Aurora Lite Bank have added two more modifiers to their line-up, a development of the original Firefly Beauty Box.
As a fan of the original Beauty Box, I was very keen to try the Mark II. The Firefly II is quick and easy to set up. It has a very similar design to the original Firefly, which makes it familiar. It is well-built, nicely put together and feels sturdy once assembled. Both the Firefly XL and the Firefly II open like an umbrella and lock into place very quickly, a massive advantage if you are working with time pressures and want to change between modifiers in a hurry.
The Firefly II uses the same bracket design as its predecessor, which is solid and can be left on the light stand to speed up set up time. It is designed to be adaptable to fit different speedlights, which makes it very easy to access the light source if needed. The Firefly XL is designed for studio heads, with an interchangeable adapter ring to fit Aurora, Bowens, Hensel, Profoto, Multiblita, Broncolor and many more.
The Firefly XL 90 is very quick to set up and feels sturdy yet not unwieldy even with the size. It has a good design, following the model of the original and has options for grids, although that remains untested for this review. It also has an internal diffusion panel which softens the light even further.
The newly added deflector is very easy to fit and is available for the Firefly II and the Firefly XL, attached with a simple screw straight into the centre pole, and can be stored along with the softbox [packed down] and bracket in the carry case. The soft-box cover is also easy to attach and fits securely making it a easy to switch between the beauty dish and softbox.
The Firefly II and Firefly XL are both very effective and versatile modifiers, easy to set up, solid and professionally finished. Once the weather improves I will be looking to use the Firefly II on location so will be able to evaluate its results then. In the studio, however, the results are very favourable. Very soft edges and they both delivered very reliably and constant results, the beauty box option is such a convenient feature and simple to achieve, opening up even more possibilities.
Pricing will vary depending on your regional distributor, a full list of which is available here. Visit the Aurora Lite Bank web site for more information.
Konrad S Leader is a professional photographer based in Middlesbrough, UK. View more of his work here.