Best speedlight modifier

[osustamm]

I'm looking for a few options of great speed light modifiers. I was thinking of a soft box type but am willing to look at anything. I've currently got a Nikon SB-600 but want the modifier to work on others (sb-700 & sb-900). What do you guys use that you love or what is on your wish list?

 

[Trever1t]

At the recommendation of a member here I bought this unit and I must say, just playing around with it that it delivers as promised though I haven't put it to a real hard test as yet.

Amazon.com: Lumiquest LQ-122 Quik Bounce 122: Electronics

 

[Big Mike]

There is no 'best'....unless you are always shooting in the exact same situation.

The problem with a hot-shoe flash is that it's usually coming from the direction of the camera and it's a very small light source (hard light). The easiest way to counteract that, is to bounce the flash (off the ceiling, for example). This changes the direction and gives you a bigger light source (softer light). But the problem with that, is that light from above can cause unflattering shadows (raccoon eyes etc).
So for that reason, most flash accessories are made to be used in conjunction with bouncing the flash. They allow some light to bounce, but also send some light forward to fill the shadows. Of course, if there isn't a suitable bounce surface, then most of these accessories don't do anything, except to waste a bunch of light, which causes the flash to work harder than needed and use up the batteries faster.

Something light a softbox, isn't meant for bouncing the light, it just increases the size of the light source, which makes the light softer. This is especially great when you are using the flash off-camera (when you're not bouncing). But they can be unwieldy to use and suck up some of your light.

So to sum up, there are plenty of good flash accessories out there...but the key is to understand that while they work great in some situations, they aren't so good in others...and there is no single accessory that will be best for all the situations that you'll find yourself in.

The best accessory for a flash, is a good understanding of how the flash works, how exposure works and the properties of light & reflectivity.

 

[table1349]

The best modifier is the one that provides the light the way you want it to accomplish the shot.

This is the most complete kit I have seen: 7in1 Flash Gun Accessories Kit F Nikon SB600/SB800 Nissan Di466
This is a good one from Lumiquest: LumiQuest® Photographic Accessories | Promax System

Nice little article: LumiQuest® Photographic Accessories | How Light Modifiers Work

 

[Mike_E]

Wireless trigger with an umbrella and a stand.




(Yes, I do know about CLS )

 

[table1349]

Wireless trigger with an umbrella and a stand.




(Yes, I do know about CLS )

Would that be the Christian Legal Society, the CLS multi-currency cash settlement system or the Critical Language Scholarship (CLS) institute?

 

[Kerbouchard]

A wall, ceiling, or preferably a combination of both.

 

[Dao]

Agree with others that there is no best modifier. It all depends on what effect you are looking for. In some situation, a bare flash maybe even a better choice.

 

[Mike_E]

Wireless trigger with an umbrella and a stand.




(Yes, I do know about CLS )

Would that be the Christian Legal Society, the CLS multi-currency cash settlement system or the Critical Language Scholarship (CLS) institute?

Creative Liars Society.

 

[cgipson1]

I carry a couple light modifiers in my bag. I often shoot people where there is nothing to bounce light off of, so I use a Flip It on my SB-900 often... Demb Flash Products - Flip-it! the variable-angle flash reflector . I also have a couple of the cheap Fotodiox on-flash softboxes that I use (primarily for macro shooting) Amazon.com: Fotodiox 6"x8" Softbox for Nikon Flash, Canon Speedlight, for Nikon SB-600, SB-800, SB-900 Flash, Canon Speedlite 380EX, 430EX, 430EX II, 550EX, 580EX, 580EX II, Vivita Flash, Sunpack, Nissin,Sigma, Sony, Pentax, Olympus, Panasonica Lumix. These all fit in my bag, are very portable and do a good job. Everybody has their favorite toys.. so you need to play around with different ones, until you find what you like and what works for you.

There are also several sites that have some nice DIY light mods instructions. Some of them work very well... DIY Reflector-Diffuser and http://home.comcast.net/~dougsmit/bounceflashtoys.html are two site I have found fun to play with.

The bounce modifiers will typically give you a little more range (distance) to work with than the softbox types.

One thing you didn't mention is where you will probably use this.. if it is a static location (home, studio) than umbrellas and softboxes are the way to go. But since you mentioned your SB-600.. I am assuming you are wanting portable gear.

The main thing is to really get to know your flash, and how it works with the camera. Softer light won't do you any good if the exposures or lighting composition is poor. One thing is to get the flash off camera... use a bracket like a Stroboframe or a Kirk to get it up high.... that helps a lot!

 

[Offhand]

I work all the time in cavernous venues that have high ceilings like convention halls so have experimented with plenty of modifiers. Those are some of the worst places to shoot because of the ugly sodium vapor lighting and no walls to bounce off. Sometimes you can use a booth wall. I like the largest Rogue Flash bender bent into a box, which really increases the size of the light source. But you have to get in fairly close. And because it's a bit big, it's unwieldy in crowded places. The biggest modifier you can find that shoots the light forward works best for this kind of shooting. The Gary Fong and Stoffen, for example, would be useless because they just shoot light in all directions.

 

[IgsEMT]

To add more fuel into the fire

I used and still use:
Fong diffuser clear
Fong diffuser cloud
demb flip it
self made bounce card (different sizes).
Nikon's diffusers (on sb600, 800 and 900).

If there's one thing I learned, there ISN'T BEST. They all have their places where I'd use them more efficiently and other times they are useless.
For example, and this is what I found w/ my shooting style,
*using Fong Diffuser w/ dome, is useless at distances greater then 15 feet or so (about 2.5 times of height). For that I might shoot bareflash or w/ native diffuser of the flash. Also fongs require higher flash output.
*Native diffusers are great overall, however, when all I need to do is on-camera flash, that extra spread of light that I want to go all over the room is BETTER spread using fong or bounce card.
*bounce cards (different brands) - durability is one factor, but just like fongs might require more juice.

In my camera bag, I have all 3. Depending on event i'm shooting, I might use one or use all 3.
Good Luck