Sto-fen bounce

[mikeg]

Hello,

Could you tell me the main differences between the Sto-fen 2-Way Bounce Unit and the omni bounce ?
Which one should be the best ?
I'll use it on a 550ex.

Thanks,

MikeG

[Scottes]

Take this with a grain of salt since I'm not a portrait taker. I primarily use these products on my cats and for macro lighting.


Personally I don't get the Two Way. OK, so you can bounce light without a ceiling. Looks like a good way to bounce light into a lot of places you don't want it. It really doesn't make a much larger light source to give softer flash. I'd think it would be a little softer, but not a whole lot.

The Omni Bounce is OK is you want to lose light and diffuse it a little. I have one, and I don't like it so much. It certainly does have an effect, but it has more effect at reducing light rather than softening IMHO. I'm not knocking it completely - it's a handy product and definitely does have an effect. I don't go anywhere without it and I'm glad I have it.


I've got a Lumiquest Pocket Bounce which is more or less like the Omni Two Way. However, it directs all the light forward and makes for a much larger light area without so much light going places that you don't want it. Very little light loss, but since the light is spread over a much larger area of course you'll get less light on the subject. Lumiquest says light loss is 1-1/3 stops.

I also just ordered a Lumiquest Ultra Soft which is a Pocket Bounce with a milky panel over the front. So now take the Pocket Bounce and lose some more light and diffuse it more. Lumiquest says light loss is 2-1/3 stops.

Lumiquest also makes a couple different Soft Boxes for flash that look useful.


The Omni Bounce, Ultra Soft and Lumiquest Soft Boxes will diffuse light and spread it over a larger area. Diffusion will cause less harsh highlights. Nice for soft shadows at a cost of a lot of light. The Two Way and the Pocket Bounce spread the light over a larger area without so much light loss. Glare is a little harsher much much less than flasy alone, shadows are softer than flash but not as soft as diffusion types.


The Lumiquest system is much larger than the Sto-Fen stuff and is more difficult to put on the flash. The Omni Bounce fits in your pocket easilyand pops on the flash in a couple seconds. Very convenient.

[scottbergerphoto]

I have the Lumiquest Pocket Bouncer and the Stoffen Omnibounce. I feel that the Lumiquest gives a much more pleasant look. The Omnibounce seems to mostly reduce light.
Scott

[mikeg]

Thank you guys for your replies

[VonClev]

I have used some of the above mentioned products and were not terribly happy with them. For the buck, I really like the new Adorama "Strobo-Sock". They do a pretty good job diffusing both direct and bounced light (think of them as a mini-soft box for your flash), they're cheap, and you can fold and wash them.

Chuck

[jcsorensen]

Just call me cheap. I cut a large rectangle out of a plastic gallon milk jug, curve it over the head of my flash and attach it with a couple of rubber bands. Seems to soften/diffuse the light somewhat and definitely cheap.

[Scottes]

Originally Posted by jcsorensen

Just call me cheap. I cut a large rectangle out of a plastic gallon milk jug, curve it over the head of my flash and attach it with a couple of rubber bands. Seems to soften/diffuse the light somewhat and definitely cheap.

Ok, you're cheap.

If the milk jug is close to the flash then all you're doing is cutting down the light. A primary idea behind softening light is to get it to come from a larger source. So if that pice of milk jug were 6"x8" and 4" from the front of the flash, well NOW you'd be producing light from a larger light source and you'll be softening it.

That's the idea behind the Lumiquest stuff, and why the OmniBounce doesn't work so well. The OmniBounce is practically the same size as the flash, so it really doesn't come from a larger source, so it doesn't soften much. The lumiquest stuff makes the light bounce from a much larger area.

If you want to be cheap just bend an index card a bit, use an elastic to hold it to the flash, and point the flash straight up. The flash will bounce off the index card, thus the light will come from a larger area, thus it will be softened.

[scottbergerphoto]

Originally Posted by Scottes

Ok, you're cheap.

If the milk jug is close to the flash then all you're doing is cutting down the light. A primary idea behind softening light is to get it to come from a larger source. So if that pice of milk jug were 6"x8" and 4" from the front of the flash, well NOW you'd be producing light from a larger light source and you'll be softening it.

That's the idea behind the Lumiquest stuff, and why the OmniBounce doesn't work so well. The OmniBounce is practically the same size as the flash, so it really doesn't come from a larger source, so it doesn't soften much. The lumiquest stuff makes the light bounce from a much larger area.

If you want to be cheap just bend an index card a bit, use an elastic to hold it to the flash, and point the flash straight up. The flash will bounce off the index card, thus the light will come from a larger area, thus it will be softened.

I have seen many old time reporters do this. In addition, Nikon includes a pull out white card on their speedlights for this purpose. I wonder why Canon doesn't?
Scott

[lensecap]

just cause they used to do it and just cause nikon does it doesn't mean it works. You do need sme spce in there.

[scottbergerphoto]

Originally Posted by lensecap

just cause they used to do it and just cause nikon does it doesn't mean it works. You do need sme spce in there.

Well it does work quite well actually, and I hope you had a good nap! This thread is a little dusty.
Scott

[MediaMagic]

Originally Posted by scottbergerphoto

I have the Lumiquest Pocket Bouncer and the Stoffen Omnibounce. I feel that the Lumiquest gives a much more pleasant look. The Omnibounce seems to mostly reduce light.
Scott

Agreed. I've used both and the Lumiquest Pocket Bouncer is the one I prefer as well.