My DIY Diffusor Panel and Stand

[TMR Design]

I just finished making this diffusor panel and stand so I can learn some lighting techniques.

The stand and frame for the panel are made of pvc tubing and fittings. I battled with the idea of making it collapsible and trying to make it break down. Which pieces to glue was going to be an issue and the problem with not gluing something like this it that is will twist, warp its shape and pieces can come loose. I did not like that at all and in the interest of strength and the fact that at this time I don't need anything that is portable I decided to glue all pieces except for 2 joints. The entire top section lifts off the base and can be taken with me or put into a closet, etc..
In total I spent under $20 for all the pvc tube and fittings. I didn't like making the cuts using a hacksaw so I got myself a small tube cutter and it produces smooth, clean cuts that are more precise than using a saw. The tube cutter was about $10 and the glue was $3.
The 'hinge' works very well and in making it I thought ahead and got some 'O' rings to slip inside to apply some pressure and it made it nice and snug. This way the panel can rotate but will not move unless I re-position it.
The diffusor itself is a nylon fabric I got at a local fabric store for $2 per yard and I got 3 yards, adding $6 to the cost. I tried the lights behind the fabric and found that a double layer softened the light very nicely. So based on that I decided to take the fabric and make what is essentially a large pillow case to slide down over the panel frame.

All in all it works great and from initial tests I can see that the light is bright, yet soft and really allows me stop down and/or use shorter shutter speeds.

I hope to be using this very soon to start doing some portrait photography.

If anyone is interested I can give you Home Depot SKU #'s for all parts and the breakdown of parts and dimensions.

[cdifoto]

Very creative! You could throw some reflective fabrics/panels to slip over the frame there and sell it as a kit for like 500 bucks through B&H. :)

[incendy]

hehe, I made one of those too, but it doesn't look like that! I would be embarressed to show mine cause it looks thrown together=D Great job, it looks very nice and easy to use!

[forkball]

now that's just awesome. I'm interested for sure. I would imagine you could even make the panel bigger like full length.

[TMR Design]

now that's just awesome. I'm interested for sure. I would imagine you could even make the panel bigger like full length.


Thanks man. I drove myself nuts for a while thinking about panel size, height, etc. The panel itself is 33" x 39". I played around with adding a smaller pivoting panel in the bottom section of the stand to have lighting at ground level that could also be directed upwards and will probably modify what I have to add that lower panel. At first I did not want to do it but now I can see its usefulness and it's a simple modification. I will be sure to post an updated picture.

I just did some more tests and since I do not have a subject here now I decided to have a go at it myself using the self timer and me as the subject.

I think that considering I am using an A620 with halogen lights and have never used any lights before this came out pretty good.

Please look at the lighting and not the subject..lololololol and let me know what you think and where I can improve. Right now there is just one light source behind the diffusor.

[pparker]

I made mine from 1" schedule 40 PVC for weight and strength since I'm using a 42 X 73 inch panel. I like your design better for a smaller panel than mine.

[Lotto]

Wow, that setup looks sweet. I tried diffusing hot light before, it was tough. But I bet you had lots of fun making it.

[TMR Design]

Wow, that setup looks sweet. I tried diffusing hot light before, it was tough. But I bet you had lots of fun making it.

It really was fun to make and even more fun to use it the first time.

Oh yes.... I found that the diffusion was not that great with one layer of the fabric. Even though I lose a little light I chose to use a double layer and it really makes the difference, especially with halogen lights.

[TMR Design]

Here are the dimensions and parts for the stand and panel.

Please keep in mind that working with PVC tubing can be tricky and you must adjust as you go, checking angles and correct positioning.

To use a very old but good cliche.. "Measure twice (or three times) and cut once".

The entire stand and diffuser are made of 1/2" PVC tubing and fittings, all of which can be found in the plumbing department of a Home Depot or similar store. For this type of structure it does not pay to use 3/4" PVC. It is wider but just as flexible or inflexible at these lengths.

Some of the pieces are joined together with male-to-male couplers, cut into 1.25" pieces of 1/2" PVC tubing. With the exception of these short couplers and the actual 1/2" tubing I have included pictures of the parts needed, including the optional rubber 'O' ring that is found in the plumbing department with parts for sink, tub and toilet repair. I used a #13 'O' ring and it's a perfect, snug fit. You can insert it into the Tee on either the stand or panel. It accomplishes the same thing either way.The PVC riser is 2" x 1/2" and is also found in the plumbing department.

