The EzyBox Hotshoe from Lastolite is a portable softbox, designed to turn harsh directional lighting from battery-operated flashguns into much softer diffused light.The EzyBox Hotshoe from Lastolite is ideal for portraiture and still-life subjects in the studio or out on location. The kit packs neatly into a reflector-style bag and you’ll find just four parts to it. The softbox folds out as one-piece and a circular disk slots in at the rear, so the L-shaped bracket that holds the flashgun can be secured. The white diffuser at the front uses strong Velcro to hold it in place and assembling the kit from start to finish takes just 45 seconds. Impressive.
The softbox is intended for off-camera use, so you’ll need a lighting stand to support it but if you don’t have one of these, reverse the screw thread attachment and mount it on your tripod instead. One problem you’ll face using off camera flash is getting the flash to sync with your camera. Be prepared to fork out for a wireless or infrared flash trigger system, if you don’t already have one.
If you’re a Nikon SB900 user there’s a free ‘coldshoe’ adapter specially designed for this kit, and you’ll need it so make sure you ask for one.
We used the Ezybox in a still-life setup and it did a great job of softening the intensity of the flash on our subject. Its first class materials mean that this is a flash accessory that’s going to last for a long time and one that you’ll be able to rely on shoot after shoot.
The £88 price certainly isn’t cheap but if you’re a still-life or portrait photographer in need of a portable softbox for use when you’re away from the studio, this EzyBox really is a great solution.
Also, if 38x38cm isn’t large enough, there’s a 60x60cm version available for £107.
38x38cm
www.lastolite.com
