Fong Lightsphere anyone?

Imgfascination

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I have been looking into the lightsphere. I love the images I have seen with the use of this.

Does anyone have any personal experiences with this??

TIA!
 
It works just as good as an 8 1/2 x 11 inch peice of paper scotch taped to the top of your speedlight.
 
ok... so am I right to assume that you don't like it? Are you recommending a speedlite?
 
do you have an external flash?

If not, get one before getting the lightsphere :D
 
ok... so am I right to assume that you don't like it? Are you recommending a speedlite?

Quite on the contrary. If you read between the lines on his comment you'll get an "it's good, but why spend $50 on an effect which could be satisfied for $1.50"

If you want to look professional put the paper on the flash with a trapezoidal shape, slightly rounded corners and mount it with velcro rather than some tape. It's important to realise that the effect of the light sphere and the gazillion other products out there are just basic physics. Make the light source bigger, radiate around, and bounce light off the roof. So in this case a oversized paper flash card gives you far more bang / buck. http://farm1.static.flickr.com/215/483807189_65bdc080d7.jpg used the above trick at a wedding. This was my first attempt at a flash card. It has since been refined but I have no example pictures in my gallery.

It's more customizable too. Want an even softer light? Rotate the flash 180 degrees which means more light goes up as you take a power hit firing through paper as opposed to reflecting off paper. Can't do that with the lightsphere ;)
 
Are you recommending a speedlite?
Well, you would feel pretty silly if you had a Lightsphere without a Speedlight or similar hot-shoe flash.

I think that the lightsphere is much too expensive.

It can help to create nice soft lighting in the right circumstance, but in many scenarios, it just wastes light by firing it in all directions. The 'Fong Dong' as I call it, basically spreads the light all around...and if there are walls and a ceiling for that light to bounce off of, then you can get nice soft light.

As mentioned, if you point a flash (without the LS) at the ceiling you can get the same bounced (soft) light. If you add something like a bounce card, to deflect some of the light forward to fill in shadows...you can get similar results, and probably use much less light & power (which means faster recycle times and longer lasting batteries).
 
Yes I do have a cheap external flash... Bower SFD35C. I am sorry, I didn't give enough info. I really need to upgrade to the Speedlite.

Thanks for the replies :)
 
Well here's a differing opinion. I have a lightsphere and I love it. I have tried all kinds of diffusers home made and not and while its not perfect for every situation its incrediblely versatile at a wedding. So I personal reccommend them, even have two photographer friends who have purchased them and love them also. I would suggest finding someone with one (camera/photography club) and shoot some shots and see what you think. Although your flash may be your biggest liability at this stage.
 
Despite my dislike of them...I also know several photographers who use and love them.
 
I want to try this here . Looks good and is very inexpensive for the end results. Watch all the vids he is pretty interesting. Hope this helps
 
have one which i use with my sb600. i rarely use it, but thats cause i am not a flash person and i rarely use the 600 either. in low light i opt for my 50mm 1.8 before using flash
 
If you get a lightsphere, let me know how it works. I made a bounce card, with the black felt on back, and white felt on front...cross-stitch board in the middle, velcro attachments to morph it, and the whole deal. It works pretty amazingly..however, if I were to shoot indoor portraits of some type (wedding, event photog, etc) I wouldn't hook it up. Simply because you can tell it's homemade.

I was debating this about a week ago, and am still considering a lightsphere...so let me know what you find!
 

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