#3 in Lighting diffusers
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Reddit mentions of LumiQuest SoftScreen LQ-051M
Sentiment score: 2
Reddit mentions: 2
We found 2 Reddit mentions of LumiQuest SoftScreen LQ-051M. Here are the top ones.
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- The Perfect Look - LumiQuest Soft Screen makes better photos a breeze for on-camera pop-up flash photographers; Super easy to use and install
- Improve Flash Photography Images - LumiQuest Soft Screen is designed to soften harsh flashes and reduce the red-eye commonly occurring from pop-up flashes; Get better, more realistic colors and impress everyone with your photographs
- Effective and Durable - The Soft Screen was designed with durability in mind; Installs directly onto the camera hot shoe
- Universal and Travel Friendly - LumiQuest Soft Screen with is suitable for photographers on the go and people who love to travel around the world; Designed to be universal, this light softener folds flat to approximately 4" x 4"
- About Us - LumiQuest began 30 years ago with one goal in mind: to help photographers create images beyond their wildest dreams; LumiQuest bounce and diffusion devices serve to improve flash photography for millions of professionals and serious amateurs around the world
Features:
Specs:
| Color | Black |
| Height | 4.5 Inches |
| Length | 3.875 Inches |
| Weight | 0.1 Pounds |
| Width | 1 Inches |
It's unclear if your reason for getting only one is "which one should I get first?" or "which one should I get if I can only afford one?" If you can afford both, get both. Period. They each have their uses (for the situations you described), and both of them will come in handy for your needs.
If you can only afford one, get the faster glass. I'd recommend a 50mm f/1.4 because that extra half-stop can be the difference between unbearable and manageable noise... but if you can't afford a 50mm f/1.8 plus an SB-600, I'll assume that the 50mm f/1.4 is probably out of your price-range. That said, Craig's List can be your friend - I once bought a 50mm f/1.4 AF-D for $100 from a CL post.
The reason I'm suggesting a fast lens over a flash is that, frankly, it's a lot more versatile than a flash. An on-camera flash can only effectively light a fairly small area, and even then not very well if all of the surfaces are painted black, as they are in club environments. Also, many live shows don't allow flash, so it won't do you any good. A fast lens would allow you to continue shooting in such an environment, lit by nothing but stage lighting.
Now, for party/event photography, I'd definitely recommend the flash. Event photography tends to be specific individual subjects or small groups, and the flash really helps bring out color and skin tones. You can even adjust your shutter speed to let in the ambient, yet still capture good skin tones with proper use of flash. If you're interested, I wrote up a fairly decent tutorial on flash photography, how flash works (conceptually, as many people don't really understand it).
Unfortunately, you're kind of talking about two completely different types of photography, with very different needs. It really depends on what you're going to do more of, but as I stated above, I'd prefer the fast glass over a flash if I had to pick one or the other. Worst-case scenario, you can always use your built-in flash and a pop-up flash diffuser. Here's how to make one to experiment with, and here's one to buy for $10 that looks a little more professional.
Get a soft box diffuser for your flash like this one. If you get a mounted flash (which most recommend), something like this will work well. I have the second one and it's great.