Gary fong lighsphere flash diffuser

[cmra8407]

I have opportunity to buy on for 50. Is it worth it? I don't have a shoe mount flash for my 7D yet any recomendations? TIA!

 

[TCampbell]

I tried one for a while and wasn't impressed.

So here's the deal... when you "bounce" the flash off the ceiling (preferably "white" otherwise it puts a color cast on the light) you can get diffuse light... but it all seems to rain down from above. This can create dark shadows in the eye-sockets. Having a diffuser can cause some of the light to kick forward into the eye-sockets so you don't get the raccoon eyes look.

However.... just about any bounce-card could do the same thing... the bounce-card (or just "feathering" the flash by tilting the head mostly upward... but fractionally forward) will cause about 90% of the light to bounce down from above but enough to shine forward from the flash head to fill in the eye sockets.

I gave my Fong lightsphere away... wasn't impressed.

After trying loads of products, my favorite (so far... I resserve the right to change my mind in the future should I find something better) is the Rogue FlashBender (isn't he "large" size.)

A true soft-box would be better still... but to be effective they need to be large. But being "large" also means not being as portable. If you're shooting at event (weddings, etc.) then a large soft box isn't so portable. I do have some small-ish soft-boxes (24" & 30") that I can mount on a mono-pod flash so that if I have help (someone to hold it) I can use it for better off-camera semi-soft lighting. I have used these (which is why I bought them) but I use the Rogue Flashbender for the on-camera flash and then use the soft-box for the off-camera flash ("side-lighter").

 

[benhasajeep]

I almost ordered one. But decided not too and ordered Stofen's at about 1/3 the cost. Nikon flashes now come with a diffusion dome similar to Stofen, with the units. They are not as big or round like the Fong. But diffuse the light quite well.

 

[tecboy]

I met few photographers who like lightsphere and stood by it. They said so far the lightshpere is the best light modifier they ever had. I just don't understand what is so good about it.

 

[Braineack]

I just don't understand what is so good about it.

well it's nice to be able to blind people that are standing behind you...

 

[Designer]

I have opportunity to buy on for 50. Is it worth it?

For only half a dollar, I'd give it a try.

 

[beagle100]

I have opportunity to buy on for 50. Is it worth it?

For only half a dollar, I'd give it a try.

I agree, for only half a dollar ($.50) give it a try, otherwise if you like plastic flash difusers get the ebay knock-off
www.flickr.com/photos/mmirrorless

 

[tecboy]

You can buy tubberware at the grocery store. Cut a rectangle hole at the bottom and slip a hot shoe flash through it. Works just like Gary Fong.

 

[Designer]

I made this flash modifier from a white plastic milk jug.

 

[benhasajeep]

The problem with the Fong Lightsphere is it can be replicated for very little if any money. The milk jug clearly shows that. Also people did use tupperware as a substitute. Now if your a pro and want to have the "look" of being pro, and the money coming in as a pro. Then maybe the Lightsphere would be a good investment.

A wedding party might not like seeing their hopefully well paid photographer going around with a milk jug on his speedlight.

 

[Derrel]

I met few photographers who like lightsphere and stood by it. They said so far the lightshpere is the best light modifier they ever had. I just don't understand what is so good about it.

Where it works GREAT is low-ceilinged rooms...hotel, apartment, aboard large boats and ships, etc.. Indoors in low-ceilinged rooms, or at very close flash-to-subject distances with on-camera flash, there is a horrible rate of light fall-off, where the top of a person's body (their head and face!) can be 2 or 3 or 4 f/stops brighter than their waist! This is due to the Inverse Square Law, and how light falls off in intensity VERY fast over the first part of its journey, but then the rate of dimming of the light slows down after a few feet of travel; then, at long range, the light brightness becomes almost imperceptibly dimmer over many,many feet of travel. The Fong diffuser was originally aimed at the event and wedding photography markets, where many times the camera and flash are very close to the subjects, often in close-confines, where the Inverse Square and light fall-off can be very challenging to deal with.

The Fong diffuser is just ONE light modifying tool of many. It's not for every situation. What it is best at is CLOSE-distance, ON-camera speedlight modification. And, it looks professional to wedding guests, brides, bystanders--not like a piece of taped-on milkjug. If you've ever shot flash photos aboard an enclosed-cabin boat or yacht, with bounced flash, you'll know that they can look horrible. If you've shot straight-up, on-camera bounce flash shots of people dressing in a hotel room before a wedding and used plain, unmodified ceiling bounce flash, you'd know that at the closest ranges, the lighting can be very bad; THESE types of situations are where the Fong diffuser was designed to even-out the light to a large degree.

Profoto used to sell a round front porch light globe modifier. For right at around $600. Six hundred dollars. Profoto Pro Globe and Ring for Profoto Heads 100673 B&H Photo

This omni-directional flash diffuser modifier market has now been taken over by DIY enthusiasts and Made in China manufacturers.

Ever wondered why this type of omni-directional flash diffuser exists? Because it takes a directional light source, and makes it into an omni-directional source of light, that floods the shooting area with light from many,many,many directions simultaneously and creates multiple apparent points of origin foir the light rays, That is what the Fong diffuser's main use is; to reduce strongly directional, steeply-falling-off-in-intensity light and to make it into a softer, broader, more-EVEN source of light. The Fong Lightsphere helps reduce the fall-off of flash lighting at CLOSE shooting distances where the light is VERY strong, then very weak over just a few feet of subject area; it is a fantastic tool for use in tiny rooms, aboard boats, inside of limousines or party busesl when you are standing 3,4,5,6 feet from people and shooting flash shots; when you want to light the group and the surroundings, as evenly as you can when you MUST be close with on-camera flash.

People that talk shi+ about the Fong diffuser without understanding that it is one of MANY tools available annoy me. Spreading ignorance of lighting modifiers is annoying to me. There is a tool for every job, and for every job there is a tool that will make the job easier. AGAIN--in close camera-to-subject situations, or where the flash is VERY close to the subjects, in close-distance work, an omni-directional diffuser (which is what Profoto's globe modifier is!) might be the exact, best tool for the job! Profoto's spherical diffuser. Fong's Lightsphere. What do they share in common?

 

[tecboy]

Actually, it is not really a lightsphere. It is just a plastic cereal bowl.