Korean lighting manufacturer Aurora Lite Bank has released two new quick-folding softboxes, the Firefly II and Firefly XL. Both light-shapers open and close like an umbrella, making them a good option for photographers shooting on location with limited time to set up.
The successor to the Firefly Beauty Box, the Firefly II has an improved opening mechanism, blocking less light than before. There is an optional deflector that you can attach, making the apparatus into a kind of folding “beauty dish” with a “nice round catch light”. Without the deflector, cover the front of the Firefly II with a diffusion panel and it behaves like a conventional softbox.
By contrast, the Firefly XL is designed for full-blown studio lights rather than hot-shoe flashes, with interchangeable speedring mounts to fit Hensel, Profoto, Broncolor, Visatec, Bowens and Multiblitz heads. It is also of course much bigger, coming in two different versions measuring 90 centimetres and 120 centimetres across. Like the Firefly II, a removable deflector attachment allows the canopy to behave either like a double-diffused octagonal softbox or a gigantic beauty dish. Grids are also available.
Where to buy
Pricing will vary depending on your regional distributor, a full list of which is available here. The German distributor, Hensel, is charging €249 for the 90-centimetre Firefly XL and €289 for the 120cm version, including VAT. Visit the Aurora Lite Bank web site for more information.