Gary Fong Lightsphere II cloud or clear???

just looking to find out what ppl think about these two diffusers? i figured i'd get the cloud. but see the clear is better for bigger rooms and doesnt need as much power/loses less light for the same power.

i'd appreciate some input and maybe some samples from each if ppl have both?

thanks for everyones time,


Joel

None, just get a stofen if you really need light dispersion. Stay away from the Fong Dong!!

ha, alright.

anyone else?

The Cloud gives a much more pleasing soft light from what ive seen....since your using the 580, i wouldnt worry to much about lack of power.

Ive used both the stofen and the Fong Dong and the Fong gives much better results...

I have the Lightspere invisible model.
It didn't cost me anything.

Doesn't really matter which one you buy, as long as Fong gets your money.

jorl wrote in post #8767417
ha, alright.

anyone else?

none of the above... why? i have the gary fong diffusers and stopped using them, it's too heavy for the flash head and it tends to break the hotshoe on the ettl cord because of the weight. I switched to lumiquest quickbounce and it's a lot better and lighter.

EDIT: but if you really want one, check out the new one they have. It's collapsible, although i haven't tried it yet but looks like its lighter.

jeromego wrote in post #8767479
none of the above... why? i have the gary fong diffusers and stopped using them, it's too heavy for the flash head and it tends to break the hotshoe on the ettl cord because of the weight. I switched to lumiquest quickbounce and it's a lot better and lighter.

EDIT: but if you really want one, check out the new one they have. It's collapsible, although i haven't tried it yet but looks like its lighter.

HUH? Too heavy? It(fong) weighs practically nothing...???

Honestly, the Fong Dong doesn't do anything more than a piece of tupperware would do if you mounted it on the top of your flash. If you want something a little more efficient, get something like the LumiQuest 80/20. Remember, the Fong Dong also disperses light backwards which is less efficient than an 80/20 bounce which directs light upwards and forwards to where your lens is pointing.

I have the LS Cloud and it does work noticeably better than standard tupperware. I use it on a 580 EXII and have never had a problem with power. Also, the weight has never been an issue for me. ... But, it is BIG. It may not look big, but trust me, it is BIG.

Remember, your 580 EXII is already BIG (substantially bigger than a 430). Add a LS to the head, and it gets even bigger. It draws a lot of attention, and people tend to stare at it. I quit counting how many time people have asked "what is that thing?"

I still use it, because it really does work well. ... But since I'm not an "event photographer", I get annoyed by all the attention.

For point of comparison, I get more stares and comments when I'm shooting with the LS than I do when I'm shooting with a big, white 70-200 L2.8IS

Jeffro250 wrote in post #8767497
HUH? Too heavy? It(fong) weighs practically nothing...???

not heavy for me but it's too heavy for the flash head compare to other diffusers.

My standard response (I own the original LSII) is they work fine in a room where you don't need them.

Look at what it is doing. It depends on the walls and ceiling to bounce light to your subject. Learn how to do that with something like the Demb FlipIt and you'll be set in many situations. You can bounce light more effectively than the Fong units or the Stofen, which is just a little tiny Fong.

Best bet - get a Lumiquest ProMax System and a good bracket.

1. Fong or Stoffen devices will only provide benefit for softening shadow edges when there is a nice white ceiling which is not too high overhead (8-12' is nice)
2. Fong or Stoffen device do virtually nothing to soften shadow edges when there is no ceiling (or when the ceiling is heavily colored and you do not want it to contaminate your light)
3. If used outdoors, the Fong or the Stoffen waste light in a 360 degree arc, and waste light upward, rather than sending it all to the subject -- thereby working your flash unit harder and thereby draining your batteries faster
4. A POTN member proved he could take a plastic wonton soup container from his local Chinese take-out restaurant and achieve photographic results indistinguishable from a genuine Fong, and he got a meal out of it.
5. POTN members have complained that the Fong fell off their flash units while working a pro job, and the thing went rolling down the church aisle, etc. much to the embarassment of the photographer.

Skip it, buy a book on lighting instead.

It's it funny how Curtis, Dave, Wilt, and I are all saying pretty much the same thing?

Jeffro250 wrote in post #8767497
HUH? Too heavy? It(fong) weighs practically nothing...???

I disagree I broke two off brand off camera cords because the fong LS was too heavy, especially if turned to vertical. They arent magic, they only really work in places where you could bounce without them.

i have 2 of them. i was keeping them to remind me not to buy gimicks. send me a pm,,i sell them to you cheap. i dont buy squat w/o checking with the guys on this forum.