One of the cool things I came across at this year’s PhotoPlus Expo was this Interfit Strobies Portrait Kit light modifiers for shoe mount flash. The great thing about studio flashes like Profoto is that you have lots of great choices of light modifiers, but most of the modifiers for on-camera flash either look like a Tupperware jar jammed on the end of the flash or are the some form of white card taped to the back of the flash for bounce. Neither option provides for particularly sexy light. The cool thing about Strobies is that somebody finally figured out a way to shrink light modifiers down to size. The kit sells for about $150 or you can buy most of the modifiers indivually for about $30 each. Flex mounts are available for most any kind of shoe mount flash are another seven bucks. The Sony HLV-58AM uses Flex mount SGM400. If you have several brands of flashes, you just buy an extra $7 adapter.
Strobies Portrait Kit: Barndoors, Grid Spot, Snoot, Globe and Beauty Dish
Interchangable Strobies Flex Mount Adapter
Strobies Beauty Dish
Strobies Grid Spot
Strobies Globe
Strobies Snoot with Grid spots
{ 12 comments… read them below or add one }
Brian – very cool. I was at the Photo Plus and somehow managed to miss this stuff.
These look nice. Can you/someone please point to what purpose they serve and how can improve one’s images? Thanks!
Sure Sean. The idea behind light modifiers is that they shape the light. This is very common for studio flashes but has been lacking for hotshoe flash. My favorite light shaping device is the beauty dish which creates a soft directional light. Another key is getting the flash off the camera.
You use Sony? I thought I was the only one! How do you find the wireless compared to Nokon’s CLS system? I’m still working my way through it and not sure if I trust it for TTL shooting.
I’m old school, Andy. I still go hardwire with the Sony flash off camera or use Pocket Wizards to sync Profoto strobes. Never tried Nokon CLS. Do you like it?
Hi Brian
Are you using these with the 58 flash? If so which Flex Mount did you use as Interfit dont seem to list it.
Thanks
Richard
Yes, the Sony HLV-58AM is the same size as the Canon Flex Mount – that’s Flex Mount SGM400.
Brian,
Just received the beauty dish. How are you keeping the pattern of the center disc from showing up? Are you putting a sock of the end of the reflector? It seems the flash should be mounted closer to the disc to eliminate the pattern. Sure could use some of your advice, as the product is really well built.
I did notice the light sphere can be attached inside of the softbox which should be a pretty light source also.
Thanks,
Trey
Trey, The metal discs in the Profoto beauty dishes do the same thing. Profoto sells a white glass disc to replace it, but those always break during travel. so I’ve replaced mine with plexi. Will probably do the same with this one of these days, though I suspect knowing how organized you are, you’ll beat me to it…Happy Holidays!
Happy Holidays to you as well. Glad to know it wasn’t operator error on my end. Thanks for sharing!
Brian, applying diffusion (white paper) on the flex mount where the mount attaches to the beauty disc removes the obvious disc pattern. Ciao!
I just KNEW that you’d find a solution this quick. Well done!