It is Blasting Time!

When my good friend asked me if he had ever mentioned The Light Blaster I immediately knew that something big is going down. And so it happened. After just a dozen emails and few days I held a piece of hardware that officially did not exist.

What is The Light Blaster? - A flash projector for 35mm slides. Yes so simple and so genius.; I'm actually jealous that I did not ever make one myself.

But what is the purpose of this "Blaster"? - You can use the Blaster to change a dull white background into whatever you want; need clouds in your background?

After few seconds you have yours clouds projecting from the blaster loaded with a clouds slide.

After a quick play with it...

...I knew that Blaster is completely changing my approach to photography and specially to portraiture photography.

I came across a few DIY flash projectors on the web but they are mainly done from old SLR camera with hardcore usage of magic gaffa tape (and destroying a whole camera in the process). The Blaster is specially designed with a ready-to-go Canon or Nikon fit and a strobe that you already have. Of course you can use any lens by with the help of lens adapters (they are not in the box when you need get them from ebay for few bucks)

This is not review, I am not professional photographer just regular photography enthusiast / for more detailed questions you can always go and look at the Blaster website (www.light-blaster.com)

Ok Right from the beginning lets check that piece.  

Case speak for itself that this is not a toy. Inside we find the Blaster and small pocket to keep the slides in place.

 

The Light Blaster is made from rigid plastic well cast solid...

 ...and shaped in a futuristic look.

Mounting flash is done by tightening a neatly made velcro strap...

...which makes sure that the strobe will not slip outside when moving.

On the bottom there is a 1/4"-20 metal mounting thread for to hook up a tripod or light stand. 

The location of it seems to be well thought out, so that a loaded Blaster is balanced well.

The lens mount is made of metal and lacks a locking mechanism. But do not worry - mounted lensed will not rotate loosely. It looks like the bionet is designed to properly protect our glass. The pressure between the lens and mount can be adjusted when needed

Slides cartridge its well done...

 ...and easy accessible.

Cartridge / cassette / can take old fashion 35mm slides...

...or 35mm strip film...

...or specially designed blaster slides...

...like those and many more available on the www.light-blaster.com

Now let's take this for a ride!

The Light Blaster is great for people who don't own a studio, including me.

That my messy kitchen...

...now is not so messy kitchen.

These pictures were taken in my not so big apartment.

So it looks before editing...

...and after edit.

Before...

...after

Blaster with 17mm lens / flash zoom set on 105m - Blaster is just 1.5 meter from the wall!

...some hint and tricks

Use fast lens like 50mm 1.8 that will give you more power from the flash, you don't have to use expensive lenses - get some cheap one from second-hand shop or ebay get as well the lens ring adapter to adopt the old lens fit to the blaster.

For portraits use soft-box with grid or make sure that your key /main/ light do not spill over to the projected wall. That will save you some battery on the flash mounted in the blaster, and give better contrast.

To get a well projected and focused picture use the focusing scale on the lens - when blaster is 3 meters from the wall you set focus ring on 3 meters, simple.

Be creative - look for you old slr, lomo or other 35mm compact camera and load with 35mm slide film
go in town get some nice shots, get them developed, buy some slide mounts and you'll get fine hi-resolution unique slides for the Blaster.

Of if you cant find any old film camera, just get some "random" slides from the Light Blaster site.

...you can try printing own slides but the quality of home printing is not the best.

I love the Blaster, I will probably use it a lot for many occasions, and I think any Strobist fan will love-it!

Special thanks for my wife and daughter for a patience.

For Udi Tirosh for sending me The Light Blaster for test runs.

And for Włodzimierz Marcin Zaworski for providing his studio 4th floor for photo 

Thanks Guys!

Hit the link for a Blaster page!

http://www.light-blaster.com/