Gary Fong Lightsphere Collapsible Inverted Dome Diffuser
Gary Fong is a lifelong photographer with a knack for innovative solutions for the normally harsh effects associated with standard on-camera lighting sources. As always, one of Gary's intentions is to eliminate the need for a camera bracket.
The Gary Fong Lightsphere Collapsible Inverted Dome Diffuser is a round, soft, and flexible flash diffuser that slips atop any standard shoe mount flash unit and also folds away for easy travel.
The inside of the Lightsphere's textured to pleasantly soften and disperse the light, and because the collapsible Lightsphere's quite translucent it helps conserve the total quantity of light.
The Lightsphere Collapsible folds down to about 1/3rd of its original height when collapsed, and has a practical grip system which allows it to securely attach to any modern shoe-mounted flash.
- Fits nearly all shoe-mounted flash units
- Incredibly-strong universal grip system
- Large, round-shaped diffuser minimizes need for flash brackets
- Easily fits into a camera bag, folding down to only 1/3rd of its original height
- Optional gel system matches outgoing light to ambient room light, or enhances black and white image contrast
REVIEW SNAPSHOT®
by PowerReviews(based on 234 reviews)
Ratings Distribution
91%
of respondents would recommend this to a friend.
Pros
- Lightweight (173)
- Packs small / compresses (170)
- Easy to use (169)
- Strong construction (133)
- Reliable (128)
Cons
- Heavy / bulky (43)
- Difficult to use (25)
- Difficult to attach (5)
- HEAVY (3)
- Poor quality (3)
Best Uses
- Weddings (187)
- Family photos (175)
- Travel (31)
- Sports/action (16)
- Portraits (15)
- Reviewer Profile:
- Semi-pro photographer (82), Photo enthusiast (74), Pro photographer (64), Casual photographer (9)
- Was this a gift?:
- No (173), Yes (4)
Most Liked Positive Review
Amazing Results
i use the product mostly for indoors events and outside for fill light.
i love it. spreads the light beutifully without handling it to much ( 360 design ).
Read complete review
i use the product mostly for indoors events and outside for fill light.
i love it. spreads the light beutifully without handling it to much ( 360 design ).
just light up like a big bowl of light. i also like it cause its..well..collapsible. and theres an extra advantage for someone like me who didn't want the whole cloud ( using an sb600 - not so strong anyway) and neither the clear ( why use such an expensive diffuser), so the "half a cloud" as they call it is exactly the amount of diffusion i need.
bad thing:
tends to fall of if you dont put it right on the spot.
if u dont use the gels and use the domes instead ( which i would do, thinking back) than your'e good.
slides in easily and stays.
if you do use wem then it's a little tricky.
you need to slide the flash in deep enough, but not to deep so you can lay a gel there, and so the dome wont fall if your'e walking aruond with it.
overall : an excelent product.
VS
Most Liked Negative Review
Not The Ideal Lightsphere
I bought this after reading countless reviews of the various lightspheres. Other reviews said that this was far superior than the universal lightsphere when being used with Nikon speedlights.
Since I o...Read complete review
I bought this after reading countless reviews of the various lightspheres. Other reviews said that this was far superior than the universal lightsphere when being used with Nikon speedlights.
Since I own a Nikon SB-900 and two SB-600's, I figured it would be the way to go.
This is horrible for any kind of event or wedding photography. It takes quite a bit of fussing to put on the SB-900, because it's barely large enough to fit over the flash head. If I were at a wedding, I would lose more time than I would changing lenses. Due to the SB-900's large size, the collapsible lightsphere deforms shape too much to collapse and be out of the way for direct flash use.
So - contrary to other reviews, I feel this would be more suitable to the smaller speedlights, and even then - you'll need to attach it ahead of time and leave it on during the shoot. Removing and re-attaching is too difficult.
As for light output - because the collapsible is clearer than the cloud / half cloud universal lightspheres, it barely diffuses the light at all. I immediately took it out of the box and took a bunch of comparison shots. I can't really see much, if any, difference between this and ceiling-bounced flash shots. You still get harsh shadows and raccoon-eyes.
The domes are hard to attach as well - takes a little fussing with, which means lost time and potentially lost shots.
All in all - this is kind of a waste of money. I ended up purchasing the cloud universal lightsphere, which works quite well.
REVIEWS
Reviewed by 234 customers
Sort by
Displaying reviews 1-20
Previous | Next »
Pros
- Easy To Pack
- Easy to Use
- Lightweight
- Reliable
- Strong Construction
Cons
Best Uses
- Family Photos
- Landscape/Scenery
- Weddings/Events
Comments about Gary Fong Lightsphere Collapsible Inverted Dome Diffuser:
Compact over the old Gary Fong, now have 3 including this new design. Worked well on a recent trip to Jamaica. Was pleased with the results. Would purchase again.
