Article

Lastolite Ezybox and Ezybox Hotshoe

Ezybox

The Ezybox is a foldable softbox. Ezybox's come in a variety of shapes and sizes and have rings (speedrings) that allow them to be connected to a wide range of mains flash units.

The rest of this page is specifically about the Ezybox Hotshoe a specific version of the Ezybox, but a lot of the design is common.

Ezybox Hotshoe

The Ezybox Hotshoe is a special version of the Ezybox where there is bracket that supports both the Ezybox and a standard hotshoe fitting battery flash. If you are using a Nikon camera outfit, then you can use the Nikon Creative Lighting  system to control this remote flash unit, or if you choose use an extension cable. Many of the Nikon cameras have built in commanders to allow this to be done without any additional items being required. Many other types of camera/flash will require a radio trigger connection.

There are a number of accessories that are available for the Ezybox Hotshoe and some of these do not work with the other Ezybox's. There are two sizes available, 38cm square and 60cm square. You can buy one on its own and it comes in a case, or as a part of a kit with a lighting stand, tilt head, short handle, and carry case for the stand and accessories in addition to its normal case.

The kit version in its cases.

Available accessories are a short handle, long handle, tilt head, clamp, set of 3 shaped diffusers in both sizes, and some other bracket arrangements for specific flashguns.

We obtained one kit, plus a second Ezybox hotshoe, both the larger 60cm size, and a second tilt-head, it will fit on a standard lighting stand spigot. I had a second identical lighting stand that came with a Lastolite TriFlector,   that was too tall for general use so I replaced it with a shorter stand, and so was able to reallocate this to the kit.

It has two layers of diffusion, one half way and a second nearer the end, and this produces a soft well diffused light.

Putting the Ezybox hotshoe together is very quick, open the bag, take out the parts, put the bracket together add the tilt head, add an inner diffuser, and the final outer one and slide the ring on the bracket into the back of the Ezybox and check that all is formed, then put on a lighting stand and add the flash adjusting the position if necessary. Putting it away is even quicker. This is not quite the same assembly routine as in the instructions but I find it easier and less problematic.

Click on any of the images below for a larger version

	<< Left - out of the bag Right - Tilt-head adaptor, allows the angle to change, but could also be used with a brolly, using just the bracket and not the box parts.>>
	<< Bracket and tilt-head   Inner diffuser in place  held by Velcro in corners >>
	<< outer diffuser in place, held by strong Velcro all round     Bracket in place >>
	<< On the short handle       Nikon SB800 on bracket, now on lighting stand >>

Click on any of the images below for a larger version

In use 2 units set up, both with Nikon SB800's. One on the right is set 1 stop brighter, HiLite background is not lit. Notice that the shadowing on the white background is minimal and soft.   It is partly set up the way it is so that you can see what is happening, and how the softboxes perform.

Click on any of the images below for a larger version

Two images with the lighting set up above. The HiLite background is not lit. Shadow on the background is not a problem and lighting is soft and even. You can see the light on the right is more powerful throwing  some shadows on the ground. These are in part not cancelled due to the left light being set high so the setup could be shown, without the light being in front of the model.

The models used on this page are all Girlequins, not real people, but special life sized mannequins used for training photographers. They are particularly useful when learning or experimenting with lighting, as they stay in exactly in the same place. These 5 are currently used by Camera Images and Photography Skills.

See Also:-

Introduction to Studio and Flash Lighting

Nikon Creative Lighting  

There are many articles on flash, lighting and reflectors in the Lighting and Reflectors Section.

By: Keith Park	Section: Lighting and Reflectors	Key:
Page Ref: Lastolite_EzyBox	Topic: Flash, Studio and Reflectors	Last Updated: 04/2009