Flash diffuser???

[Photog38]

I am thinking of buying the Canon 430 EX II flash for my camera. So many of the people that I have seen using a flash have some kind of diffuser attached to the end of their flash. I am assuming that a diffuser is a worthwhile investment. Would something like this work for general purpose shooting:
[ame="http://www.amazon.com/Sto-Fen-OMEW-Omni-Bounce-Diffuser/dp/B000CLNHXY/ref=pd_bxgy_e_img_b"]http://www.amazon.com/Sto-Fen-OMEW-Omni-Bounce-Diffuser/dp/B000CLNHXY/ref=pd_bxgy_e_img_b[/ame]

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[Joe&Caroline]

well i am very new to photography but I use a gary fong for my indoor shooting it is a bit big and obnoctious but i like the way it bounces light off the celing

http://garyfonginc.com/index.html

FLASHDIFFUSER.COM​

 

[Jaszek]

I have the same diffuser on my 430EX and it works great. I was hesitant when buying it thinking $17 for a piece of plastic but it came out to be a good investment.

 

[Dick Sanders]

I'm convinced bouncing light off the ceiling will get you in trouble sooner or later. Sometimes you have a high ceiling, sometimes you have a dark or colored ceiling. You can't control ceilings.

A better way to go, IMO, is to use a self-contained unit that both bounces and diffuses. You can get that in the Lumiquest Ultra Soft. That's the model I like, but check out the whole line.

LumiQuest® Photographic Accessories | Ultrasoft

The Pocket Bouncer from Lumiquest is also good, and has less light loss. What's more, you can add a thin piece of plastic diffusion material to get the same effect as UltraSoft, when needed.

http://lumiquest.com/products/pocket-bouncer.htm

 

[table1349]

While I agree with Dick Sanders suggestion of Lumiquest I disagree with the suggested items unless you are looking for a single function product. I would suggest instead the 80/20 Pro Max kit. LumiQuest® Photographic Accessories | Promax System

It gives you the same ability as the Ultra soft, the ability to use ceiling bounce, various full bounce inserts including one that provides the same effect as the pocket bounce kit. It is the price of a Fong, but about the most versatile product they make.

 

[Dick Sanders]

I would suggest instead the 80/20 Pro Max kit... about the most versatile product they make.

Yeah, this is a good call! The ones I recommended suit my applications.

 

[table1349]

Yeah, this is a good call! The ones I recommended suit my applications.

Thanks, I also cook, love Alton Brown's show and subscribe to his philosophy of not buying uni-taskers. I have stretched that to photography whenever possible.

 

[Dick Sanders]

So when are we coming over for dinner? And what's the specialty dish?

 

[tsaraleksi]

I'm very much of the opinion that you ought not buy accessory stuff until you've got a firm handle on how to use just the basic unit. Unless you've got a pressing need to have everything shipped at once, I'd suggest just buying the flash for now, then add a diffuser if you find that you need one.

 

[Dick Sanders]

...you ought not buy accessory stuff until you've got a firm handle on how to use just the basic unit... I'd suggest just buying the flash for now, then add a diffuser if you find that you need one.

This is not a bad idea. But you'll likely need some diffusion. A "no-cost" solution is to simply tape a small piece of plastic diffusion material in front of the flashhead and shoot direct. I'm talking about the kind of material you get in a white translucent grocery or drugstore bag. I use this method myself, when I don't want to put on the larger Lumiquest unit. And it's easy to put on and take off. Zero cost is a big plus, too.

 

[GeneralBenson]

This is not a bad idea. But you'll likely need some diffusion. A "no-cost" solution is to simply tape a small piece of plastic diffusion material in front of the flashhead and shoot direct. I'm talking about the kind of material you get in a white translucent grocery or drugstore bag. I use this method myself, when I don't want to put on the larger Lumiquest unit. And it's easy to put on and take off. Zero cost is a big plus, too.

Trying to diffuse a 1" x 2" light source without making it bigger is effectively going to do nothing. The only reason pocket bounces make light better is because it makes it a bit larger an further from the camera axis. The only reason omni-bounces and 80/20s make light better is they use the whole room as soft fill. Light gets softer as it getter apparently bigger. Diffusion is only part of the picture, and doesn't really come into play until you're dealing with a bigger source of light. Soft light has to have large apparent size and diffusion; remove either part and it won't be soft. Anyways, as far a on-camera flash head diffusers go, the only things that make a difference are making it appear bigger and moving it further from the axis.

 

[Dick Sanders]

Trying to diffuse a 1" x 2" light source without making it bigger is effectively going to do nothing.

While I agree with you fundamentally here, saying it will do nothing is not accurate. Granted, it's the least effective thing you can do, but it's still better than nothing. I've tested this, compared the prints, and the flash is a little less harsh with a piece of diffusion plastic over the head. But sure, the other methods will be much better.

 

[Photog38]

So what exactly is the difference between something like this
[ame="http://www.amazon.com/Sto-Fen-OMEW-Omni-Bounce-Diffuser/dp/B000CLNHXY/ref=pd_bxgy_e_img_b"]http://www.amazon.com/Sto-Fen-OMEW-Omni-Bounce-Diffuser/dp/B000CLNHXY/ref=pd_bxgy_e_img_b[/ame]
and something like this
LumiQuest | ProMax 80-20 System - Six Piece Flash Light | LQ-105

I understand that one diffuses the light and the other reflects the light, but how is one better than the other (or is it one of those cases when it depends on what you are doing?). I have seen pictures that compare flashes with and without some kind of diffusion device and I can see that it is much better with than without.

So for about $50, what does the LumiQuest have over the Sto-Fen?

 

[Dick Sanders]

The Stofen diffuses the light slightly before bouncing it off the ceiling. But it requires that you have a low white ceiling for best results. If you have a high ceiling or a colored ceiling you'll run into problems. Although you could aim it directly at the subject, but then the light will not be enlarged, and enlarged light is softer and better, as General Benson correctly points out.

The Lumiquest 80/20 is a 5 piece kit that does several things. One piece enlarges the light and has holes in it to bounce some light off the ceiling while also reflecting some light toward the subject. 3 other pieces enlarge the light and reflect it toward the subject in a self contained unit that does not rely on the ceiling -- one is plain white; one is silver for hotter highlights; one is gold for a warmer look. The final piece first enlarges and reflects the light, then diffuses it for the softest look. But the thing to note is that, in this kit, only the piece with the holes in it relies on the ceiling (and then not entirely).

Gryphon recommended the 80/20 because it gives you lots of choices. But if you don't need all those choices, a better product than the Stofen, IMO, is the Lumiquest Pocket Bouncer at about $25 (see link below). It'll improve the light considerably without relying on the ceiling. I have this product and it works well.

CAUTIONARY NOTE: A friend of mine took a bunch of photos at a 40th birthday party and the facility had a high ceiling. All of his pictures were horribly dark.

LumiQuest® Photographic Accessories | Pocket Bouncer

 

[Dick Sanders]

You've probably seen a lot of people using the Stofen device, or one like it, and would like to get one because they're not expensive and not obtrusive. The Lumiquest is much larger.

Why not get both. Then, you'll be covered for most situations, and can even tape a piece of diffusion material to the front of the Pocket Bouncer to get a really soft effect (bounce and diffusion).

Both devices will set you back just over $40 -- pretty reasonable in the big picture.