bulb and the metal rod of the umbrella. Those new style florescent bulbs are energy saving but they contain mercury and must be very carefully cleaned up when you break one.



I wish the lights came with instructions. My first attempt at assembling them almost met with disaster. I grabbed the light just in time before it almost fell over and broke. I did not realize that the light must extend over one of the tripod legs -- not inbetween them.



I guess I could search the web for instructions and tips on using lighting but I would have appreciated a cheat sheet on using the lights.More detail ...

Gets the job done

When I was shopping for a light tent kit I was tempted by some the cheaper kits that featured smaller lamps. I'm glad I choose this one instead. The included lamps provide good light and color temperature for shooting small and medium size products. I can't imagine trying to get good shots with less light than what these lamps provide. I may in fact even add another lamp to light up from the top to really envelop light around the product.

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The filter can be rotated to determine the amount of reflection to be removed. Lens filters are translucent pieces of glass placed in front of a camera lens to alter or adjust the light entering the camera and more importantly to protect the camera lens. Lens filters improve photographs by giving you control over light and allowing you to emphasize the features of a scene that you consider most important. This filter kit is a combination of the three essential filters no photographer should be without. PLEASE NOTE: Some cameras require an adapter tube to fit the filters

• This Filter Kit Includes 3 Filters :


• FILTER UV: Protects your camera's lens from scratches dust dirt moisture and fingerprints while reducing unwanted ulra-violet light.


• FILTER PL: Polarizers let you acheive vibrant color saturation reduce or eliminate glare from non-metallic object


• F-DL fluorescent light correction filter gives true-to-life color rendition. Fluorescent filter dramatically increases color satruation


• Multi-coated optical glass for enhanced optical resolution Includes protective carrying case Backed by a 15 year USA warranty

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Great fast worth it!

I love the HonlPhoto system of light modifiers and this is the base of that. The speed strap really lives up to its name...once it's attached to a flash you can quickly and easily switch between snoots grigs gobos and gels...in a flash (pun intended).



While some think this is expensive I will continue buying this and the rest of the HonlPhoto line as it's all made very well looks professional and helps me work faster.More detail ...