Thursday, September 2, 2010

HonlPhoto Traveller8 Softbox (NEW!!!)

Honl Photo Traveller8 Softbox Review by ephotozine.com

 

HonlPhoto Traveller8 Softbox 

 

Using small flashes for off-camera lighting has become ever popular, probably because of the portability and ease of which the equipment can be set up in a hurry. The Honl Photo line of light modifiers are purpose-built accessories to help achieve the look you're after with the minimum of fuss and bulk to carry around.

Here we'll take a look at the Traveller8 softbox, which is the latest addition to the Honl Photo range, most of which we took an earlier look at here.

 

Honl Photo Traveller8 Softbox: Specification

  • Size: appr. 11in x 9in folded
  • Materials: nylon ripstop, nylon taffeta, low density polyethylene
  • Weight: 3.75oz/107g






This accessory costs £59, which seems quite steep to me, although the quality of materials used is excellent throughout. The main body of the softbox is constructed from stiff nylon, which snaps into shape when unfolded. The softbox is designed to create a circular light, which apart from diffusing the light, should give nice catch lights in people's eyes. The one supplied for review tended to prefer forming a diamond shape instead though, although this didn't seem to impact on the overall performance of the item.

Unfolding the Traveller8 is as straightforward as can be. The white diffusion material simply needs to be vercro'd in place around the front of the softbox and it holds it's shape. All that's left to do now is to attach it to the front of a flashgun via the supplied velcro speed strap. I found it amongst the easiest of these kinds of accessories to setup, taking literally a couple of seconds.

The light produced is soft and even, falling off gradually. Due to the relative small size, and the fact there is only one layer of material to diffuse the light, there isn't much light loss to the softbox, making it suitable for use outdoors in daylight for fill. For a bit more diffusion and evenness of light I found it helps to use the plastic diffuser cap often supplied with many flashguns inside the softbox, although this certainly isn't necessary, and robs you of a little more light.

 HonlPhoto Traveller8 Softbox Sample

Honl Photo Traveller8 Softbox: Verdict
In use I found the Traveller8 to be a very good product on the whole, producing a good quality of light whilst remaining efficient, which can be so important when using small flashes. Even though the £59 price tag may seem a little expensive, the build quality is excellent, so much so that this accessory will probably outlast your flashes.

Overall I found it to be a useful product that is built to last.

Honl Photo Traveller8 Softbox: Pros
  • Excellent build quality
  • Compact when folded
  • Lightweight
  • Very efficient output
  • Good quality of light

Honl Photo Traveller8 Softbox: Cons
  • Maybe a touch expensive

The HonlPhoto Traveller8 Softbox is available for sell at Megacom Enterprise for B$129.00 (HonlPhoto Speed Strap included)

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