Aputure Light Dome III Review
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Our editorial take on the Aputure Light Dome III
Aputure continues its thoughtful refinement of the Light Dome series with the new Light Dome III and its smaller sibling, the Light Dome Mini III. This update is not about reinventing the wheel but rather perfecting the vehicle. The primary, and most celebrated, upgrade is the new quick-deploy locking mechanism. This addresses a significant, long-standing user complaint about the sometimes cumbersome setup of previous models. The ability to snap the softbox into shape and break it down in seconds is a massive quality-of-life improvement for any creator working on a tight schedule or with a small crew.
The core function, which is creating beautiful, soft light, remains as excellent as ever. While the character of the light itself may not be a radical departure from the Light Dome II, the enhanced usability makes achieving that look far more efficient. It is a workhorse modifier that has been finely tuned for the demands of fast-paced professional photo, film, and video sets. By focusing on build quality and deployment speed, Aputure has solidified the Light Dome's position as a go-to choice for creators who need reliable, high-quality results without the fuss.
- Vastly improved quick-deploy mechanism for fast setup and teardown
- Excellent, pleasing soft light quality for professional results
- Durable build quality expected from the brand
- Available in multiple sizes for different use cases
- Compact travel footprint when collapsed
- Light quality is an incremental improvement, not a revolutionary change from previous versions
- Higher price point than many third-party budget alternatives
Synthesized by Geared editors from early expert reviews.
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Aputure has announced an updated $219 Light Dome III and $129 Light Dome Mini III quick deploy softboxes that include what the company calls much improved locking mechanisms compared to their predecessors. The update to the company’s affordable line of light modifiers is designed for photo, film, and video professionals to create large soft light with soft boxes that have a smaller footprint on set.
This looks like a forum thread discussing alternatives for the Aputure Light Dome III, rather than a review of the product itself. Therefore, I cannot provide a summary of a reviewer's verdict about the Aputure Light Dome III.
Aputure really tries to improve and expand their line of Light Storm fixtures and accessories.
The Aputure Light Dome and Light Dome Mini are such a good value, plus they perform well, and with every update, they get even better. The new design looks great. I can’t wait to get my hands on them, especially the Light Dome III, as that has been my go-to size for shooting talent. It creates a very pleasing soft light and is easy to set up. Now it looks to be even better!
LED lighting has made tremendous inroads for all manner of productions, and it is no longer limited to just soft light. High-end LED fixtures that are comparable to 4-foot-long fluorescent tubes are almost all some variation of RGB or RGBAW, this provides for greater color control.
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About this product
The Aputure Light Dome III is a 35.1-inch softbox designed to provide soft, diffused light. It is no longer available for purchase.
Specs
- Size
- 35.1"
- Depth
- 24.4" (61.98cm)
- Mount
- Bowens
- Shape
- Hexadecagon (16-sides)
- Setup Type
- Quick Release Setup
- Included Grid
- 40° Fabric Grid
- Modifier Type
- Parabolic Softbox
- Included Diffusion
- double
- Compatibility
- Light Storm LS Cob120 or any fixture that accepts a Bowens speedring
- Front Diffuser Diameter
- 34.8" (88.39cm)
- Inner Diffuser Diameter
- 9.25" (23.50cm)
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