Hey guys! It feels like forever since I last posted but now I'm back with a series of reviews to fill you in. My husband and I just got back from Hong Kong several days ago and I'm beyond excited to share with you what went on during our trip also what stuff I brought home with me.
As a blogger, I always try my best to post clear photos. Thankfully, smartphones nowadays are equipped with cameras capable of producing blog-worthy shots so not having a DSLR or a high end point and shoot camera isn't a problem. The lack of good lighting and enough space to work with are the real issues I've been dealing with since I started blogging. Although I'm used to working my way around these obstacles, I've always hoped for a better solution than flash photography, major editing and worse, taking pictures outdoors which by the way is a lot of work. Then one fine day, just like an answered prayer I came across an Instagram post of what seems like a light box called Foldio.
Foldio is created by orangemonkey and backed by kickstarter, a benefit corporation that helps bring creative projects to life. Foldio, as the name implies, is a folding studio that has raised the level of possibilities in smartphone photography since its debut in 2013. Apparently, they came up with Foldio 2 which is bigger and brighter than the original Foldio. Going through the videos on how to use the Foldio 2, I was immediately sold. After reading several reviews, I finally took the plunge and had my ever supportive husband preorder the Foldio 2.
The Foldio 2 comes in a white box the size of an 18-inch Yellow Cab Pizza box. It's made of a thin, flexible plastic sheet which you should handle carefully because over bending it can cause damage. This tool is further protected by a white cloth bag which also houses a set of backdrops in four different colors, white, gray, black and green.
In a separate compartment inside the box, you will see several other items like the LED light strips and an AC adapter with a Y-cable and four interchangeable plugs.
To set up the Foldio 2, first thing you need to do is to attach the LED light strips on the top front of the Foldio 2 body. Each strip has a dial on one end which you can use to control brightness and a connector on the other end used to attach the Y-cable to the adapter.
Next step is to assemble the Foldio 2 by snapping the edges together. I'm really impressed by how the magnets steadily hold the box in good shape. Then choose your preferred backdrop color and attach it on the rear end of the roof using a magnetic holder. Attach the cable wire on the LED light strips, choose the appropriate plug, connect to an outlet and you're good to go!
Now the true test of functionality is to see the quality of photos you can come up with the Foldio 2. I played around with the brightness as well as the different backdrops and here's how it went.
Top photo is obviously over exposed with both LED light strips on full blast. Middle photo shows a dimmer and shadowy image with just one LED light strip on. The last photo I took was with both LED brightness level adjusted. My only regret is I didn't know about the Foldio Application earlier so these shots were taken with just my smartphone camera. I will however, make a separate review on how the Foldio App fares really soon.
Overall, I love everything about the Foldio 2. I find it really useful and I'm so impressed by the way it sets up easily and folds up for storage in just a snap. I'm also psyched that it allows you to take excellent, studio-quality pictures with just a smartphone using a really simple setup. The downside includes availability and price. You can only get the Foldio 2 online from Orangemonkey for $75 excluding shipping fee. It may look too pricey but believe me when I say it's definitely worth the splurge.
Any thoughts? Do share yours on the comments section below. Thank you for taking the time to read my post and have a great weekend!
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