Aputure's New Light Dome III versus Light Dome Mini: Which Softbox Is Right For You? | Curtis Judd

[@kennethpreston9813]

I have the Mini 3 and it is so easy and quick to set up. I’m very happy with it. I can set it up in under 15 seconds. I enjoy your videos

[@curtisjudd]

👍

[@MarshallRosales]

Thanks for the (as always) awesome review! Just a quick note on installing the softbox: not sure if y'all were just limited in framing, but it is MUCH easier to install if you point the fixture straight up, and then pop it on and twist; it helps to not have to fight the weight of the softbox pulling the ring out of parrallel with the mount :)

[@curtisjudd]

👍 thanks for that

[@huntervalleyartsartists9313]

good tip...in tight spaces I'm fighting the weight and balance if taking the 90cm parabolic softboxes off or putting them on my Godox VL150's

[@nikolailantano8521]

Can we get a sound bag tour 2023? Love your videos man, keep doing what youre doing. You've taught me a lot!

[@curtisjudd]

👍

[@WelcomeToMarkintosh]

Thanks for another great video Curtis!

[@curtisjudd]

👍

[@orangeclockwork6199]

Thanks for the video. To the point without any fluff. Rare enough on KZbin :)

[@curtisjudd]

👍

[@steveremich7255]

Do the gel holder and inner diffuser from the Light Dome II work in the version III? Those were pretty important to me.

[@davidmultimedia2024]

I own the Light Dome SE because it's half the price of the Light Dome II/III, and over 2x lighter.. plus it's pretty much the biggest one that can safely by attached to the 200x S. Gosh that I hate installing it though.. really wish the SE II will at least be made like the Light Dome II. Thanks for the review Curtis!

[@curtisjudd]

👍

[@dinbali]

I just sold the light dome SE because iit takes too long to set up. bought the smallrig RA D85

[@rickymcc8624]

Hi Curtis, I have a query re compatibility of the Apurture Light Dome iii. Currently I have 3 Amaran 200x S lights. I have several soft boxes from my days as a stills photographer (typically slow to deploy, but otherwise OK) when using studio flash heads. Also one PixaPro fold flat (ie like Apurture Light Dome 3 fold-flat Bowens mount mechanism) 70cm which I bought a year ago. It works fine on a 200x S head. I was given to understand that the plastic body of 100/200 series Amaran lights weren't that tough, so it's debatable if a heavier modifier would work OK and last or just risk prematurely damaging the mount from too much strain? I like the Apurture LDiii soft box (fast deployment and bigger surface area) and I'm tempted to buy one. My query, that you may well have a sensible view on, is whether the larger LDiii is suitable for fitting onto an Amaran 200x S head. I know it will physically fit OK (as standard Bowens mounts) but my query is more about the additional mass and strain of a larger modifier (eg LDiii) hanging off the front of a 200x S head. I noted in your vid you showed the LDiii hanging off an Apurture 600 which has a much sturdier (more 'pro' grade) metal body. Clearly no problem with that combo. But what about the larger modifier (LDiii) with smaller plastic body head of 100/200 series cobs?

[@curtisjudd]

As you gathered, of course the LDiii fits the Bowens mount, however, the yoke mechanism creaks a bit when holding all that weight. In short, my guess is that Aputure/Amaran are saying, “Don’t do it. Not designed to hold that much weight…” My take is that it works if you are very, very careful. But I would not recommend this combination outside of my studies where I manage everything and there are rarely other people in the space.

[@frosti7]

Curtis, very helpful review! Wouldn't a Light Dome Mini + a P60x fill, would give you almost 4x4 look ? - this can work in a tight space too.

[@curtisjudd]

Not quite, still a little too small of a light emitting surface.

[@SalsaBailaProductions]

I have version 2 and its a very dependable product

[@curtisjudd]

👍

[@cinematools]

Great review. I prefer the chimera look but it's hard to control the spill.

[@curtisjudd]

Yes, usually need another c-stand and a flag to manage the spill.

[@MarcosElMalo2]

⁠@@curtisjudd Try 4 flags and 4 stands. 😅 Two blades or cutters for top and bottom, and two floppies for the sides. Oops, I’m showing my grip. The point being that to get the most out of a silk 4x4, you really want to have everything else in a grip package. And if you have a grip package, you’re probably going to want grips. I’m just saying that if you want a practical solution for a solo operator (or with one or two assistants), a light dome is the way to go. That said, a silk or quarter silk is great for outdoors and modifying sunlight, but you probably want something larger than a 4x.

[@curtisjudd]

@@MarcosElMalo2 Understood. I can usually get a decent look with three stands - one for the light, one for the 4x4, and another for a flag, but only if doing a simple talking head. Gets more complicated if you're doing anything more than that.

[@SpiderboxFilms]

Thanks for the video. How about the gel holder doe sit come with either one?

[@curtisjudd]

No

[@DavidKfilmmaker]

They get rid of the gel holder?

[@curtisjudd]

Well, the old holder still works, but they do not include it with the LD III. Probably banking on people moving to RGB lights.

[@Glen.Danielsen]

Curtis, love it when wife of your life gets cameo!

[@curtisjudd]

That’s my daughter. 😀

[@peterheitmann2844]

Hi Chris, excellent video like always. Just one thing... what are the 4 mounting loops inside the reflector made for? I search and search, but the only thing I found is shipped with the smaller ones, a kind of reflector, to flatten the harsher shadow of the 1 stop soft diffusion cloth. But I don´t find ist for sale somewhere...

