Here's without diffuser. Hard light. (See the diffuser in front. The black part fits in the hot-shoe.)
Below, here's with diffuser. About a 40mm-e zoom setting. Somewhat softened. But no replacement for professional flash solutions.
Below: with diffuser, but the lens zoomed out to 28mm-equivalent, the diffuser does not cover that wide angle. Not on the Pana G1 anyway, it would depend on how far the front of the flash is from the hot-shoe and thus the diffuser itself.
Update: Mark mentions the LumiQuest ProMax Pocket Bouncer, it seems very promising. Although reviews are mixed: many are very enthusiastic, but some do say that the softening effect is minimal, that it still looks like direct flash. And looking at the smallish surface area, I can believe that it's at least limited.Sukiho said:
As far as small diffusers go nothing beats a sheet of A4 paper and some sellotape.
Forget the diffuser. I'm looking at that Martian space helmet. (I'm assuming the Martian who wore it is no longer with us...)
ReplyDeleteDidn't you buy a set of studio strobe lights some time ago? Surely those would give you the best results inside, at least.
ReplyDeleteSo when do you think the pop up built in flash almost all SLRs now have will have a bounce mode? I mean, just a few more detents and a full 90deg rotation to point to the ceiling.
ReplyDeleteActually, why don't they add a second flash or bright white LED below the lens too, I find some shots the flash is shadowed by the lens, and I'm left wanting a ring light.
Mike, the martian is properly buried in our back yard.
ReplyDeleteTTL, yes, the studio light is better, but clumsy.
Alex, I'm guessing those things are mechanically complex.
Also, thinking about, many popup flashes struggle to light up more than two meters, so maybe they're too weak for bounced flash.
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ReplyDeleteI too dislike on-camera weak flashguns which really only give very good red-eye problems.
ReplyDeleteI started to bounce flash off the ceiling etc. using a small Vivitar 'Zoom Thyristor 2500' flashgun on an Olympus 35RC and Leica M2, to considerable satisfaction. Then, many years ago, I bought a Lumiquest Promax Pocket Bouncer which folds flat and in use Velcros to the Pentax AF280T flashgun which goes on the hot shoe of my Pentax Super Programme camera (yes, that many years ago - the camera was bought in 1983 and went out of use when I 'went digital' in 2004). The Bouncer can be fastened to any flashgun with a tilting/rotating head and you can buy self-adhesive Velcro patches at most hardware stores. Very cost-effective and versatile, and suits my needs for portability, diffusion and adequacy if you have to use flash on or close to the camera. Those flashguns can also be mounted on a separate bracket to offset the flashgun from the hot shoe, to even greater effect - softer light and even less red-eye and shadowing around the subject.
That Gary Fong device seems like a very bulky piece of expensive plastic . . .
Mark, I'm curious as to why you removed your nice insight in diffusers?
ReplyDeleteAh, there it is again, edited slightly.
ReplyDeleteThanks.
Good points.
The point about the Fong device's price is well taken. Although while plastic objects are normally very cheap, they only are so because of big bulk sales. To create the metal mold to make a plastic object is very expensive.
as far as small diffusers go nothing beats a sheet of A4 paper and some sellotape
ReplyDeleteApart from the fact of it being vulnerable, that's an interesting point, I have never tried it. I'm sure it's a very good diffuser. (Steal a lot of the light maybe?)
ReplyDelete