Stofen Omni-Bounce

[Loekito]

Just receive my stofen omni-bounce, delivered by courier service. But don't have any chance to try it, since I'm still on the office now, and didn't bring my camera here.

So any experience from all the folks here? like, how the best practice use of this thing?

One question that raise on my mind, if we put it in front on the flash head, do it will cause any scratches on the flash head body?

thanks & regards,

Loekito

[mbze430]

Omni bounce at least to me only works in a indoor enviroment. just tilt the head 45 degrees and shoot away. Unfortunately the omni-bounce isn't very useful by itself in portrait orientation. You'll probably want to get a flash bracket with the omni-bounce. I did use this for a few years.

[Todd Jacobsen]

You'll hear about a lot of diffusers, Omni-Bounce being one of them.

Omni-Bounce is meant for "bounce"ing th light thus the name. As stated by mbze430, use it at a 45 degree angle towards any "reflective" surface (side wall, ceiling, reflector) to light your subject. It is not the best method for direct flash against the subject but is better than naked direct flash.

I am currently running tests with the LSII (Lightsphere), Lumiquest products (Softbox, 80-20, ProMax system), and Omni-bounce. Omni-bounce, used against white surfaces, does a very good job and comparatively, does as well as any of the other products.

OmniBounce, used against colored surfaces, produces a similar colored light upon the subject.

[Mark_48]

Omni bounce at least to me only works in a indoor enviroment. just tilt the head 45 degrees and shoot away. Unfortunately the omni-bounce isn't very useful by itself in portrait orientation. You'll probably want to get a flash bracket with the omni-bounce. I did use this for a few years.
I was under the impression that even outdoors it would diffuse the flash somewhat to soften the harshness you would otherwise get with direct flash. (?)

[Harry Settle]

I was under the impression that even outdoors it would diffuse the flash somewhat to soften the harshness you would otherwise get with direct flash. (?)

You are correct.

[Loekito]

Thank's guys for the replies.

Based on the instruction guide comes with the product, because of the nature of E-TTL method for calculating the flash exposure, the omni bounce should not be use with the flash-head directly pointed to the object (not bounced), except if we use TTL.

The question arise, how we can disable the E-TTL feature? since there's no such setting in the 420EX that I'm currently use. I'm also cannot found such setting inside my 300D/DReb (or did I missing something?).

Is this setting available in more advance digital SLR like 10D or 20D or more advance speedlight like 550EX or 580EX? How if I upgrade 300D's firmware using the hacked one? Heard also that we must use something like hotshoe converter to make the speedlite work on TTL mode not E-TTL mode, is that true?

is E-TTL II solve this problem?

Will appreciate for any feedback.. thanks...

regards,

Loekito

[cmM]

use it in ETTL, it works just fine for me, on the 550EX
Oh and as for 45° .... tilt the head so that it will bounce the light on your subject, it doesn't have to be dead on at 45°. If you have a subject 5 ft away and you tilt your head 45° you'll do a great job lighting up the background, but not the subject.

[Nabil-A]

Can anyone explain or point me to a previous post that explains why the omnibounce (technically speaking) does is not recommended the in straight ahead mode. I realise that reasoning is based on a ETTL basis, but in AV or TV mode, should flash exposure be automatic .

I generally have my camera in spot meter mode and press * (FEL) with my 420ex head with stofen omnibounce pointing directly at my subject.

could i do this any better, i realise that in manual, flash guide numbers come into play but i mostly shoot in av anyway. So whats the go with shooting in AV or TV with omni at 45deg.

[markubig]

Can anyone explain or point me to a previous post that explains why the omnibounce (technically speaking) does is not recommended the in straight ahead mode. I realise that reasoning is based on a ETTL basis, but in AV or TV mode, should flash exposure be automatic .

I generally have my camera in spot meter mode and press * (FEL) with my 420ex head with stofen omnibounce pointing directly at my subject.

could i do this any better, i realise that in manual, flash guide numbers come into play but i mostly shoot in av anyway. So whats the go with shooting in AV or TV with omni at 45deg.

check out this thread:
http://www.photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=66636

Scottberger has a link there to a N-k-n test with the omnibounce

[Eric DeCastro]

i never shoot in ttl but I don't think the 420ex is a manual speedlite. you will need to upgrade to a 550ex or similar. (I use a sunpak and love it to death.)

[hamm3r]

My Sigma Super 500 DG does not have a 45 degree lock position. The first available position is 60 degrees. Does that mean the omni-bounce will not be as effective? Do the Canon flashes have the 45 degree position?

[Todd Jacobsen]

My Sigma Super 500 DG does not have a 45 degree lock position. The first available position is 60 degrees. Does that mean the omni-bounce will not be as effective? Do the Canon flashes have the 45 degree position?

Your distance from subject will determine appropriate bounce angle.

Canon flashes have multiple angles, 45 being one of them.

Since you have a 60 degree bounce angle, you will need to stand closer to the subject in order for the light to land on your subject, compared a 45 degree setting.

A 45 degree angle, if used incorrectly, can land light BEHIND the subject vs on them.

