Overview : The SpinLight 360 EXTREME Modular System is a wonderful light control system for speed lights. With just a twist of the SpinLight Ring one can quickly and easily control the direction of light emanating from a speed light. The innovative Ring System allows for bounce cards and domes to be attached to the ring and with just one hand, the whole ring can be turned up to 360º to direct light to or away from your subject. No more harsh lighting or heavy side shadows! Included in the EXTREME Modular System are 2 black and 2 white bounce cards for varied uses and with the included domes, half-dome and gels, the light strength and quality can be adjusted to your needs.
Using the included Velcro strap, the SpinLight Ring secures easily to almost any standard size shoe-mount flash. And with the SpinLight Ring in place, any one or a combination of light modifiers and gels can be attached to control light as your shooting situation demands. Two circular gels are included, but any gel can be customized to work with this unique gel system.
The SpinLight Ring System is compatible with Nikon SB-600, Nikon SB-700, Nikon SB-800, Nikon SB-900, Nikon SB-910, Canon 580EX II, Canon 580EX, Canon Speedlite 600EX-RT, Canon 480EX II, Sony HVL-F58AM flashes, and all flashes of similar size.
Features :
- Attaches Easily to Speed Light Flashes
- Modifies the Direction of Light
- Easily Rotates 360º
- Includes 4 Distinct Bounce Cards
- Includes Snoot, Light Domes and Gels
- Unique Gel System Works with Any Gel
- Fits Most On-Camera Mount Flash Units
- Made in the U.S.A.
Quality/Usability : Those of us who use external flashes have either used a Gary Fong LightSphere, a diffuser, the bounce card that is included with the flash, white index card with rubber or even made their own bounce card with foam sheets and velcro at some point in time. But what if there was a better solution that does the same thing but lets you rotate your bounce cards a full 360 degrees?
I happened to stumble upon a website that makes the SpinLight 360. This is the first time I saw such a product or even heard of them. I had contacted them and it just so happens that they were going to be at PhotoPlus Expo 2012 in New York City. Since I was going to be there, I thought I would stop by their booth and take a look their product. Let's just say, I walked out of PhotoPlus Expo with SpinLight 360 EXTREME Modular System.
The Original SpinLight 360™ Modular System is more of a basic setup for photographers. No more harsh lighting on subjects. Easily and instantly control the light’s quality and direction, with the ability to rotate the bounce cards a full 360 degrees, bouncing, blocking and eliminating direct flash light on the subject, controlling light and shadows.
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| Original SpinLight 360 |
The Original SpinLight 360™ Modular System Includes:
- The Original SpinLight 360™ Ring System*
- Half Dome
- White Full Dome
- Velcro Attachment
- 8″ Black Bounce Card
- 8″ White Bounce Card
- 4″ Black Bounce Card
- 4″ White Bounce Card
The SpinLight 360™ EVENT Modular System is a basic, streamlined package for photographers. With their unique Gel System you can securely attach gels while still having the flexibility to use and change modifiers at the same time.
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| SpinLight 360 EVENT |
The SpinLight 360™ EVENT Includes:
- The SpinLight 360™ Ring Assembly with Gel System Capability
- Clear Full Dome
- Velcro Attachment
- 4″ Black Bounce Card
- 4″ White Bounce Card
- 3 Clear Gel Disks
- 1 Full CTO Gel
- 1 Half CTO Gel
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| SpinLight 360 EXTREME |
The SpinLight 360™ EXTREME Modular System Includes:
- The SpinLight 360™ Ring Assembly with Gel System Capability
- Snoot
- Half Dome
- White Full Dome
- Clear Full Dome
- Velcro Attachment
- 6" Black Bounce Card
- 6" White Bounce Card
- 4" Black Bounce Card
- 4" White Bounce Card
- 3 Clear Gel Disks
- Full CTO Gel
- Half CTO Gel
In this review, we'll be reviewing the EXTREME version since it includes everything the Original and EVENT has and a little more.
I'm sure everyone has used flash diffusers at some point in their photography. Some have went and purchased a bounce card or made their own out of index card or followed some DIY's. I went the DIY route and made mine out of foam core and velcro. It worked out great but I had to constantly rotate the flash head. And depending on your flash head and which way you hold your camera in portrait mode, it doesn't work out well.
In comes the SpinLight 360. It's a combination of a dome diffuser, bounce card all-in-one and more. Need to bounce the light behind you or to the side? The direction of your light can be controlled by twisting the ring assembly, which rotates a complete 360 degrees (hence the name of the product). No more rotating or angling of the flash head.
Setup is pretty straight forward. Place the SpinLight ring assembly over your flash head and secure it in place with the velcro. You have your choices of using dome, snoot, gels and/or bounce cards.
To install a dome or snoot, simply place it on top of the ring assembly and twist until it locks in place. Similar to the CD/DVD spindle cases. To install a bounce card, simply slip it into the ring assembly. It's that simple. You won't have to worry about the bounce cards failing off. They are snug in place.
There are a magnitude of different setups you can do with the SpinLight 360 and the above pictures are just a few.
In the center of the SpinLight, is a spot to place gels. Included with the Extreme are three clear gels and two orange gels. Sold separately is the Gel Collection which offers a variety of colors ranging from blue, green, red. I personally would of preferred the filters to be thicker rather than being thin.
One accessory that is not included with the Extreme is the Grid Set (or honeycomb).
Conclusion : Overall, the SpinLight 360 EXTREME Modular Flash System is a great flash system. You can conveniently bounce the flash in any direction without having to turn the flash head.
For a basic photographer, the Original will be fine for basic lighting. If you're a little more advanced with flash and want gels, get the EVENT. Both of these are great if you also don't plan on upgrading/expanding in the future. But if you do decide to expand or if there is something that you want, you don't have to buy a whole new set (although it would be cheaper) but you can buy other accessories separately such as a snoot or grid. If you have the money to spend and have a feeling you'll be playing around with the SpinLight more often and can see yourself using EXTREME to it's fullest potential, get the EXTREME.
Manufacturer: SpinLight 360
The SpinLight EXTREME Modular System:
Site: Buy from SpinLight / Buy from Amazon / Buy from B&H Photo / Buy from Adorama
The SpinLight EVENT Modular System:
Site: Buy from SpinLight / Buy from Amazon / Buy from B&H Photo / Buy from Adorama
The Original SpinLight 360 Modular System:
Site: Buy from SpinLight 360 / Buy from Amazon
The SpinLight EXTREME Modular System:
Site: Buy from SpinLight / Buy from Amazon / Buy from B&H Photo / Buy from Adorama
The SpinLight EVENT Modular System:
Site: Buy from SpinLight / Buy from Amazon / Buy from B&H Photo / Buy from Adorama
The Original SpinLight 360 Modular System:
Site: Buy from SpinLight 360 / Buy from Amazon
