Does anybody have and regularly use a flash diffuser? I was at a wedding Saturday and the photographer had a diffuser mounted onto the speedlight of both cameras. I asked him about it ... he raved about the results; said he used it every time he wanted flash -- either for direct light or fill flash.

He used and strongly recommended the Gary Fong Lightsphere
http://store.garyfonginc.com/liiido.html

If this was twenty bucks I'd probably go ahead and buy one and, if not thrilled I would shrug and think, OK, no big deal. But it's $45 in local stores and about the same on-line by the time I add in s/h. Looking at the examples on the cited webpage the colors look a bit muddy (soft ?) to me. Not crisp as I like.

Any thoughts or comments?

Rusty

Rusty,

I bought the Lightsphere 2 Cloud version in January from a local camera store. Used it and loved the results. It comes with a training DVD and recommends (I seem to recall) that most shots be made on Av or Manual with using the diffuser as a fill flash. I tried the Av setting and got great results, although it will depend on the room you are shooting in.

The place I bought it from has a policy on all the stuff they sell - including Cameras, Lens and Flash and accessories - try it, keep the stuff and if you dont like it, bring it all back and get your money back in the first 2 weeks.

I have never had to b ring anything back, but ask your local stores and see what they say. On something like this, there isnt any real wear and tear.

I have it Rusty.. use it all the time. I will even use it on my outside shots with my flash pointed up just to add catch lights.

I have the Gary Fong Clear Lightspere and the Joe Demb diffuser. Of the two I prefer the Gary Fong. It eliminates allot of harsh shadows and really warms the overall light. I also like the Joe Demb diffuser and feel it runs a close second. If you buy the Gary Fong make sure and order the one for your model flash as they are not a one size fits all. I have seen some diffusers on ebay that look like an exact copy of the Gary Fong. If you are strapped for cash you might want to check these out.

I use the Gary Fong Whale Tale reporter flash diffuser and love the results it gives me. But it's not something I would carry around with me all day long. I use it mainly around the house when I am taking pics or family gatherings. I used it to shoot a wedding and it did a good job with the posed pictures at the front of the church and during the reception. Places where I'm not going to be doing a lot of walking around and having to worry about hitting someone with it.

For general purpose picture taking, including the "out and about" type walking around, I have a Sto-Fen Omni Bounce that I picked up for my Nikon SB600 flash unit at Adorama. It's a lot cheaper and doesn't stick out there like the Gary Fong one and does a pretty good job.

The Sto-Fen can be had for about $16.95. The Gary Fong Whale Tail Reporter basic kit is $79.95.

And I think the difference in light that you are seeing, muddy vs crisp, is the difference between a direct flash, and a diffused flash. The diffusers are designed to throw the light around a lot more, which produces somewhat softer lighting and less harsh shadows overall.

I have the Cloud II lightsphere with and I also have the chrome dome attachment. I used it at a wedding recently and it worked great. It is a little heavy but worked well in a room that was very difficult to get good light. Also the chrome dome worked well when I needed more forward punch but still the diffusion. Make sure you get a good fit for you flash. They are a little touchy.

Ron

Well.... thank you all.

That tells me 'bout everything I need to know about flash diffisers. It's clear to me that they are a good thing I'm probably off now to do some hands on looking and then put something on a list.

I am not allowed to buy stuff like this. DW says I'm impossible to buy for so she expects A LIST for Christmas and Birthday ideas. She really gets hostile when I just buy stuff and, thus, make it harder for her to shop. Hey, it's a good deal for me -- that's where my last lens came from

Thanks again for commenting.

Rusty

Rusty, your DW sounds just like my DH. I have to do the same thing. One of these is going on my list.

Hi Rusty,
Some time or other before you buy anything, bebop on down to Walgreens and pick up a pint jug of isopropyl alcohol for about $2.00 or so. Find something to do with the alcohol (except, obviously, don't drink it ). Then you can make a flash diffuser that will work surprisingly well and give you an idea about the concept. Likee dis:



Also, pay a visit to Strobist. You'll find a ton of knowledge and links to DIY for all occasions.

Have fun,
Steve

I use the diffuser that came with my flash (Nikon SB 800) and it works just fine. It really does a nice job toning down the shiny spots on portraits.
Chas