Lastolite KickerLite first impressions

The KickerLite is a new product from Lastolite. It's an angled softbox that sits on the floor with its own bracket for mounting a strobe or speedlite, removing the need for a separate lightstand, and typically used for fill:

http://www.lastolite.c​om/kickerlite.php

Like the Lastolite HiLites, there's no speedring type of attachment. It looks like a 3'x4' collapsible softbox in the HiLite style, but it only expands on one end. The H-frame holds it open on that end and provides a strobe attachment on the horizontal bar that can be adjusted forward and back. There's a zippered back strip that attaches with velcro, allowing you to close the back around the light, again similar to the HiLites. It comes with a reflector that's silver on one side and gold on the other that you can place inside the KickerLite on the floor. You aim the strobe downwards towards the reflector.

I wanted this for a fill light for full length shots and for clamshell lighting for portraits. I recently experimented with the latter. It seemed to do the job, but I have to say I wasn't quite as impressed with this as I have been with other Lastolite products (and I have several).

First, no complaints about the softbox itself or the reflector. I thought the assembly instructions were terrible. My H-frame was slightly defective, missing a bolt and slightly bent. Instead of sending it back, I decided to try to fix it myself. I sent Lastolite a message about this and never received a response. The instructions show how to shove the reflector inside the unit but nothing about how to position it (and it's possible to position it in a number of different ways). I guess you're expected to experiment with this. When you move the KickerLite, the reflector can slide around inside the unit and might need to be readjusted. The piece you attach to the back to close the opening and zipper around the light does not fasten all around the opening with velcro. There are two little tabs on the top and on the bottom. It's kind of a loose fit, and as you zipper it around the light, you might create small openings for light to escape. This just seems like poor design to me. I think it should be one solid piece in back, like the HiLites.

I mounted an Elinchrom Dlite-4 to the H-frame, and it handled that just fine. I'll have to try the 600RX at some point, but I think the additional weight might be a problem. It just felt like it might be too flimsy to support a heavier strobe, but I could be wrong.

When you're done, it all folds up nicely like other Lastolite products and slides into a carrying pouch that's a bit large to accommodate the vertical posts of the H-frame.

I was pleased with the results when I used it as the "under" light for portrait clamshell lighting. It provided a nice, soft even fill light. My wife agreed to be my guinea pig model for this shot. I used a Rotolux Deep Throat as the "over" light and KickerLite as the under. I used two gridded 24"x24" softboxes behind her at 45 degrees on either side as hair lights.

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Very nice! Did you use the silver or gold insert for this picture? What power ratio between the Kickerlite and the Deep Octa did you use?

I used the silver insert inside the KickerLite to match the silver panels in the Deep Throat. I metered the over light to f5.6. Then I turned on the KickerLite and brought the overall lighting to f8.0 at 1/125 and ISO 100.

Hmmm. Interesting review and a bit disappointing.

In terms of the lighting it looks like your proportion of over to under is off. There seems to be more light coming from underneath and that catch light would also indicate the same thing. I would have preferred to see either equal amounts of light or having it favoring the overhead light. Even though I do like some clamshell lighting, for my taste I find this a bit flat especially when photographing a lovely lady .

Regarding the actual kickerlite, I think it's a great idea but it sounds like Lastolite is not thinking these products out fully and dropping the ball when it comes to design and engineering.

Why not use a simple reflector for the bottom light (unless you want more light from the bottom)? Something like the trigrip so you can attach to the same light stand as your main light coming from above.

sdipirro wrote in post #7856287
... but I have to say I wasn't quite as impressed with this as I have been with other Lastolite products (and I have several).

Thanks for the detailed review. All things considered, this device seems like a solution in search of a problem. I suppose if you use clamshell lighting extensively it might earn its keep but otherwise it's really a specialized application luxury item. A small reflector on a short stand or reflective material spread on the floor with a light bounced into it (a la Joe McNally) might not be any more inconvenient to set up than the Kickerlite and either of those solutions might provide the same or similar effect.

So, will you be keeping your Kickerlite?

tetrode wrote in post #7857030
Thanks for the detailed review. All things considered, this device seems like a solution in search of a problem. I suppose if you use clamshell lighting extensively it might earn its keep but otherwise it's really a specialized application luxury item. A small reflector on a short stand or reflective material spread on the floor with a light bounced into it (a la Joe McNally) might not be any more inconvenient to set up than the Kickerlite and either of those solutions might provide the same or similar effect.

I agree. A nice larger silver reflector picking up the main light or having another light bounce into the reflector would give you better results with more control.

Too bad....but at least this'll save me money.
I think it's a great idea, but unless it's executed properly, it's just not worth it. (especially if it can't even support a 600RX or equivalent)

Either way, thanks for the writeup!

It seemed like a convenient way to do clamshell lighting, but I think it might be better suited as a fill light for full length shots. I just haven't experimented with that yet. I agree that a reflector can often work just as well as the "under" for fill. I'm not sure why the lighting seems a bit off...but I agree that it appears that too much light is coming from "under" in this case. I was trying for a 2 to 1 ratio, over to under, and I did meter for that. So I'm not sure what happened. I actually had the Dlite-4 set to its lowest possible setting.