Pro Review: Easy Diffused Lighting with the DualFlash Hardware

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The following is Scott's product review.

I was recently given the DualFlash Hardware from Photoflex to test out. I love shooting with my flashes in portable setups while on location, so I was very happy to be able to try this new setup. I usually use one flash either shooting through a Photoflex translucent umbrella or a small soft box but what intrigued me about this new hardware was that I could use up to four flashes at one time. What I liked about this was the ability to increase the light output on my subject, expanding the light diffusion and creating beautiful soft light. Many times, one flash does not provide enough output and the ability to use more than one flash is something that many people can benefit from.

The design of the connector is very simple with a T-shape, providing two flash holders on the center part and two on the outer part of the hardware. Photoflex also designed a special OctoConnector that has a reflective metal piece attached that provides reflection, rather than letting light spilled out of the back of the soft box. It is very well built and worked flawlessly when I tested it out on my model. All you need is a soft box, a couple of flashes and a transmitter for your camera to the flashes. The flashes can be slaved together and create a very powerful light source.

Set up with the DualFlash Hardware was very easy and was together in a matter of minutes. Here's what the T-shaped bracket looks like with all four flash connectors attached. [figure 1]

I decided to use two flashes on the outside two connectors. The hardware easily attaches to the light stand with the reflective piece in the middle of the OctoConnector. [figure 2]

The next step was to attach the soft box to be OctoConnector shown. [figure 3] After the setup was done, all I needed to do was attach the flashes to the DualFlash Hardware and work on my flash settings. Attaching your flashes to the flash connectors is very easy but you have to remember to tighten down the little bolts on the sides to hold the flashes in place.

This image shows the flashes attached to the DualFlash Hardware, with them pointed slightly to the back of the soft box, at a slight angle. It is very easy to change the angle of the flashes to direct your light output however you want it to be. [figure 4]

Here's how it looked before I closed up the Photoflex LiteDome: medium soft box, with my flashes turned on and ready to fire. For this particular set up, I decided to try it in program mode with TTL and see how it worked. I attached the whole set up to my light stand with the Photoflex Heavy-Duty Swivel, which is a good piece of hardware to handle the weight of the DualFlash Hardware, OctoConnector and multiple flashes. [figure 5]

[*Editor's Note: The DualFlash Hardware is sold as the DualFlash Adapter Kit [AC-DUALSMKT], which includes a Heavy-Duty Swivel [AC-ALSWMTB].]

With both flashes slaved together and on TTL, I put my model in front of the soft box. [figure 6] I turned down all of the ambient light in the room, and tested out my new set up and was very pleased at how much light I was now able to harness with this setup. For even more demanding setups, using up to four flashes is definitely a great plus and I know I will be trying this sooner or later also.

I was very pleased with the final image as it gave me beautiful light across the models face. [figure 7]

What I really like about this piece of hardware is that it easily expanded the limitations of light output of a portable strobe set up. I know I could also use this setup with an umbrella if I wanted, but I really wanted to try it inside of a soft box. My friends and I have been making our own hardware to try similar setups ourselves, but nothing was ever as elegant as the Photoflex DualFlash Hardware.

Needless to say, this is one product that is extremely useful and very needed. It sets up in a matter of minutes and works without a hitch, giving you results that would be hard to get any other way.