[hamm3r]

Thanks.

A disadvantage of the sigma flash that can be noted in some of the other threads regarding the differences.

[illrooster132]

very interesting. i have a 580 exII and use a diffuser similar to the stofen.
but the light is very harsh or has hot spots. if i use the build in deflector the light comes out very pleasant and warm skin tones + illuminated backgorund.
so i decide to not use this type of deflectors i find the build in works great . ( for me )

[bohdank]

I also find the built in card on the 580EXII along with bouncing works extremely well. I have never been even the slightest bit tempted by any of these "gadgets".

I've lit up an entire empty movie theatre with this flash with good results.

[gonzogolf]

I was under the impression that even outdoors it would diffuse the flash somewhat to soften the harshness you would otherwise get with direct flash. (?)
Wrong. Outside it has nothing to bounce off of. Softness is dependent on the size of the light source and without anything to bounce off of all you are doing is reducing flash power. This reduction in flash power may make your photos look better but the same effect can be achieved by using FEC.

Crap, didnt notice this was a recently revived ancient thread.

[jb1911]

I love the Omni Bounce, it works great for indoor pics like at birthday parties and outside it's great for fill flash. I use it all the time. Here's an example of both, indoors with fill flash.

http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t211/jb1911/IMG_0856.jpg

[ed rader]

I was under the impression that even outdoors it would diffuse the flash somewhat to soften the harshness you would otherwise get with direct flash. (?)

i use the omni-bounce outdoors at 45-degrees for fill flash. i think it's a great product. i also have a demb flip-it and i like them equally.

ed rader

[gratchie]

I love the Omni Bounce, it works great for indoor pics like at birthday parties and outside it's great for fill flash. I use it all the time. Here's an example of both, indoors with fill flash.

http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t211/jb1911/IMG_0856.jpg

did you have the flash set at 45 degrees pointing at the subject or is it bounced to the ceiling?

[jb1911]

did you have the flash set at 45 degrees pointing at the subject or is it bounced to the ceiling?

45 degrees, I always use it that way.

[Wilt]

I was under the impression that even outdoors it would diffuse the flash somewhat to soften the harshness you would otherwise get with direct flash. (?)


SIZE diffuses. When Omnibounce is used indoors, the ceiling becomes a large virtual source of light. Outside, no ceiling, no walls...no size increase and with little 'diffusion' resulting.

At a relatively close light-to-subject distance (about 5') where the effect of any diffuser is maximized, with the native flash lens only...
http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i63/wiltonw/Lensonly.jpg

...versus with a 'diffuser' which is no larger than the original flash lens (like the Omnibounce is not much larger)
http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i63/wiltonw/Papercover.jpg

And just to prove what SIZE does, here is a 5" x 7" softbox mounted on the flash.
http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i63/wiltonw/sofbox.jpg

[CxThree]

Wrong. Outside it has nothing to bounce off of. Softness is dependent on the size of the light source and without anything to bounce off of all you are doing is reducing flash power. This reduction in flash power may make your photos look better but the same effect can be achieved by using FEC.

Crap, didnt notice this was a recently revived ancient thread.


I have used one outdoors many time. I point it straight up. At that setup, about 20% of the light goes around and 80% goes up. IE Bare bulb effect. At close distances to the subject, this works very well for fill flash ourtside.

[Scatterbrained]

I haven't used my Omni-Bounce in so long I can't remember when I even saw it last. Meanwhile I've become almost religious about using my flash, go figure. I find myself using the pull out bounce card and wide panel coupled with bouncing off of anything I can find and constantly riding the FEC/or the power output level (when shooting manual flash) seems to work for me in any situation.

[gonzogolf]

I have used one outdoors many time. I point it straight up. At that setup, about 20% of the light goes around and 80% goes up. IE Bare bulb effect. At close distances to the subject, this works very well for fill flash ourtside.
Do some tests, and show us how this works. (check Wilt's results above) I think you'll find you can get that same result by turning down the power on your flash. Its not softening anything unless you can magically bend the laws of physics.

[Wilt]

I just edited Post 21 to prove what actual size increase (area) does for light diffusion.

[DazJW]

I have used one outdoors many time. I point it straight up. At that setup, about 20% of the light goes around and 80% goes up. IE Bare bulb effect. At close distances to the subject, this works very well for fill flash ourtside.

Do you think firing 80% of your flash's power up into nothing is the best method of doing that?

You're not gaining anything by firing 20% of your flash forward from an object of the same size as the head of your flashgun (infact the bottom of the Stofen, which will be the forward-facing part, is smaller than the head of a flashgun) so just use direct on a lower power setting. Your batteries will last much longer and you'll get faster recycle times.

If you're happy to waste the power then you could at least use a bounce card or something bigger than the head of the flashgun to diffuse the small amount of light you're throwing forward.

[bohdank]

I agree, same effect... use a bounce card.

I still haven't seen anything in these contraptions that works better than a simple bounce card, indoors or out.

[CxThree]

DIffused light is better looking than plain light that you have power down. That's why I use the stofen in the bare bulb configuration when possible. WHen I need more, I can angle it more and more to the subject to get what I need. I just find that it's more pleasing looking that bare flash.