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Easy To Pack
- Lightweight
Cons
Best Uses
- Family Photos
- Weddings/Events
Comments about Gary Fong Lightsphere Collapsible Inverted Dome Diffuser:
Collapses quite nicely to fit in my camera bag. Not quite as easy to put on and off the flash as I expected, but I certainly like the results.
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Easy To Pack
- Easy to Use
- Lightweight
- Reliable
- Strong Construction
Cons
Best Uses
- Family Photos
- Sports/Action
- Travel
- Weddings/Events
Comments about Gary Fong Lightsphere Collapsible Inverted Dome Diffuser:
It works perfectly in my Canon Speedlight 580EX II. Photos are great and easily fits in my camera bag. A must have for any pro & amateur photographer.
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Easy To Pack
- Easy to Use
- Strong Construction
Cons
Best Uses
- Family Photos
- Weddings/Events
Comments about Gary Fong Lightsphere Collapsible Inverted Dome Diffuser:
Works well, nicely designed, stores compactly.
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Easy To Pack
- Easy to Use
- Lightweight
- Reliable
Cons
- None
Best Uses
- Family Photos
- Weddings/Events
Comments about Gary Fong Lightsphere Collapsible Inverted Dome Diffuser:
This product is just as it says. Greatly improves quality of light from flash units. Softbox quality?? No. But much better than a bare flash.
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Easy To Pack
- Easy to Use
- Lightweight
- Reliable
- Strong Construction
Cons
Best Uses
- Club
- Family Photos
- Landscape/Scenery
- Portraits
- Weddings/Events
Comments about Gary Fong Lightsphere Collapsible Inverted Dome Diffuser:
I am a club photographer, and I was afraid to a larger diffuser with some many people around. This is flexible enough that if it gets hit I don't have much to worry about if it gets bumped. It is also fits nicely in my camera bag. The photos look amazing and I am thrilled! I would definitely recommend this!
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Easy To Pack
- Easy to Use
- Lightweight
- Reliable
- Strong Construction
Cons
Best Uses
- Family Photos
- Weddings/Events
- Wildlife Photos
Comments about Gary Fong Lightsphere Collapsible Inverted Dome Diffuser:
I love this thing. Works perfectly on my sb800. Worth every penny
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Easy To Pack
- Lightweight
- Reliable
- Strong Construction
Cons
Best Uses
- Family Photos
- Travel
- Weddings/Events
Comments about Gary Fong Lightsphere Collapsible Inverted Dome Diffuser:
Love the effect this diffuser has on pics. I've used almost every other diffuser out there. Nothing comes close to this when it comes to giving pics a realistic look.
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Easy to Use
- Lightweight
Cons
- Bulky
Best Uses
- Family Photos
- Weddings/Events
Comments about Gary Fong Lightsphere Collapsible Inverted Dome Diffuser:
Easy to use
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Easy To Pack
- Easy to Use
- Lightweight
- Reliable
- Strong Construction
Cons
Best Uses
- Family Photos
- Weddings/Events
Comments about Gary Fong Lightsphere Collapsible Inverted Dome Diffuser:
I was skeptical about buying this as I had heard mixed reviews. I had done a few tests and was happy. I was doing a shoot in a clients house. I had finished the session and had broken down all my lights when they asked me to do a quick head shot of a family member that had just arrived. i panicked for a moment then remembered I had the collapsible light sphere with me. I put in on my flash, took a couple of shots and was amazed how evenly lit they were and the warm tones it gave. It was a life saver, Ill start using it more in the future.
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Easy To Pack
- Easy to Use
- Lightweight
Cons
- Wish it came with a bag
Best Uses
- Family Photos
- Weddings/Events
Comments about Gary Fong Lightsphere Collapsible Inverted Dome Diffuser:
Received the unit in 3 days and put it to work that weekend photographing an auction. Warm skin tones, great fill in shadows, easy to install and remove. What more could I want?
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
Cons
- Bulky
- Difficult to Use
Best Uses
- Family Photos
- Weddings/Events
Comments about Gary Fong Lightsphere Collapsible Inverted Dome Diffuser:
have only had this for couple weeks. first of all, yes too expensive. Manufacturing costs are probably a little higher than normal, but come on. Mr Fong, you must sell enough of these that the molds have been paid for; can't a longer production run get the cost down? I haven't done comparitive analysis against the simple slide on square diffuser (about $15), but so far, it doesn't seem to do much better than this. Biggest problem so far is that it is too heavy when shooting vertical [on ex430 flash] to stay upright on it's own. The flash just flops over and needs to be held with my other hand to use in recommended position. It did get some nice quality pictures with this, but again, not sure yet if any better than much cheaper models. It may even out the light a bit better... I will give it more time testing, but man that price...
