The suggested value of a flash diffuser.

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Leen Koper
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The suggested value of a flash diffuser.

Post by Leen Koper »

There seems to be a lot of controversy about using various on camera flash attachments like the Gary Fong adapter, Lumedyne etc.
They all claim to soften the flash light etc. In my opinion they are all wrong, but that is just my opinion.

Lighting is softer if the source of light is relatively larger. I think we all agree. What would be the effect of an adapter, just a couple of square inches larger than your flashlight in the real world? Almost nothing (except in macro situations) if your subject is two or three meters away (most used distance) from your camera.
Reflected light from walls around? Just imagine, you lose about 2-3 stops because of reflection, you mostly use light that travels 3-4 times as far as in normal situations, so your total loss will be at least 4-6 stops! There is hardly any noticable reflection to fill for softer light.

In my opinion this is all just a way of selling useless gear, make you spend your hard earned cash on something that hardly helps.
DirkVermeirre
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Re: The suggested value of a flash diffuser.

Post by DirkVermeirre »

Hello Leen,

It was a pleasure to read your vision on flash accessories and I totally agree with you. Flash accessories only might give some help on short to very short distances(macro).
I'm not an expert though while I never use flash even though I have some flash gear which I used in the past (only for test purposes). I don't like flash light, it never comes close to natural light, whatever someone might try.
All the best and greetings,
Dirk
Leen Koper
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Re: The suggested value of a flash diffuser.

Post by Leen Koper »

Hi Dirk,

I am glad you agree with me.
I use flash only seldom, just when I am forced to because it is too dark and I have to come up with some images, and, sometimes as a fill light when a reflector cannot be used. Moreover, in the first case, there are that good high ISO cameras nowadays that you seldom need to use flash anymore and in the second case, a lot can be corrected in Lightroom.
DirkVermeirre
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Re: The suggested value of a flash diffuser.

Post by DirkVermeirre »

Leen Koper wrote:Hi Dirk,

I am glad you agree with me.
I use flash only seldom, just when I am forced to because it is too dark and I have to come up with some images, and, sometimes as a fill light when a reflector cannot be used. Moreover, in the first case, there are that good high ISO cameras nowadays that you seldom need to use flash anymore and in the second case, a lot can be corrected in Lightroom.

Hi Leen,

With pleasure. I have a flash for the few times that I can't find enough light, but when it's not time related I prefer to come back when there's more available light. And the good high Iso camera's is so good, it's absolutely what I need because I like to photograph when there's not that much light but just enough. Hope to see you sooner or later (I prefer sooner) in real life, always a pleasure.
Dirk
James
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Re: The suggested value of a flash diffuser.

Post by James »

HI Leen,

I know that you know the value of flash being a portrait photographer and all, but are you talking about specific adapters here? I am just curious!

I quite like the diffusers that Nikon supply with the flashes, sure you lose a lot of the lighting power of the flash, but I find it does help to soften the shadows (although multiple flashes off camera do a much better job :)

My most used accessory on my main lights is a 1.2m soft box - and you are right, there is no way that those kind of diffusers get any way to getting close to that but I had started to look at the Lastolite systems - have you had any experience of those?
pam.meier
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Re: The suggested value of a flash diffuser.

Post by pam.meier »

I use a Gary Fong lightsphere knock off on my super cheap Yong-Nuo flashlight and I love it ;)
Leen Koper
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Re: The suggested value of a flash diffuser.

Post by Leen Koper »

Dear Pam, how do you explain that a diffuser could bring a substantial improvement in the quality of the light if the light source is still like a point? Because only at a smal distance it has some effect; any further away it behaves imho like a single point. Reflection from surrounding walls or a ceiling should be minimal.
pam.meier
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Re: The suggested value of a flash diffuser.

Post by pam.meier »

Leen, unfortunately, I don´t have any sample images at hand, but the lightsphere used in the upright position will scatter light into all directions, meaning I will have to use higher ISO for example, losing some of the light. So if someone stood by a wall, you would get a soft shadow. I use it for smaller rooms, sometimes for bigger ones as well with the camera on a tripod an longer sync-time. I got very even lighting in this way.
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