Gary Fong diffuser for wedding?

I can honestly admit that I've used the GF diffuser on a few weddings and events, back in the day... It did it's job well under the right circumstances and produced some great shots... But it did get 'top heavy' on my Canon 580EXII Speedlite, to the point I was scared it was gonna snap the flash head... So I switch to the Stofen diffusers... If I do shoot weddings/receptions today, it'll be a mix of OCF's and hot-shoe speedlites (with stofen diffusers) to illuminate the room and subject(s)...

I normally just bounce and use sto-fens. To be fair I use natural light as much as i can get away with. I have though just been given the latest GF diffuser... didn't cost me anything so will give it a go.

I just got one with some speed lights I bough as a package. Just did some test and I don't like it at all. I rather bounce or use something else.

No contrast when using the Light Sphere on my test. Also tried it with my daughter and it looks just like direct flash, just a bit softer.

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Honestly the bounce card and flash pointed 70 degrees or so up (obviously depends on focal length and your distance) will work as well or better than these things. You can't make a tiny light source as good as a big one.

Lots of threads here describe what the fong does, and more importantly what it doesn't do. It doesn't do anything to increase the size of the light source unless you have adjacent bounce surfaces. If you have adjacent bounce surfaces you don't really need the fong.

I use the spinlight 360 and Joe Demb flipit. In venues where the is little surfaces to bounce from I use it as an index card. I do prefer the Demb flipit due to smaller size and less weight. For rooms with lower ceilings I'll bounce flash and direct the flash for some directional light.

I see absolutely no point in using Stofen's as your just killing perhaps 1/2 stop or more light with no increase in the light source for softer light. Gary Fondongs are heavy tupperwear containers and can provide fill but will not provide dynamic direction bounced light.

Last week I saw a photographer do a family session at a beautiful beach. Outdoors in glorious light where it was a nice overcast day with no direct sun. She was using a stofen with her flash head @ 45 degree angle. Her concept and understanding of light was simply nonexistent. Not sure of her style of work but that was a perfect day to shoot and she was using a stofen directing flash 3-5 feet above her subjects head. I dont even think that provided a small catchlight.

When I purchased my fuji EF-X500 flash the flash came with a "fuji" stofen cap. I knew Fuji has been behind the times with their horrible flash units but their "new tech" HSS/TTL flagship came with a useless piece of plastic. I'm not sure why they produce such ineffective plastic "stofen" products still.

I urge folks to experiment and use a tool that helps direct flash to other surfaces. I'd even suggest a white piece of paper and a rubber band before paying for flash modifiers designed to make light bombs instead of strategic methods of bouncing light.

AlanU wrote in post #18377997
Her concept and understanding of light was simply nonexistent.

LMAO!

erikfig wrote in post #18377628
I just got one with some speed lights I bough as a package. Just did some test and I don't like it at all. I rather bounce or use something else.

No contrast when using the Light Sphere on my test. Also tried it with my daughter and it looks just like direct flash, just a bit softer.

All images are SOOC.

Hosted photo: posted by erikfig in
./showthread.php?p=183​77628&i=i228872206
forum: Weddings & Other Family Events

I agree with your example and what you get in that test. And I want to hire you to sell for me. Using a stuffed bear that does not grease up after dancing all night showing a lot of shine if going direct, have a ceiling that's 9 feet away where you can bounce which seems to be the case here, or going direct with the fong where I might have changed my settings a bit on the flash, this is a great example to state its not needed.

I think this was on another thread and the thought of using it was for when you cannot bounce light and have little option but the flash on camera or some type of reflector on the flash itself. And no I do not endorse or work for Fong. And yes Fong probably makes 40 dollars on the 45 dollar item he sells, welcome to America, but when we cannot bounce light anywhere, its at night, and that bride comes over with her hubby after dancing all night and wants a shot of her and her mom hugging, I want and need to get some soft light on the subject, it works for us.

erikfig wrote in post #18378373
LMAO!

I'll be honest and say as a newbie I bought a clone GF Fongdong product. Equally as heavy as the "original" and equally an accessory that is truly a waste of money.

I urge anyone considering wasting their money on a GF Fongdong to get a piece of paper from a note pad (the free ones your local real estate agent leaves as advertisement at your door way LOL) and a rubber band that holds together your brocolli you just bought from your grocery store LOL and attach it to your speedlight and start learning to bounce!!

For outdoors direct flash is all that is necessary really...

AlanU wrote in post #18378555


I'll be honest and say as a newbie I bought a clone GF Fongdong product. Equally as heavy as the "original" and equally an accessory that is truly a waste of money.

I urge anyone considering wasting their money on a GF Fongdong to get a piece of paper from a note pad (the free ones your local real estate agent leaves as advertisement at your door way LOL) and a rubber band that holds together your brocolli you just bought from your grocery store LOL and attach it to your speedlight and start learning to bounce!!

For outdoors direct flash is all that is necessary really...

I don't use Gary Fong products but have all sorts of expensive modifiers. Gary Fong doesn't charge any more than the other guys. Yes you can replicate the effects of the expensive modifiers with stuff in your kitchen and garage and I did all that when I was first starting out.....but these Macguyver solutions are not at all practical if you're doing serious shooting. PITA to throw that stuff together in the middle of shooting, and doesn't hold up to the abuse of a typical shoot. The benefit of the expensive stuff is that you can slap it on quickly, pack it easily, and will last a long time. I've had many of my modifiers for years.

mystik610 wrote in post #18378569
I don't use Gary Fong products but have all sorts of expensive modifiers. Gary Fong doesn't charge any more than the other guys. Yes you can replicate the effects of the expensive modifiers with stuff in your kitchen and garage and I did all that when I was first starting out.....but these Macguyver solutions are not at all practical if you're doing serious shooting. PITA to throw that stuff together in the middle of shooting, and doesn't hold up to the abuse of a typical shoot. The benefit of the expensive stuff is that you can slap it on quickly, pack it easily, and will last a long time. I've had many of my modifiers for years.

Joe Demb flip it I own is extremely durable and it's about 8yrs old. I still use it today even though it's tired. The "Flip it" is light weight unlike the flash bender rogue.

Flipit you can use it to direct light, use it as an index card or flip it backwards and get direct flash instantly with no interruption of a card blocking like a scrim.

My point is GF Fondong is a joke displaying that your throwing flat fill light only inefficiently. By all means eat batteries and perhaps flat lifeless fill is required? GF lightsphere throws light with no direction with no dimension. Stofen's also is a great example of displaying to the public of no concept of how light works. Rather harsh words but these products do not increase the size of it's light source.

I shot the wedding last weekend and ended up bouncing where I could and using a cheap diffuser at other times. Both ways worked just fine when needed. I think I will wait on the GF and continue to learn bouncing it and the diffuser.

Im a fan of straight bounced flash with no modifiers...