All dimensions shown are the actual lengths of the cut pieces of PVC, not the assembled dimensions. When assembling it is crucial that you measure and insert the pieces equally to ensure proper fitting. Be very careful when using the PVC cement. It dries ridiculously fast and becomes unmovable within about 20 seconds at most. I made pencil marks so I knew how far to insert each piece and marked all angles during 'mockup'. Then when I disassembled and reassumbled using the glue I had marks to follow and then could make fine adjustments as it came together. I advise you to NOT break the whole thing down before gluing. It is better to disassemble and reassemble a section at a time and readjusting pieces as others are glued in position.

PVC Part (Quantity)
Tee Connector ( 20 )
End Caps ( 4 )
45° Elbows ( 8 )
90° Elbows ( 6 )
4 Way Coupler ( 2 )
Riser ( 2 )
#13 'O' Rings ( 2 ) optional

PVC Tube Cut Length (Quantity)

4" ( 4 )
35.5" ( 6 )
5" ( 4 )
10" ( 4 )
10.25" ( 4 )
18" ( 2 )
6.5" ( 4 )
21" ( 4 )
30" ( 2 )
17.5" ( 4 )
1.25" ( 10 ) couplers


You can cut the PVC with a hacksaw but I prefer the pipe cutter. You can cut exactly on your mark with more precision and less effort. There are many brands and types of PVC cement but since I was not concerned with the quality of the seal as I would if I were doing plumbing then you can use any PVC cement and I chose the cheapest I could find that had a brush in the cap. I also got some Goof Off, which if you have never used it before, it will remove all the gum and glue left behind from parts that have a sticker or label on them. Some parts at Home Depot have the barcode stamped right on them and some have it on a sticker. Goof Off is great to get any residue off of anything (but don't use it on your camera or anything with a finish).

Once you have the frame for the panel assembled then you can measure and make the diffuser. I used a white nylon fabric I got from a local fabric store and essentially created a large pillow case to slide over the panel frame and left an opening on each side to allow for the Tee connector to slip through. Using a double layer of fabric allows lots of light to pass thought it but also softens the light nicely.

I hope my pictures are clear. If anyone needs more detail I can help you out.

Enjoy!

[cataclysmcow]

Wow, all the work you put into the schematic and parts list is really appreciated.

After building and using it do you feel that the three lower cross braces are needed? Could we knock that down to two or one?

[cgratti]

WOW, thanks for taking the time to post all this... you be da man!

[TMR Design]

Wow, all the work you put into the schematic and parts list is really appreciated.

After building and using it do you feel that the three lower cross braces are needed? Could we knock that down to two or one?


Here's this thing. There is a certain flexibility in PVC tubing and once you have long vertical pieces there is some movement. I added those braces for 2 reasons after modifying the design a bit. One, they gave me height that I honestly did not figure into the original design, and Two.. with the added height came a bit of instability. For the cheap cheap price of the tube and fittings I added the braces to raise it up and not add to the length of the vertical tube. The other thing I should mention that I did not in the post was that I left 2 key joints unglued just where the top section under the second brace meets the third brace which keeps the base stable. This lets me lift it off the base in one piece and the top holds its shape. If it were just one brace it would be ok but not as strong. I was going for function and strength.

[pparker]

Excellent illustration Robert. I used a Lastolite diffusion panel on mine that cuts your light by 1.25 stops.

[mjordan]

You did a pretty good job. I like the pillow case idea. When I made a light panel, I went with a much simpler design made from two panels hinged together that allowed it to free stand. I didn't glue my pieces together since they were fit together pretty tight and that way I could break it down for storage or hauling around. Here is a picture of the light panel I made:

http://www.sitnprettyphoto.com/display/panel5a.jpg

I used Sport Nylong rather than Ripstop because it was a bit thicker and had a smooth texture like a softbox nylong rather than the zig-zag lines that Ripstop has.

On the example images you posted, it looks like the color balance is off a bit. But that's an easy fix.

Mike

[TMR Design]

You did a pretty good job. I like the pillow case idea. When I made a light panel, I went with a much simpler design made from two panels hinged together that allowed it to free stand. I didn't glue my pieces together since they were fit together pretty tight and that way I could break it down for storage or hauling around. Here is a picture of the light panel I made:

http://www.sitnprettyphoto.com/display/panel5a.jpg

I used Sport Nylong rather than Ripstop because it was a bit thicker and had a smooth texture like a softbox nylong rather than the zig-zag lines that Ripstop has.

On the example images you posted, it looks like the color balance is off a bit. But that's an easy fix.

Mike

Yeah Mike,

The color balance is not right. I used the Tungsten setting and probably should have set white balance myself. It was also my very first picture taken using lights and my introducitons to lighting.

I am a sponge for information and if there are any tips you can offer for lighting and color balance I would appreciate it. I would like to achieve the best lighting and color before I go in to post-process.

