GETTING STARTED
Bouncing a pop-up flash with the Lightscoop™ requires the most power these little units can produce. The following settings are designed to force your flash to produce its maximum light output.
See our troubleshooting page if your pictures are too dark. For more background, see Frequently Asked Questions.
SET UP YOUR CAMERA
- Turn on the camera.
- Set the Exposure Metering pattern of the camera to Spot Meter (a MUST on Nikon, center-weight average, evaluative, etc., on others will work).
- Set the camera to operate Manual exposure mode (M).
- Set the ISO to 800.
- Select the widest lens aperture — f2.8, f3.5, or f4.0 depending on your lens.
- Set the camera’s shutter speed to 1/200th.
- Select Flash “on” (front curtain sync) — no red-eye reduction, slow sync, etc.
- Select Flash Exposure Compensation to +1 or +2, depending on your camera.
Nikon: Set the Flash Exposure Compensation by pressing the flash button and rotating the front dial to +1, (see manual). TTL (through-the-lens metering) is the factory default setting on Nikon. To confirm that TTL is still selected, view the Customs Setting Menu>Built-in Flash>TTL.
Canon: Set Flash Exposure Compensation to +2 on the “Shooting Settings” menu. (See your camera's user manual).
Pentax: Set the Flash Exposure Compensation to +1 by turning the rear e-dial to set Flash Mode in the Fn menu (See your camera's user manual).
Others: Set the Flash Exposure Compensation to +1 or, if available, +2. (See your camera's user manual).
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Slip the Lightscoop over the flash in its pop up position.
Slide the foot of the Lightscoop into the camera’s hot shoe.
The internal flash and the electronics in your Nikon, Pentax, Olymps, Fuji FinePix Pro, Sigma, or Canon, aided by the Lightscoop's reflector, will do the rest.
NIKON ALTERNATIVE
Most Nikons have an option for using the pop-up flash on MANUAL, instead of TTL. This setting on the Nikons can push a bit more light from the pop-up flash. The option is in the FULL settings, not SIMPLE.
- Turn on the camera.
- Press the Menu button on the camera>Custom Menu Setting>Select Wrench Icon>CSM/SetUp Menu>Full>Press OK.
- Return to Custom Setting Menu>Select Pencil icon>Built-in Flash>Manual>Full Power>Press OK.
- Follow steps 3-8, above.
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USE THE LIGHTSCOOP™
IN THESE SITUATIONS
The Lightscoop works great in most home and office situations — rooms with light, neutral-colored ceilings no higher than 8-12 feet or walls no farther than 3-4 feet from the camera.
As when bouncing an external flash, the Lightscoop redirects light from a pop up flash to a ceiling or wall — so there MUST be a surface from which it can bounce. The Lightscoop will not bounce outside. As these comparisons show, neither will an external flash. Outside, there is nothing for the light to bounce from. The same is true in churches, gyms, rooms with cathedral ceilings.
Horizontal Photos
Rooms with light-colored ceilings no higher than 8-14 feet tall.
Vertical Photos
Rooms with a light-colored wall no greater than 3-4 feet from camera.
HINT: If you are using a zoom lens with a variable aperture, leave the lens at its widest focal length. For example, if you have an 18-55mm zoom lens, stay at 18mm. If you zoom in, your aperture may change and no longer be at f2.8, f3.5 or f4.
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