I take a ton of photos for the blog and while I am in no way a professional, at all — I do try to share only my best photos. The trouble with taking indoor photos is that our home is tiny and has very little natural light. It’s so hard for me to get a decent photo in this house! It can be very frustrating trying to take a photo without using flash. When I do use my camera flash, the photos are always washed out and extremely harsh — not good!
Check out this cool photography tool for photographers of all skill levels — Professor Kobré’s Lightscoop. This is a low-tech camera accessory made specifically for indoor photography. The product slips onto your dSLR camera’s hot shoe, or attaches to the front of compact cameras. The Lightscoop bounces light from the camera’s pop up flash to the ceiling or the wall and mimics the effect of expensive strobes.
The Lightscoop comes in three styles — Deluxe, Jr. and Original.
The Deluxe and the Original will work with many varieties of dSLR cameras including Nikon Coolpix 7100, Pentax Q, Canon G12, G1X, Powershot S100, Olympus XZ1, Fuji FinePix X10. The Jr. will work well for compact cameras such as Olympus, Pentax, Panasonic Lumix, Nikon, Canon, Fuji FinePix, or Sigma.
A Lightscoop is easy to add to and remove from the camera and the Jr. even comes with a convenient pouch that can be clipped to your compact camera’s wrist strap. The Deluxe is the perfect size to slip into your pocket so it isn’t a pain to carry it along.
Lightscoop Jr. on my Nikon Coolpix
Lightscoop Deluxe on my Lumix Panasonic DMC-G5
I used the Lightscoop Jr. to snap some quick comparison shots. It’s easy to see which photos I used the Lightscoop on. I have found the Lightscoop to be an affordable piece of camera equipment that can really make a difference in the warmth and color of the photos.
The shots taken with the lightscoop Jr. + my pop up flash have a color and tone that is truer to life than the other shots. The items in the frame aren’t washed out and there is very little glare with the Lightscoop. I know once I fiddle with the settings on my camera some more, I will be able to get better indoor shots than I was able to previously! The Lightscoop website does have very easy to follow “Getting Started ” guides that include optimal settings and tips for specific cameras.
How Does Lightscoop work?
Professor Kobré’s Lightscoop products are the only camera accessories that instantly and dramatically improve the quality of pop-up flash photos. The Lightscoop bounces and redirects the dSLR or advanced compact camera’s flash to a ceiling or wall like professionals do with their expensive external strobes. The bounce creates a larger source of light, and it brings in softer, more diffused light from a more natural direction than from the camera, itself.
The result: no more harsh shadows, bleached faces, red-eye or the dreaded cave effect from direct pop-up flash. Even professionals like it for casual shooting!
Do remember to use your Lightscoop with its recommended camera settings, which assure success with bouncing the built-in flash. Feel free to experiment, of course, knowing you may get unpredictable results.
See Professor Kobré’s step-by-step videos on setting up the Original Lightscoop on your Nikon, Canon Rebels, and Canon 40D and similar cameras. Camera settings will be the same for the Deluxe models.
Where to buy and how to stay in touch!
Professor Kobré’s Lightscoop dealers can be found at www.Lightscoop.com. The Deluxe Retails for $36.95, the Jr. for $18.95 and the Original for $29.95. To check out comparison shots taken by Lightscoop users, join the flickr.com Lightscoop Users Group. And, to keep up to date with news and other Lightscoop reviews, like Lightscoop on Facebook and follow @lightscoop on Twitter.
Special A Hen’s Nest Discount!
Professor Kobré’s Lightscoop is one of my Holiday Gift Guide picks! This camera accessory would make a great stocking stuffer for the photographer on your list! Take advantage of this special reader discount to save 15% on a Lightscoop with coupon code: HensNest2013Fall. The code may be applied to cart total at www.lightscoop.com (exclusive of shipping) and is good through November 25, 2013. This is the perfect way to save money while filling those stockings!
Win a Lightscoop Deluxe or Jr.!
Thanks to Professor Kobré’s Lightscoop, you have the chance to win a Lightscoop of your own — WooHoo! The winner will get to choose from a Deluxe or Jr. Lightscoop.
Entry is super easy using the Rafflecopter form below. Just complete the first mandatory entry to open up a bunch of optional extra entries! Giveaway is open to U.S. residents ages 18+ only and will end on November 25, 2013 at 11:59pm est. Winner will be chosen randomly using the Rafflecopter widget and will be contacted via email. Winner must respond to winner notification email within 48 hours or a new winner will be drawn. Sponsor will be responsible for shipping prize to winner. By entering this giveaway you agree to the Terms & Conditions as outlined at the bottom of the Rafflecopter form.
About the Author
Professor Kobré’s Lightscoop® proudly manufactures in the United States of America .
I learned it helps if you add a Lightscoop® advanced compact camera to redirect the built-in flash when shooting indoors and then redirect light from the flash will evenly cover the entire scene, leaving only your pet’s personality shining, plus redirect the flash will exorcise those spooky red eyes every time.
Less advanced compact cameras do not have built-in flashes powerful enough to bounce… it’s physics
I learned that the Lightscoop will redirect your camera’s flash to the wall or ceiling to give you softer lighting. There may be hope for my photography yet!
It redirects the flash to give a softer light. Sounds brilliant to me.
Thanks for this opportunity!
I learned that colors look truer to life than using a flash alone.
Thanks so much for the great Lightscoop review, Henrietta! Love your comments and your comparison pix. If anyone has questions about our products, we have lots of info on our website, and we respond quickly to email. Happy to partner with you anytime! Thank you for helping us spread the word! Mary, Lightscoop CEO, mary@lightscoop.com
Discovering the Lightscoop has been a game-changer for my photography journey. Its ability to redirect my camera’s flash towards the wall or ceiling has transformed harsh lighting into soft, flattering illumination. This newfound technique gives me hope and confidence in my photography skills, opening up possibilities for capturing beautiful moments with greater finesse.