[@curtisjudd]

I assume the same, it is for an additional “hot spot” internal diffusion like what shipped with the previous version. Not aware of Aputure selling one separately.

[@Chips-Lab]

great comparaison thanks

[@curtisjudd]

👍

[@ManuelParodiRamos]

How would the light dome iii or the mini iii compare to the light box 45x45? Are they design for different scenarios? Thanks for your videos!

[@curtisjudd]

It is down to size and shape differences. The bigger the soft-box, the softer the light and the more it wraps around things. The 45x45 is square instead of round so catchlights in the eyes will be square instead of round. All depends on the aesthetic you want.

[@Thirdbornentertainment]

Is it compatible with the 300d?

[@whatsup5717]

You omitted a very important part: the Gel Holder Support.

[@curtisjudd]

Thanks for pointing that out. 👍

[@kenyontech]

Anyone know why Aparture says that the 200sx isnt compatible with the Light dome III ?

[@curtisjudd]

The yoke isn’t designed to hold that much weight.

[@nordfresse]

Do you know how this is different from a "beauty dish" for headshots? Or is it basically the same?

[@DaCarnival]

Same concept, just different ways of softening the light, i.e. Making (the surface of) the source bigger. Light quality of a beauty dish is probably most akin to the light dome mini, unless it’s quite large.

[@curtisjudd]

Agreed with DaCarnival, more similar to the Light Dome Mini and usually I’ve seen beauty dishes positioned just above the subject aiming down at a roughly 45 degree angle.

[@haroldlauhoyan]

So it doesn't come with a filter holder like the light dome 2 does?

[@curtisjudd]

Correct.

[@haroldlauhoyan]

@@curtisjudd oh and does the filter holder works on the lightdome 3?

[@curtisjudd]

@@haroldlauhoyan Yes, it does.

[@Trevellian]

Is there any green or magenta tint?

[@curtisjudd]

Not that I noticed. All of the talking head footage here wash shot with the Aputure 600x Pro and the Light Dome III and we did NOT doing any color correction (or grading for that matter).

[@robwasnj]

Thanks for the review, one question I have is weight. Could this be used on the Amaran 200x? Wondering how much weight all those metal rods add if a budget light like that will support it. I noticed you had it on a much larger more expensive 600.

[@curtisjudd]

For the 200x and 100x, Amaran recommends the Light Dome SE instead. See here for details: www.aputure.com/accessory-wizard/?_sf_s=light%2520dome%2520iii

[@curtisjudd]

That said, I did put the Light Dome III on my Amaran 200x S and it creaked and moaned but held the Light Dome in place.

[@robwasnj]

@@curtisjudd Good to know and yes, aware they recommend the lighter one but the way the III folds down makes it really appealing. Maybe I'll try a similar weight modifier my cousin likely has to just see how it handles something a bit more than what's recommended. Thanks for the reply!

[@dreamlifterstudios]

Great video, I subscribed to your channel. I have the same setup as you, 200xs and light dome 3. I too am having problems with the light dome falling off the 200xs. Are there any workarounds for this. My only solution going forward is the 300c which it can be properly mounted as it's compatible with this product. I guess universal doesn't mean universal, lol.@@curtisjudd

[@curtisjudd]

@@dreamlifterstudios I don't have a magic solution. The 200x simply isn't designed to hold that weight.

[@maxresdefault8330]

Have you done A-B tests with a parabolic softbox vs non-parabolic softboxes? Personally, I don't think they're worth the extra size, cost, and strain on your mount. The end results are indistinguishable for 10-20% of the cost.

[@curtisjudd]

The difference, is, indeed, so tiny. This is just a reasonably priced soft box and the previous versions have held up well. So I'm not in it for the parabolic, to be honest.

[@DavidJonesImages]

you are the best!

[@curtisjudd]

🙏

[@DJaysParadise]

thank god they overhauled the carrying bag! that broke left and right on the previous version

[@curtisjudd]

👍

[@ScandinavianCoward]

I will second the other comments here: It would be nice to have a table showing which Aputure fixtures will support the weight of the Light Dome III.

[@curtisjudd]

Aputure has a chart here: www.aputure.com/accessory-wizard/?_sf_s=light%2520dome%2520iii

[@ScandinavianCoward]

@@curtisjudd Great find - thanks!

[@Lucy-dk5cz]

FYI you are setting it up wrong. If you read the instructions there is a specific order to clip it open. I have a disability and even from a wheelchair I can easily open it without using the floor when you do it the correct way.

[@curtisjudd]

Thanks. Where does one find the instructions? Mine didn't seem to come with any and when I watched Aputure's video, they set it up like I showed here.

[@Lucy-dk5cz]

@@curtisjudd Aputure have a video called “How to setup the light dome iii & light dome mini iii” it starts at the 0:08 with step one and ends at step three,

[@curtisjudd]

@@Lucy-dk5cz Thanks Lucy.

[@DanCarr]

I watched the video and they also put it in the floor like Curtis did. What am I missing here?

[@curtisjudd]

@@DanCarr There's another hinge on the other side of the ring that can make it even easier. You latch the side with the bigger hinge first, then it is less effort to get the other hinge.