Please remember, there's no right way to do any of this stuff. It's all up to what each person likes. My reply was just to let people know that it can be used outside.

[gonzogolf]

DIffused light is better looking than plain light that you have power down. That's why I use the stofen in the bare bulb configuration when possible. WHen I need more, I can angle it more and more to the subject to get what I need. I just find that it's more pleaning looking that bare flash.

Please remember, there's no right way to do any of this stuff. It's all up to what each person likes. My reply was just to let people know that it can be used outside.
Sorry, but this defies physics. You've got a method that you like so use it. But I cant in good faith let this go without comment as it continues the fiction the the plastic cap does anything to soften the light.

Also, this isnt bare bulb in any manner. Bare bulb is just that, no covering over the flash tube. This flash tube is covered by multiple layers. It doesnt even approximate bare bulb.

[CxThree]

Bare bulb configuration. Notice the word configuration. IE all sides sending out light. Less directional looking light, etc. If I wanted a truew bare bulb, I'd use the sunpak 120J. Did ya notice it in my sig?

And yes, light passing through or off of anything changes it's look. SO even a small plastic cap will diffuse the light.


For the record, I use many methods depending on the siubject, my distance, the conditions, and what I think will do best. The Stofen is just one of the options.

[CxThree]

Here. This is what I am talking about.

http://strobist.blogspot.com/2006/03/lighting-101-bare-tube-style-lighting.html

If you want to argue with him, go ahead. He's got a pretty goods rep though..

[Scatterbrained]

Bare bulb configuration. Notice the word configuration. IE all sides sending out light. Less directional looking light, etc. If I wanted a truew bare bulb, I'd use the sunpak 120J. Did ya notice it in my sig?

And yes, light passing through or off of anything changes it's look. SO even a small plastic cap will diffuse the light.


For the record, I use many methods depending on the siubject, my distance, the conditions, and what I think will do best. The Stofen is just one of the options.
Try powering down the flash (or setting a negative FEC in ETTL mode) while using the wide panel, it spreads the light out more (diffusing it) while allowing you to use ETTL2 for fill flash outdoors.

[Wilt]

Here. This is what I am talking about.

http://strobist.blogspot.com/2006/03/lighting-101-bare-tube-style-lighting.html

If you want to argue with him, go ahead. He's got a pretty goods rep though..

But Strobist says the benefit of the bare-tube effect is the combination of the direct light with the bounced light from the ceiling. To quote, "Second, and one of the reasons the light looks the way it does, is a bare-tube head generates its own fill in a typical room environment. Since the light goes in all directions, it bounces off of walls, ceilings, etc., to fill its own shadows."

In comparison, you stated earlier, "I have used one outdoors many time. I point it straight up. At that setup, about 20% of the light goes around and80% goes up. IE Bare bulb effect. At close distances to the subject, this works very well for fill flash ourtside." And per that description there is NO indirect lighting by a ceiling which bounces light! And that is the reason why other replies have challenged you to try outdoors, with and without the Omnibounce, so you see for yourself what little benefit it has in that ceilingless situation.

[CxThree]

Yep. That's what I said. I then said it was diffused light going forward and that's what I wanted. A small amount of diffused light going toward my subject. Some argued that the stofen did not diffuse or that I use FEC to do the same. Although that works, I like the look of the smaller diffused light coming out of the stofen (Or other options) at close distance. Even outside...

Storibist even talks about the bare bulb look I mentioned and the fact that this method diffuses light.

[Wilt]

Yep. That's what I said. I then said it was diffused light going forward and that's what I wanted. A small amount of diffused light going toward my subject. Some argued that the stofen did not diffuse or that I use FEC to do the same. Although that works, I like the look of the smaller diffused light coming out of the stofen (Or other options) at close distance. Even outside...

Storibist even talks about the bare bulb look I mentioned and the fact that this method diffuses light.

Look at my examples in Post 21, without a small diffuser vs. with a small diffuser...very little benefit from the diffuser without ceiling bounce effect (outdoors) -- in spite of the fact that I have a very short distance, where the benefit would be exaggerated compared to the more usual shooting distances.

[gonzogolf]

But Strobist says the benefit of the bare-tube effect is the combination of the direct light with the bounced light from the ceiling. To quote, "Second, and one of the reasons the light looks the way it does, is a bare-tube head generates its own fill in a typical room environment. Since the light goes in all directions, it bounces off of walls, ceilings, etc., to fill its own shadows."

In comparison, you stated earlier, "I have used one outdoors many time. I point it straight up. At that setup, about 20% of the light goes around and80% goes up. IE Bare bulb effect. At close distances to the subject, this works very well for fill flash ourtside." And per that description there is NO indirect lighting by a ceiling which bounces light! And that is the reason why other replies have challenged you to try outdoors, with and without the Omnibounce, so you see for yourself what little benefit it has in that ceilingless situation.

+1 And while I will grudgingly accept that some people call that bare bulb style, its akin to calling the Hyundai sports car "Ferrari style."