Which Flash Diffuser?

Hey all.....you know when you are hanging out with friends or family and just want those quick shots to capture and don't have the time or really the need for a light set up? Well...what type of diffuser to most of you use for your flash? I need something.....sometime​s bouncing is just not enough with my 430Ex.
Any suggestions?

1downfall wrote in post #11107429
Hey all.....you know when you are hanging out with friends or family and just want those quick shots to capture and don't have the time or really the need for a light set up? Well...what type of diffuser to most of you use for your flash? I need something.....sometime​s bouncing is just not enough with my 430Ex.
Any suggestions?

how about those little imitation "sto-fen" diffusers?
it came free with my flash and it seems to work somewhat (indoors), I've also used a DIY flip type bouncer and one of those $5 mini-soft box diffusers
http://www.dealextreme​.com/details.dx/sku.37​666

Basic Stofen-type works very well in an 'average' room with a normal height white ceiling.

Simple DIY bounce card for $0 is pretty similar, eg www.abetterbouncecard.​com

Lumiquest Quik Bounce is the best of the more sophisticated diffusers IMHO, very versatile and doesn't waste light. Also works quite well outside http://www.lumiquest.c​om/products/quik-bounce.htm

1downfall wrote in post #11107429
Well...what type of diffuser to most of you use for your flash? I need something.....sometimes bouncing is just not enough with my 430Ex.

Any suggestions?

If bouncing is not sufficient for what you want, do NOT buy Stoffen or Lightsphere or their knock-offs because they rely upon bounce to achieve any benefit, and they otherwise simply waste light and deplete battery power faster due to the waste of light when there is no white ceiling or walls to bounce light to the subjects.

For simple indoor shots that will look really good you can just dispense with all that tupperware and bounce off a side or rear wall, the ceiling or a balance of ceiling and wall to get some modeling of the subject as well as a bit of hair light.

The results will be far better than any plastic doo-dad attached to your flash.

Of course, that's assuming you have walls and a ceiling.

Hoppy1 wrote in post #11108389
Basic Stofen-type works very well in an 'average' room with a normal height white ceiling.

Simple DIY bounce card for $0 is pretty similar, eg www.abetterbouncecard.​com

Lumiquest Quik Bounce is the best of the more sophisticated diffusers IMHO, very versatile and doesn't waste light. Also works quite well outside http://www.lumiquest.c​om/products/quik-bounce.htm

right, at a minimum get one of those ebay sto-fen knock-offs or a flash attached bounce card (or a DIY tilt bounce card)

Wilt wrote in post #11109666
If bouncing is not sufficient for what you want, do NOT buy Stoffen or Lightsphere or their knock-offs because they rely upon bounce to achieve any benefit, and they otherwise simply waste light and deplete battery power faster due to the waste of light when there is no white ceiling or walls to bounce light to the subjects.

+1

The Demb Flip-it or a DIY equivalent would serve you better. It's a fancy version of the index card-rubber band DIY.

Wilt wrote in post #11109666
If bouncing is not sufficient for what you want, do NOT buy Stoffen or Lightsphere or their knock-offs because they rely upon bounce to achieve any benefit, and they otherwise simply waste light and deplete battery power faster due to the waste of light when there is no white ceiling or walls to bounce light to the subjects.

Thank you all. ^ found this out through trial and error....have one sitting in the closet for 1year now...not being used!

Seanzky wrote in post #11112301
+1

The Demb Flip-it or a DIY equivalent would serve you better. It's a fancy version of the index card-rubber band DIY.

The Demb-Flip is great, but like the Stofen, Fong Sphere, bounce-card etc etc, also useless without a ceiling or walls.

The only things that work efficiently without any help from surrounding surfaces are the ones that only fire forwards - like the various LumiQuest jobbies. That's why I like their Quik Bounce linked above, because it's good indoors where you can bounce the light around, but then just fold down the flaps and it good to go outside.

It's not as good outside obviously, because it's the bounced light from surroundings that does most of the softeneing, but something that is 7 or 8 inches wide is much bigger than the bare flash and the softening effect of that at close range is well worth having. It's good for solo portraits, couples and very small groups, but when you have to move further away than that the relative size of the diffusion area is reduced and the benefit minimised.

Plastic diffuser = no. They're really only useful when you need to spread the light around in a closet.

Hoppy1 wrote in post #11112389
The Demb-Flip is great, but like the Stofen, Fong Sphere, bounce-card etc etc, also useless without a ceiling or walls.

The only things that work efficiently without any help from surrounding surfaces are the ones that only fire forwards - like the various LumiQuest jobbies. That's why I like their Quik Bounce linked above, because it's good indoors where you can bounce the light around, but then just fold down the flaps and it good to go outside.

The Demb Flip-it (depending on the size of the card) turns the flash into a bigger light source. It also has a diffuser (that you don't have to use) that adds softness. It directs the flash forward and doesn't need a wall or ceiling.

1downfall wrote in post #11112369
Thank you all. ^ found this out through trial and error....have one sitting in the closet for 1year now...not being used!

I've found (through trial and error) that the small plastic cap diffuser can be somewhat beneficial but not nearly as good as bouncing or using a bounce card

Seanzky wrote in post #11112425
The Demb Flip-it (depending on the size of the card) turns the flash into a bigger light source. It also has a diffuser (that you don't have to use) that adds softness. It directs the flash forward and doesn't need a wall or ceiling.

Sure, I was referring to the regular Demb Flip-it, which is a really good, small and versatile bounce card.

But it doesn't make the size of the flash significantly bigger and does not make the light any softer without a wall or something to bounce off. For the optional diffuser to do anything, it needs a wall.

I know about the Mega-Flip (I think it's called) which is a much bigger affair. It's just a massive bounce card and I don't have much time for it compared to much better alternatives.

1downfall wrote in post #11107429
Hey all.....you know when you are hanging out with friends or family and just want those quick shots to capture and don't have the time or really the need for a light set up? Well...what type of diffuser to most of you use for your flash? I need something.....sometime​s bouncing is just not enough with my 430Ex.
Any suggestions?

Under what situations is bouncing just not enough?

The only times I have found I have really struggled with bouncing is in large convention sized venues (e.g. sit down meal catering for 300+ people) where the walls and ceilings are just too far away

In those instances I just use ambient light as I don't like direct flash (what you get with the diffusers in these cases is just direct flash), but would this apply to your situation?

smorter wrote in post #11112525
Under what situations is bouncing just not enough?

The only times I have found I have really struggled with bouncing is in large convention sized venues (e.g. sit down meal catering for 300+ people) where the walls and ceilings are just too far away

In those instances I just use ambient light as I don't like direct flash (what you get with the diffusers in these cases is just direct flash), but would this apply to your situation?

Quick instance.....Sister-in-law wanted me to stop by on the way hom,e and grab a few shots of her daughter dressed up for homecoming dance. I just came from soccer practice and had no other equip in my bag except 430ex and camera. Bare flash was harsh. No place to bounce. I wanted to soften the light off my flash.
I got decent pics that I can soften in CS5, but would rather soften the light as much as practical in a hurried situation like this one.