An imaging system having a forward and rearward orientation and comprising: (a) one or more parabolic reflectors having a base, a focus, and a reflector axis, said one or more parabolic reflectors defining a central reflector axis; (b) at least one a light source disposed near or essentially at said focus of each of said one or more parabolic reflectors forward of its base; and (c) an imaging device disposed within said one or more parabolic reflectors, and comprising a zooming lens having an optical axis essentially coincident with said central reflector axis.

A softbox for use with a light source has structures to collapse the softbox. These structures include a ring-support assembly. The ring support assembly includes a support ring and a light ring, both of which couple to frame arm assembly. The frame arm assembly supports the material of the softbox. When the support ring and light ring are separated, the frame collapses. The structures of the light box may be entirely disposed outside of the direct path of the light source to the target, facilitating, in part, the softbox being integrated with other light manipulating devices proximal to the light source.

An illumination apparatus includes: a light-guiding portion including a light-introducing opening through which light is introduced from a light-emitting portion of an image pickup apparatus, a reflective surface that reflects light introduced from the light-introducing opening toward an image pickup optical axis of the image pickup apparatus, and a diffusion portion that diffuses the light reflected by the reflective surface toward an object as diffused light; and a reflective body including an opening portion allowing an image pickup opening of the image pickup apparatus to be exposed, and a reflective portion provided around the opening portion and including a reflective surface formed to expand from the opening portion toward the object, wherein the diffusion portion is disposed at a part of the reflective portion and the reflective body includes a wall portion extending to the object side at a boundary between the opening portion and the diffusion portion.

An imaging system comprising a parabolic reflector having a base and defining a first axis, a light source disposed proximate the base essentially along the first axis, an imaging device comprising a zooming lens having a second axis, the imaging device being disposed in front of the light source along the first axis such that the second axis and the first axis are essentially coincident.

An imaging system having a forward and rearward orientation and comprising: (a) one or more parabolic reflectors having a base, a focus, and a reflector axis, said one or more parabolic reflectors defining a central reflector axis; (b) at least one a light source disposed near or essentially at said focus of each of said one or more parabolic reflectors forward of its base; and (c) an imaging device disposed within said one or more parabolic reflectors, and comprising a zooming lens having an optical axis essentially coincident with said central reflector axis.

A softbox speedring is provided to reduce the manufacturing costs through a simple structure, to be simply repaired, and allow the rapid folding and spreading of a pole shaft. A softbox speedring having a fitting assembly structure includes a speedring body including a central hole formed at a center of the speedring body, a plurality of adaptor inserting holes formed along an outer circumferential surface of the speedring body, and rotational shaft seating grooves formed in first perpendicular surface and second perpendicular surface of each adaptor inserting hole, and an adaptor including a head part including rotational shafts protruding from opposite perpendicular surfaces of the head part to be fitted into and assembled with the rotational shaft seating grooves, and a body part provided at a lower portion of the head part and including a pole inserting part formed in a lower end of the body part.

A softbox speedring is provided to reduce the manufacturing costs through a simple structure, to be simply repaired, and allow the rapid folding and spreading of a pole shaft. A softbox speedring having a fitting assembly structure includes a speedring body including a central hole formed at a center of the speedring body, a plurality of adaptor inserting holes formed along an outer circumferential surface of the speedring body, and rotational shaft seating grooves formed in first perpendicular surface and second perpendicular surface of each adaptor inserting hole, and an adaptor including a head part including rotational shafts protruding from opposite perpendicular surfaces of the head part to be fitted into and assembled with the rotational shaft seating grooves, and a body part provided at a lower portion of the head part and including a pole inserting part formed in a lower end of the body part.

A softbox for use with a light source has structures to collapse the softbox. These structures include a ring-support assembly. The ring support assembly includes a support ring and a light ring, both of which couple to frame arm assembly. The frame arm assembly supports the material of the softbox. When the support ring and light ring are separated, the frame collapses. The structures of the light box may be entirely disposed outside of the direct path of the light source to the target, facilitating, in part, the softbox being integrated with other light manipulating devices proximal to the light source.

An imaging system having a forward and rearward orientation and comprising: (a) one or more parabolic reflectors having a base, a focus, and a reflector axis, said one or more parabolic reflectors defining a central reflector axis; (b) at least one a light source disposed near or essentially at said focus of each of said one or more parabolic reflectors forward of its base; and (c) an imaging device disposed within said one or more parabolic reflectors, and comprising a zooming lens having an optical axis essentially coincident with said central reflector axis.

A softbox for use with a light source has structures to collapse the softbox. These structures include a ring-support assembly. The ring support assembly includes a support ring and a light ring, both of which couple to frame arm assembly. The frame arm assembly supports the material of the softbox. When the support ring and light ring are separated, the frame collapses. The structures of the light box may be entirely disposed outside of the direct path of the light source to the target, facilitating, in part, the softbox being integrated with other light manipulating devices proximal to the light source.