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Easy to Use
- Lightweight
- Reliable
Cons
- Bulky
- Weak Construction
Best Uses
- Family Photos
- Weddings/Events
Comments about Gary Fong Lightsphere Collapsible Inverted Dome Diffuser:
i use this professionally for weddings and portrait shoots. overall, great light modifier, and i own 2 of these. only downside is the dish can pop out somewhat easily, and it is a bit on the clunky side. minor problems though for such soft, natural lighting it allows you to achieve.
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Easy To Pack
- Easy to Use
- Lightweight
- Reliable
Cons
- Bulky
- Heavy with big lens
Best Uses
- Family Photos
- Sports/Action
- Weddings/Events
Comments about Gary Fong Lightsphere Collapsible Inverted Dome Diffuser:
fantastic lighting for both indoors and outdoors. great design, easy to use and pack. provides great lighting especially indoors, reduces the harsh shadows associated with normal on camera flash. gives professional look.
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Easy To Pack
- Easy to Use
- Lightweight
- Reliable
- Strong Construction
Cons
Best Uses
- Family Photos
- Weddings/Events
Comments about Gary Fong Lightsphere Collapsible Inverted Dome Diffuser:
on top of flash unit. instead of hauling studio lights to small wedding - this light source works just as great. no hard shadows. and this gary fong is collaspable so easier to put in bag. the old one I could never fit anywhere and awkward to travel with.
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Easy to Use
- Strong Construction
Cons
Best Uses
- Family Photos
- Weddings/Events
Comments about Gary Fong Lightsphere Collapsible Inverted Dome Diffuser:
Great item, really like that it's collapsible and durable. It was a little tough to get on at first, but you learn to work with it.
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Easy To Pack
- Easy to Use
- Lightweight
- Strong Construction
Cons
- Bulky
Best Uses
- Family Photos
- Weddings/Events
Comments about Gary Fong Lightsphere Collapsible Inverted Dome Diffuser:
ived the way you can collaspe it down to get a greater fill of light to the subject
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Easy To Pack
Cons
- Difficult to Use
Best Uses
- Weddings/Events
Comments about Gary Fong Lightsphere Collapsible Inverted Dome Diffuser:
I had a Gary Fong that I lost and did like the light I got from it. I bought this one to replace it but chose the collapsable one because the other one was cumbersome.
I think this one is more difficult to put on the strobe. The ONLY way around this it to place it in my case all assembled. In other words...attached ALL THE TIME.
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Easy to Use
- Lightweight
- Reliable
Cons
Best Uses
- Family Photos
- Weddings/Events
Comments about Gary Fong Lightsphere Collapsible Inverted Dome Diffuser:
I use the product to take group photos inside a conference center. Watched the utube videos on the best ways to use the product and it does a great job!
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
Cons
Best Uses
Comments about Gary Fong Lightsphere Collapsible Inverted Dome Diffuser:
I don't like this product at all. I think bouncing the flash or just using it straight on produces better results.
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Displaying reviews 1-20
Previous | Next »
Flash Accessories
- Price: $14.95
Diffuser Accessories
- Price: $72.00
What's in the Box
- Inverted Dome
- Flash Adapter (Grip) Ring
- Limited Lifetime Warranty
Why Shop at B&H
Make your online shopping trip personal with our online Live Chat representatives. You can easily reach an in-house expert while browsing our site for your shopping needs. We have the most highly-trained staff in the industry who are pros in their fields, and their professional expertise will help you get the most from your purchase.
Place your domestic order with us for shipment via any UPS, FedEx Economy, or FedEx Priority shipping methods by 4 PM ET Monday through Thursday or 11 AM ET Friday and your order will be shipped that day. Visit our Shipping Delivery Times page for further details. Delivery times are subject to payment verification.
We appreciate your purchase from us, and we understand that sometimes the products you buy don’t turn out to be the right choice for you. We guarantee your peace of mind with our 30-day return policy. With no standard restocking fee and few restrictions, you’ll enjoy a return process as easy as shopping with us. Please visit our Return Policy page for further details.
We’ve made iPhone and Android mobile apps available for your service and shopping convenience. Use filtered search to find and purchase almost any item we sell and ship worldwide. Download product manuals and guides for many popular items. See high-resolution product images in close-up detail. Manage wishlists and view order history. Visit our Mobile Apps page to download.
See sample Newsletter
Help
Company Information
B&H Resources
