Flash Diffuser.

[Mystwalker]

I've used the Gary Fong dome thingy and did not find it very "useful" for me - it seemed very useful to "refresh" (drain) my batteries though

Today I use Lumiquest 80-20 (URL below). I mostly shoot indoor and this does the job for me.
Amazon.com: LumiQuest Pro Max 80-20 Bounce Flash Device: Electronics

Another problem I had with GF's dome is the size - even if I were to use Slingshot 300, that thing is HUGE! Using a Domke F803, only way to transport was to clip it to outside.

 

[Overread]

Ok, because Amazon has one posting for a softbox II, and I havent seen this anywhere else.

Mark

lumiquest website
LumiQuest® Photographic Accessories | Softbox II

"It is designed exclusively for use on bare bulb flashes such as Lumedyne, Quantum Q Flashes and Sunpak 120J."

So nope not the one you want at all

oh and there is a video on that link which talks about the softboxes in general - worth watching

 

[Markw]

I did watch it. It was very informing and the softbox III is much bigger than I expected. I will be getting the original softbox, I suppose. The softbox II isnt on the video either, thats why it was puzzling me.

Thanks again!
Mark

 

[Derrel]

The plain Lumiquest "softbox" is designed for shoe mount flashes, while the model II is for bare-bulb flashes like the Q-Flash and the Sunpak 120J. I have had a mini-softbox like this for a number of years; great for macro subjects,and nice at up to 5 or 6 feet, but beyond that, the softbox is simply too small to make it function the way people think of a softbox.

A softbox puts out soft light only if the light source is large in relation to the subject,and with a small box, that means the box must be CLOSE to the subject to get soft light. At 20 feet, the light from this softbox will be lower in output, but will be virtually every bit as hard-edged as direct flash. This is an immutable law of the behavior of light; Big Mike keeps pointing this principle out in every thread about flash diffusers, but largely to no avail.

My favorite softbox is 36x48 inches or 1,728 square inches. the Lumiquest if it is the 5x7 model is 35 square inches, or roughly 49.4 times SMALLER. The area of a SB 600 flash tube is apprx. 3.5 square inches. if you make the area the light is diffused about 1,000 to 1,750 times larger than a standard studo flash tube, or a speedlight flash panel, the light will be relatively soft out to about 15-20 feet. With a tiny 5x7 softbox, well...

The advertised biker on the motorcycle....he's about 6 feet from the camera.

 

[Markw]

Thats exactly what I would be using the softbox for. It would be mainly used with my Nikkor 50mm 1.8 for people shots inside. Anything over that range, I will use bounced flash from the SB-600, and/or get the Gfong and/or Stofen diffuser.

Thanks
Mark

 

[musicaleCA]

If you're over that range, the Stofen and Gary Fong would hinder, not help you.