Gary Fong Lightsphere...

Steve5D · Jan 4, 2014

Anyone using one of these?

I've seen the new collapsible one, and I've read some less then stellar reviews about it. I'm thinking about finding one of the older, non-collapsible ones.

I've used a number of diffusers over the years, including some DIY jobs that I actually might revisit.

Anyway, just wondering what the overall opinion of these are.

Muchos grassyass...

Propsguy · Jan 4, 2014

I had one briefly and wasn't impressed with the results. I had to go with a small (14"X14") softbox on a boom pole to get the results that I had imagined the lightsphere would give me, but unfortunately, the setup with the softbox-on-a-stick (as I call it) requires an assistant. A bounce card on the flash gives 95% of the results of the lightsphere and costs practically nothing if you make it yourself... white cardstock and some self adhesive velcro is all that is required.

vipgraphx · Jan 5, 2014

Interesting that you post this, I was also looking into buying one of his products....He seems to do great things with them and shows you how to use them.

I wish I had some better info but, I am in the same boat as you....

sandraadamson · Jan 5, 2014

I had one for one wedding and returned it, I use a bracket with my speed light which allows me to move my speed light (instead of your camera to vertical position like most) with the lightsphere on top of my speed light on my bracket it became too heavy and my speed light kept wobbling in bot vertical and horizontal positions over my camera. It drove me nuts so I took it back. I now use a wescott softbox for my speed light at 1/2 the price might I add and no wobble and tipping over.

Robin Usagani · Jan 5, 2014

Friends don't let friends buy a Fong Dong.

Dont buy it Steve!

When a Fong dong gives u a good result, that's usually when bouncing the light will give you a good result anyway.

Mach0 · Jan 5, 2014

I use a stofen cap or a large bounce card. Bouncing flash off of walls or ceilings is the best way to do it. The only time I use the cap or card is when there's no where to bounce flash ( i.e- blue walls, 50 ft ceilings etc.)

TCampbell · Jan 5, 2014

I tried one. Here's what I learned.

The top is open... more like a cylinder than a sphere. It comes with a top which I generally did not use (even the instructions only suggest using the top if the ceiling is very low and you want extra scattering of the light.)

There is an advantage to an open top. More on that in a moment.

A normal "diffuser" (I hate that word... these things do almost nothing to broaden the source of the light) will eat a healthy chunk of light... probably a stop though I've never taken out my light meter to check it. But what they DO provide is a way to kick light sideways that would otherwise have gone straight up (more or less). This allows you to feather some light into the eye sockets or other areas that would be in shadow if the light were simply bouncing down from above. Of course... you can do the same thing with a bounce card.

Since the Gary Fong diffuser is open at the top, it lets you "bounce" without eating the stop of light (again... that's my guess as to how much they eat) that other diffusers eat. But the shape of the sides of the cylinder catch some light and kick it sideways -- creating a good bounce and feathering tool. No light is lost going up through the top since that's wide open.

If you really want soft light... a shoot through umbrella or collapsible soft-box (like a Lastolite EZBox) is going to create a MUCH broader source of light -- but even in the portable sizes these things are bulky. If you shoot with an assistant to carry the gear and hold the sidelight then that'd be my preference. If you shoot solo then it's going to slow you down.

Today I pretty much slide up the bounce card to kick light forward and don't bother with the Fong.

BTW, It comes in a one-size fits all with grippy silicone fins to hold it on the head of the flash. I found it fit nicely on my Canon 430EX II. It was a very tight fit to get it on my Canon 580EX II. I have not even bothered to TRY to fit it on my 600EX-RT units.

ShootRaw · Jan 5, 2014

Nice review^^Im sure the newer collapsible is better then the old one..That said, I was interested more in the collapsible snoot..Anyone try one of those?

PeK77 · Jan 5, 2014

Here's the infamous lithosphere vs tupperweare page

https://improvephotography.com/2545/gary-fong-lightsphere-collapsible-review/

Derrel · Jan 5, 2014

Over the decades that I've shot bounced flash, there is one type of scenario where I think the Gary Fong diffuser's characteristics would actually be very valuable: in really small, confined spaces with low ceilings. I am thinking ofd two places: aboard boats, and in apartments. In boats, the issue is that the ceilings in the wheelhouse or on bigger cruisers, in the salon or gallery areas, wherever, is sooooo low and close to people's faces that with bounce flash, even with the slide-in 14mm panel, that due to the inverse square law, the fall off is around 4 f/stops from the face to the belt buckle. Having the wide-scattering effect in LOW-ceilinged rooms and cabins like that would be like I said, the one area where I think the Fong type system's side-scattering would be of benefit.

Robin Usagani · Jan 5, 2014

Derrel said:
Over the decades that I've shot bounced flash, there is one type of scenario where I think the Gary Fong diffuser's characteristics would actually be very valuable: in really small, confined spaces with low ceilings. I am thinking ofd two places: aboard boats, and in apartments. In boats, the issue is that the ceilings in the wheelhouse or on bigger cruisers, in the salon or gallery areas, wherever, is sooooo low and close to people's faces that with bounce flash, even with the slide-in 14mm panel, that due to the inverse square law, the fall off is around 4 f/stops from the face to the belt buckle. Having the wide-scattering effect in LOW-ceilinged rooms and cabins like that would be like I said, the one area where I think the Fong type system's side-scattering would be of benefit.

You brought up a good point Derrel.

I agree with with what derrel said.

That is like only one scenario though. It is not worth it IMO. Plus other photographers will make fun of you

.

tecboy · Jan 5, 2014

Here are Gary Fong's reviews. I still don't understand his points!

pgriz · Jan 5, 2014

I've used the Lightsphere (mine has a flexible transparent body and opaque white lid), and it is useful in certain situations, as Derrel has already noted. Since I'm shooting family shots (not exactly snapshots, but certainly not portrait-style) indoors, I need something I can move around with. In a smallish room, the light spread actually works quite well. I usually try a bounce flash to see what the quality of the resulting light looks like, and then with the Lightsphere. The one that gets better results (in that specific situation) is the one I go with. In larger rooms, or with higher ceilings, it wastes a lot of light. I have the flash on a bracket, so the flash head is usually 8-12 inches above the lens axis. With the Lightsphere attached, it becomes a rather tall structure. However, the results are generally good - no racoon eyes, no red-eye, nice catchlights, decent spread of light, and relatively soft shadows.