Inverted dome flash diffuser.

Glover
Posted 03/03/2010 - 19:46 Link
Had mine turn up today, only had a quick 5 mins with it and i have to say it seems pretty impressive.

Anyone else use one of these, how do you find it? do you use the different colour inverted domes? what sort of things do you find it handy for?

I bought it because of my aim to be shooting weddings and as i do i read as much info as poss on anything i'm going to be doing and these came up a few times.
Pentax K-5
DA 18-55mm AL WR DAL 50-200mm Tamron 70-300mm, Auto Chinon 28mm 2.8. sigma 30mm 1.4 DC
Metz 48 af-1
Flickr
Anvh
Posted 03/03/2010 - 20:20 Link
You mean something like this?
Comment Image


I really don't know how useful they are, the problem is they eat your light and they only work at there best if you've walls and ceilings where the light can bounce from.

I've a sto-fen and never used that thing... I just let the flash bounce from the ceiling or walls, works more pleasant for me.
One thing I do find very helpful and that's colour corrections gels, that's one thing I can advice you to get.

Besides that I've a small portable lights stand, umbrella and "bounce-board" to make portraits on location. it sound very professional but it's not XD

Here, this done with a simple bounced light from the ceiling, does it look different from the inverted dome flash diffuser?
[IMG]http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/kk244/Anvh/_IGP5937.jpg[/IMG]

ps. sorry for the framing, couldn't zoom out or walk through the wall. ^^;
Stefan
Comment Image

K10D, K5
DA* 16-50, DA* 50-135, D-FA 100 Macro, DA 40 Ltd, DA 18-55
AF-540FGZ
Edited by Anvh: 03/03/2010 - 20:21
bwlchmawr
Posted 03/03/2010 - 20:25 Link
Stefan,

He's wonderful. Reminds me of my boy a few years ago. What lovely soft lighting.

I made a diffuser that sits on my 1980s Vivitar 283, out of a two pint plastic milk bottle. Of course looks a bit Heath Robinson... but it does work!

Regards,

Andrew
Best wishes,

Andrew

"These places mean something and it's the job of a photographer to figure-out what the hell it is."
Robert Adams
"The camera doesn't make a bit of difference.  All of them can record what you are seeing.  But, you have to SEE."
Ernst Hass
My website: http://www.ephotozine.com/user/bwlchmawr-199050
http://s927.photobucket.com/home/ADC3440/index
https://www.flickr.com/photos/78898196@N05
Anvh
Posted 03/03/2010 - 21:10 Link
Thank you Andrew, it's already an old photo though but this one was already uploaded and all.

Like said just the flash was used with that photo bounced on the ceiling, I can't really see the need for those plastic adapters, they're too small to be really useful.
For around €70 I bought a lightstand, an umbrella and an flash adapter (holds the umbreall and flash on the light stand), I can't see why someone would buy a Gary Fong LightSphere for almost the same money.

I only have one stand now but when I've some money I'll get a second one and then I would have a simple portable studio (more or less).
If you've some powerful flash guns you could do group portraits with them.
Stefan
Comment Image

K10D, K5
DA* 16-50, DA* 50-135, D-FA 100 Macro, DA 40 Ltd, DA 18-55
AF-540FGZ
Edited by Anvh: 03/03/2010 - 21:11
Glover
Posted 03/03/2010 - 21:30 Link
Thx for the feedback, great picture

I basically bought it for weddings really, i have a portable studio with continuous lighting from softboxes and i do the same with the flashgun on a stand with umbrella, so i'm not sure i'll use it for portraits or not, i will have a play to see the results and post some shots when i do, like i say i think mainly i got it in view of weddings, it only cost £30 so worth a go i reckon.

this was taken with my current setup
Comment Image
Pentax K-5
DA 18-55mm AL WR DAL 50-200mm Tamron 70-300mm, Auto Chinon 28mm 2.8. sigma 30mm 1.4 DC
Metz 48 af-1
Flickr
Edited by Glover: 03/03/2010 - 21:37
Anvh
Posted 03/03/2010 - 21:53 Link
It does seem to work well for your photos
Was that shot in a close space, I'm very sceptical how they do it in an open space like a church or big hall.

What do you think of this link
It's a snoot but if you mount it like this it's has almost the same effect as an reflector. Probably less effective then so plastic thing indoors but this should work outdoors as well, but I first need to see it though.
Stefan
Comment Image

K10D, K5
DA* 16-50, DA* 50-135, D-FA 100 Macro, DA 40 Ltd, DA 18-55
AF-540FGZ
Glover
Posted 16/03/2010 - 09:44 Link
Heres an image i took with the diffuser, flashgun set at about 45 degrees.

Comment Image
Pentax K-5
DA 18-55mm AL WR DAL 50-200mm Tamron 70-300mm, Auto Chinon 28mm 2.8. sigma 30mm 1.4 DC
Metz 48 af-1
Flickr
Glover
Posted 16/03/2010 - 09:48 Link
Anvh wrote:
It does seem to work well for your photos
Was that shot in a close space, I'm very sceptical how they do it in an open space like a church or big hall.

What do you think of this link
It's a snoot but if you mount it like this it's has almost the same effect as an reflector. Probably less effective then so plastic thing indoors but this should work outdoors as well, but I first need to see it though.
The photo of my daughter was with my original setup without the diffuser.
I have often thought about these different snoots and things, not sure really i think i'd be thinking with a reflecter so close to the flash it would be difficult to get a good shot, reflectors like that i'd say need to be off camera and not so direct.
Pentax K-5
DA 18-55mm AL WR DAL 50-200mm Tamron 70-300mm, Auto Chinon 28mm 2.8. sigma 30mm 1.4 DC
Metz 48 af-1
Flickr

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