Editor’s Note: Tracie Maglosky is a portrait photographer specializing in weddings, maternity & newborn photography. She loves teaching and inspiring other photographers in lighting, posing, business techniques and balanced living. Tracie is an Olympus Visionary, MagMod Ambassador and a part of the Miller’s Speaker Team. Follow Tracie’s work at http://www.traciejeanphoto.com.

If you’re a MagMod fanatic like me, you’ll be more than thrilled that the brand is expanding its popular line of magnetic, modular lighting tools with the unveiling of three new revolutionary products. MagMod returns to Kickstarter today to launch its fourth campaign in under five years.

The MagBox

As a MagMod shooter, I can honestly say this is the product I’m most excited about as a wedding and portrait photographer — a larger light modifier.

Unlike other softboxes available, the new MagBox 24″ Octa opens and closes with ease, no assembly required and attaches effortlessly to the new MagRing using magnets. The MagBox 24″ Octa stays securely magnetized to the MagRing whether you move, tilt, carry or shake it.

The MagBox is the first softbox to feature an integrated gel holder, offering an innovative and such a fantastic solution! The company took the technology behind its popular rigid polycarbonate gels and designed a new gel shape to work with the MagBox. The MagBox features a side zipper allowing photographers to reach inside the softbox and effortlessly swap out colored gels by simply snapping them into place without removing any elements.

The MagBox is available with adapters for Profoto, Bowens, Elinchrom and Paul C. Buff strobes, so you can use your tried and trusted strobes or your speedlights.

The MagBox’s obstruction-free design is engineered to provide most even coverage across the face of the softbox — without the need of an inner baffle to help spread the light. No internal baffle or bounce plate means less light is lost compared to the competition, while still achieving the same or often better results.

The FocusDiffuser

The MagBox features two different types of diffusers. One is a standard fabric-style diffuser, and the other is a brand new and first-of-its-kind called the FocusDiffuser.

MagMod’s FocusDiffuser acts like a diffuser and grid combined plus one state-of-the-art feature built into this diffuser never before seen in the photo industry. The microstructures of the FocusDiffuser redirects light forward causing less spill, while simultaneously increasing the light’s effective output similar to a Fresnel lens.

The MagBox 24″ Octa with the FocusDiffuser attached produces two to three stops more effective light output than a traditional softbox. It offers the softness you’d expect from a traditional 2-foot softbox with the control and precision of a gridded beauty dish without the loss of light we have grown accustomed to when using a grid on softboxes.

The FocusDiffuser attaches cleanly to the outside of the MagBox using small magnets, making the process simple thereby abandoning the old ways of using velcro to attach everything.

The MagRing

Designed to work seamlessly with MagMod’s MagGrip system, the MagRing features several innovations never-before-seen in a dual mount flash bracket.

The mount holds one or two flashes side by side and locks them securely in place. Using the magnets in the MagGrip, flashes attach quickly and silently to the metal plate of the MagRing. For extra security, two doors lock speedlights firmly in place. It has never been quicker or easier to switch a speedlight from being on-camera to off-camera.

With the MagRing holding two flashes, photographers can:

  • Shoot with double the power
  • Reduce flash recycle times for better consistency between shots
  • Accommodate an additional flash for a second shooter on a different channel without needing to use a second light stand

The MagRing also fits two of the very popular Godox AD200 flashes, giving photographers the power of a studio strobe in a portable solution. Or they can even mix a single AD200 flash with a traditional speedlight.

In addition to firmly holding the MagBox 24″ Octa, it also integrates perfectly with modifiers from MagMod’s current lineup: MagGels, MagGrids or even MagSpheres which can all easily be attached to the MagRing.

The MagShoe

The MagShoe modernizes and simplifies the typical cold-shoe design, making the process of mounting flashes easier, faster and more secure.

Operating the MagShoe is simple: Insert a flash and rotate a switch. There’s no need to spend time tightening down a flash’s built-in lock, as the MagShoe’s durable, custom locking mechanism renders those locks completely unnecessary. The MagShoe works perfectly with the new MagRing, but also includes a built-in hole to accommodate modifiers that use an umbrella shaft.

A large, squeezable button allows photographers to adjust the angle of the MagShoe quickly and easily. The sleek design also features universal compatibility, an ergonomic shape, comfort-grip knobs and a soft-touch silicone-like coating.

The MagShoe can be operated with one hand — attach it, lock it and adjust it, without ever putting your camera down.

I can’t wait to get my hands on these new products to put them through the cases but if they are anywhere near as portable, reliable and easy to use as previous MagMod releases they will be staples in my camera bag for all of my on-location shooting!

To reserve your MagBox system, check out MagMod’s Kickstarter. It’s set to release in January 2019.