I get frequent emails about what type of camera I use. Up until last January, it was a point-and-shoot, but last year I switched to a “big girl” camera. The nice folks at Nikon let me try out their D60 for a few months and I was hooked. Thank goodness for a generous media discount! I promised them I’d review the camera, and still need to, but that review will wait until I feel I’m using more of all the camera’s capabilities. I’m probably only using about 50% of its features now, so a review isn’t fair to them yet.
Last year, I decided to apply myself to photography a little more. Once you start getting into it, you can very easily get carried away buying different types of lens, props and the like, so I started with reading books on the topic. And I bought a strap since mine disappeared, for a grand total of $3. Then I discovered the Lightscoop. And it changed everything. For a crazy 24 bucks.
It slides right over where your pop-up flash is on your DSLR. Thirty seconds later and you’re ready to take it for a spin. What it does is it serves as a “bounce” for your flash, so instead of having the harsh light of your flash on the subject that you’re photographing, it bounces it up and out to a ceiling or wall, and you (and your photo) get the light of the flash, but not the ill effects of it. One of the first rules I learned with photography was no flash, no flash, no flash. This gives you the affects of it, without the negative aspects of it. Pros use all sorts of things to diffuse the harshness of a flash … umbrellas, for example. This does the same thing.
If you look at the (untouched) pictures above, you can see the difference. The picture on the left is with the regular pop-up flash doing its thing. The picture on the right, I still had the flash on, but also put the Lightscoop on the camera. You can see I still got the “light,” but look at how soft everything is. How warm it is. It doesn’t have that harsh, fake brightness of the regular flash. Look at Mary’s veil in both pictures. And the Baby Jesus. How rich and warm the colors are with the Lightscoop. And how washed out they are with the flash. Isn’t that the coolest thing? Love a bargain accessory for the camera, and thought it was the perfect thing to share with you guys.
Looks like you put a spotlight on the baby Jesus! This is neat. I hate using a flash but sometimes you just need it.
Thanks so much for the info about this! I have a point and shoot with no possibility of getting a big girl camera at any time in the near future, so this may be a worthy investment.
bouncing the flash is a great way to make the lighting not wash out whatever you are trying to capture. I love my “big girl” camera and my hubby didn’t see this device when shopping and I ended up with a new bounce head flash attachment… didn’t know this item even existed!
‘No flash’ just doesn’t work in my house when most of my pictures are taken well after any natural light is coming in. I always look so longingly at the ‘good’ cameras in Costco when I walk in but then I figure what is the point of spending that much on a camera when it won’t change the fact that I have no good lighting?
i’ve been thinking of getting a diffuser for my pop up flash, but this seems to be getting better reviews… does it require specific settings on your camera or you really just pop it and go in automatic, macro, or other settings?
Neat, I’ll have to check on one of those.
Oh, this is a fantastic tool. When I finally move to an SLR, I will be buying one immediately. Great tip!
This is my latest quest- a new camera. Mine is just a generic digital point and shoot, and it is at least 5 years old. It doesn’t even have a macro setting! I’ve figured out how to take better pictures with it lately, but still nothing great.
I think I’m buying one of these ASAP! Thanks for the tip!
The Lightscoop looks/sounds awesome! My mom recently bought a diffuser for her large DSLR camera and loves it, but I’m still using a point-and-shoot (a Panasonic Lumix with a Leica lens — LOVE!). When I invest in a “big girl” camera, I’ll definitely look for the Lightscoop!
I so want one of these!! Thanks for letting me know it was out there.
Hi I just got my lightscoop in and I also have a Nikon D60. I do not know much about camera so I def. needed a step by step direction or video on how to change all my setting to the right ones for the lightscoop. But the directions given on the lightscoop website don’t exactley help me since it’s not the D60 and I’m just basically need more details on how to get to some of these functions! Help please! :)