Photographer Gary Fong, the creator of the Gary Fong Lightsphere, has published a video that warns about counterfeit Lightsphere products being sold on Amazon. Fong showcases the authentic product alongside the counterfeit product, highlighting differences that will help consumers spot the fake, as well as issues with the counterfeit product’s design.
The Lightsphere is a collapsible flash diffuser that is made from clear material sporting horizontal rings. The counterfeit version sold on Amazon, Fong points out in his video, is made from flimsy material that doesn’t hold its shape. As well, the counterfeit product is made from material dyed white rather than left clear, which impacts the diffuser’s performance.
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| As the video explains, the differences between the real diffusers and counterfeit diffusers are nearly indistinguishable. |
In addition, the dome doesn’t stay fixed in the counterfeit product and instead easily falls out. The entire product, including the package, shows multiple signs of being fake, including poor print quality on the diffuser’s strap, a shiny rather than a matte box, a product insert that has poor print quality and poor image quality on the package’s label.
Fong shows images to prove that not only did Amazon sell this product, but in fact presented it as its ‘choice’ to buyers and shipped it directly from its own warehouse. In order to avoid a fake product, consumers can purchase the Lightsphere directly through Gary Fong’s website, though it should be noted that not all Lightspheres sold by Amazon are fake.
Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)
