Which diffuser?

Parago · Mar 28, 2007

Me again.

I'm pondering getting a SB-600 flash unit for my D50. Am I right that I might benefit from a diffuser, since right now I'm doing a lot of portraits, baby- and maternity shots?

I keep putting off the decision to get a faster lens and for some reason I keep telling myself maybe I can get away by buying a flash first to compensate for the speed issue. Now that I read my own words I know it sounds completely weird.

Gosh, somebody please drop $800.- on me, right now.

Anyways. Diffuser - yes or no? Plastic or fabric? Decaf or regular?

EOS_JD · Mar 28, 2007

You can make your own from the bottom of a plastic milk carton! Has a similar effect to the fong lightsphere!!

Yes a faster lens will help a lot although using a 50mm f1.4 means having a very small depth of field when used wide open. Can be good and bad!

RacePhoto · Mar 28, 2007

EOS_JD said:
You can make your own from the bottom of a plastic milk carton! Has a similar effect to the fong lightsphere!!

Yes a faster lens will help a lot although using a 50mm f1.4 means having a very small depth of field when used wide open. Can be good and bad!

Milk carton, side or bottom is a good one. Maybe a corner cut, over the flash... for the dome effect.

For something a little more solid and consistent, look at the cutting boards section of your local store. They have some that roll up. These are heavy duty. Cut a section to size.

File folder covers, if you can find a translucent one at the office supply store.

The color of the diffuser WILL effect the color of the photos, this can work for you or against you. You might try some different materials and use them as ways to adjust color, in camera.

Big Mike · Mar 28, 2007

Moving the flash off the camera will help more than a diffuser. Or, bouncing the flash off of something (wall, ceiling, panel of some type) is much better than shooting directly at the subject.

A lot of the products that are avaliable (Fong Lightsphere, Omnibounce, Lumiquest products) are made to be used when bouncing the flash. They let the flash shoot up to the ceiling but they also direct some of the light forward. This is important because if all the light is coming from the ceiling, it will cause shadows on the face. A simple bounce card can do the same thing.

I recently picked up this

Mike_E · Mar 28, 2007

$800? Be careful you don't get that in pennies. [lump sum and all that!] How soft a light is is determined by the area of the light and diffusers don't do much for you in that regard. They will cut down on your flash out put. If you are going to do people work, go over to strobist.com (you'll still use the flash

). You will be much happier! mike

Parago · Mar 28, 2007

Thanks guys, this helped a lot.

BigMike, do those fit any flash?

Another question. I saw on Strobist (Thanks, Mike) they highly recommend Nikon's older flash units, e.g the SB-24.. now.. I'm confused. Does the SB-24 work with the D50 or is it just for 35mm Cameras?

Which flash can you guys recommend? The SB-600?