[mjordan]

You can do color balance a couple of ways... set your color balance in the camera before you start shooting (if you know how to do that) or use a white/black card in the first shot or two and adjust all of your images during post processing.

It might be easier for you to set your camera custom white balance up front. That way as long as the lights don't change, you will be set to keep shooting. I shoot everything in raw and use either a WhiBal card or a Digital Calibration Traget in my first shots. Then I use that shot as the white balance source for when I convert from raw to tif for editing in Photoshop.

You got hit with a double wammy with the hot lights and the nylon. Although the nylon might look white, it could have a small color caste that will throw your white balance off.

Also, play with the distance of the light from your panel. Depending on the size of the reflector on the light, you want to move it back until the spread of light pretty much covers your panel without a lot of spill around it. That will give you the max diffusion. If you move it closer, you will get a more focused smaller area of light that will be harsher but give you more control.

The black panel in my example is used to block the light that would hit my camera lens. I was usually positioned where the light from the white panel would reflect back on my lens if I wasn't careful, causing lens flare. So the black panel blocked it.

Mike

[gemini6474]

thanks for putting that together and sharing, i think im gonna try and make one, seems like fun.

[TMR Design]

It's a good project but I have learned quite a bit since I built that panel. Keep in mind how limiting this type of panel is and you might want to put some thought into it and improve rather than just copy.
With fewer parts and less work you could build something larger, more sturdy, much more functional, and portable. mjordan has the better design as much as I don't like to admit it, and you can see professionals Like lightingman and Wilt using large diffuser panels as opposed to all the fixed light source devices out there. Think about it and use some ingenuity. Come up with your own better version. I think that you and others would benefit from that moreso than recreating my experiment.

Again, I say this based on acquired information since designing that panel. Had I known then what I know now the design would be completely different and rest assured there is a new diffuser panel in the works for me. Once I have it designed and built I'll surely post.

[SteveG]

I jst saw this link on "another" forum, and thought I'd share. Seems someone has written a book on how to make different kinds of diffusion panels etc from plastic plumbing pipe. Not saying these are better than anyone elses designs here, but it never hurts to add to the knowledge base.

http://www.software-cinema.com/tinkertubes/tt-book.pdf?CS=258ad2ad09754e722c032b838bc5eabd

[tdaugharty]

Well I must say I think lightingman from here has a really good price on these and I'll probably go that route.

[marian]

Nice work on the diffuser. This is all the old Dean Collins stuff, from his Fine Light series.

I still have my old stack of them and he shows step by step how he lights, diffuses his subjects with his big pvc pipes and rip stop nylon.

[TMR Design]

Well I must say I think lightingman from here has a really good price on these and I'll probably go that route.

My design and the designs in the PDF from the above link are nice and fucntional but they really do complicate something that can be done more simply and give you something that is portable.

I was going to build a new diffuser now that I know more and actually have strobes to use, but I've decided to buy one of Scott's (lightingman) diffusion panels. I just don't see the need to try to create what's already out there and works well.

As I mentioned in one of the earlier posts, I designed my panel before I knew anything about lighting and I was using it with halogen work lights. If I had it to do all over again it would be completely different and probably very much like Scott's panel or mjordan's. They really have the right idea.

[Ed hawkins]

Robert,
I tried to copy and paste your notes and images, however the text copied but
the images did not. Can you help me understand how to download or copy your images.
Thanks
Ed

[TMR Design]

Hi Ed,

There's no reason why you can't just right click and save the images on either the Mac or Windows platform. I just tried it and it worked.

[whiskaz]

Robert - while I'd been meaning to build one of these for quite sometime (after reading an article by one of Dean Collins' apprentices, about using a one light setup with diffusion panel), it took this thread to make me do it.

I'm still flying by the seat of my pants with the setup/exposure, etc, but I'm extremely happy with the results I got, just from adding the DIY diffusion panel to my setup.

What I was getting before (my 2nd light spilling onto her back/left side, resulting in bad shadows/overexposure):

http://www.thejonzes.net/gallery2/d/3538-2/_MG_3543.jpg

After adding the diffusion panel in front of the 2nd light:

http://www.thejonzes.net/gallery2/d/3905-1/_MG_4102.jpg

http://www.thejonzes.net/gallery2/d/3901-1/_MG_4088.jpg

So... much thanks for the "push." ;) Your contributions here are appreciated.

[Harleypugs]

Robert...what lights are you using?

thanks,

Jon

[TMR Design]

Hi Jon,

I am currently using 4 Alien Bees B800's.

[dlphotography]

very nice!

[DanteCaspian]

Thanks to all for the great information! This is all very helpful for my projects ahead!