> > With Christmas around the corner, family members are trying to get gift > ideas out of me. What has the list's experience with on-flash Soft Boxes > from Lumiquest, or was it Lumidign(?) been? For those situations when > packing lights around is not a viable option, have any of you > used on flash > softboxes for portraiture with the 540 EX? What were your impressions and > cost in Canadian dollars if this is known? Does it interfere > with E-TTL by > blocking the sensor? Any other known drawbacks? Are there any other > options that would make decent gift recommendations for the family? I am > looking specifically for non studio-lighting, highly portable options. > > Thanks in advance for all your suggestions? > > Devon
Hi Devon, The Lumiquest ProMax System, ProMax Pocket Bounce, ProMax Midi Bouncer, ProMax 80-20, ProMax Ultrasoft and Big Bounce reflectors are all perfect for the 540EZ or 550EX shoe mount flash units. All of the other Lumiquest are "boxes" and interfere with the preflash emitter and sensor on 540EZ flash units. If you have a 550 EX and a camera body that can use E-TTL the "boxes" are O.K. BUT the AF assist lights are partially blocked. So the best Lumiquest parts are the ones that use the flash head in the straight up position and bounce the light over a larger area. This makes for very soft light and minimal hard shadows behind your subjects but uses up lots of power depending on the version up to 3 stops of light can be lost to the diffuser panel on the soft bounce models. I have also have and once in a while can use the hard OmniBounce, but this works poorly unless used as directed with the flash head in the straight up position and in a small WHITE room or you get poor color and poor exposure unless used with compensation. Used straight on in A-TTL or E-TTL the Omibounce offers no real softening and you still lose lots of light to the diffuser. Go to Lumiquest's website at: http://www.lumiquest.com/default.htm for a better idea of how they look and work. The ProMax Ultrasoft and ProMax 80-20 are my favorites and I use them EVERY time I shoot with a flash indoors. The straight bouncers work well outside for daylight fill too! Regards, Chip Louie * **** ******* *********************************************************** * For list instructions, including unsubscribe, see: * http://www.a1.nl/phomepag/markerink/eos_list.htm ***********************************************************
