The immediate sign that you’ve received the fake is the packaging – which is simply produced from a bad scan of the original of the artwork on the original box. You can see that the two example portraits differ dramatically in contrast and brightness compared to the originals.
But when you open the box, the differences become immediately apparent. For a start, the dome itself that goes onto the end of the unit doesn’t even fit and just falls out, and while it is still using a translucent white material, it’s much more opaque than the genuine article, which eats up a lot of light. This is something that Gary specifically avoided and says he carefully formulated the material used in his products to avoid this opacity and make them as clear as possible.
And if the box didn’t give it away already, these aren’t just clones, these are pretending to be the real thing, right down to having Gary’s website printed on the velcro strap which holds the Lightsphere onto your speedlight.
[via PetaPixel]
