Use of opaque diffuser on 550ex flash

Many professional photographers (eg newspaper and wedding photographers)
have a plastic opaque flash diffuser attached.

From what I have read this will disperse the harsh flash light but will use
a lot of power to ensure adequate light coverage of the subject.

I have seen wedding photgraphers with this type of flash diffuser attached
even when using a long lens inside a church.

Some photographers also set the flash in a bounce setting (ie say 45
degrees) with the diffuser attached and still take photos in open space (ie
away from white ceilings).

I would like to buy a diffuser but what settings will I need to ensure
effective use of the flash ie set flash to overexpose?

What are the good and bad points of these types of diffusers?

How effective are they compared to other types of diffusers?

My main aim is to eliminate "deer in the headlight" type shots using my
flash.

regards

PeterH

PeterH wrote:
Many professional photographers (eg newspaper and wedding photographers)
have a plastic opaque flash diffuser attached.
From what I have read this will disperse the harsh flash light but will use
a lot of power to ensure adequate light coverage of the subject.
I have seen wedding photgraphers with this type of flash diffuser attached
even when using a long lens inside a church.
Some photographers also set the flash in a bounce setting (ie say 45
degrees) with the diffuser attached and still take photos in open space (ie
away from white ceilings).
I would like to buy a diffuser but what settings will I need to ensure
effective use of the flash ie set flash to overexpose?
What are the good and bad points of these types of diffusers?
How effective are they compared to other types of diffusers?
My main aim is to eliminate "deer in the headlight" type shots using my
flash.

Surely you do not mean opaque. Maybe you mean translucent. Opaque would mean a
gobo. Many digital cameras use a pre-flash for metering purposes, so any
reduction of light intensity due to a diffuser is offset.

---Bob Gross---

"PeterH" reply to wrote in message
...
Many professional photographers (eg newspaper and wedding
photographers) have a plastic opaque flash diffuser attached.

A popular one is from http://www.stofen.com/ . Besides, not opaque but
similar looking to opaline.

From what I have read this will disperse the harsh flash light but
will use a lot of power to ensure adequate light coverage of the
subject.

It provides two important features; increasing the size of the light
emitting surface, and using bounced light from surrounding surfaces. Both
will help softening shadows and visually improve the angle of illumination.
A lot of light is diffused in non-image directions, so you effectively lose
a couple of stops.

I have seen wedding photgraphers with this type of flash diffuser
attached even when using a long lens inside a church.

Without walls/ceilings to bounce some of the light from, and shooting from a
distance, will nullify the effect of a diffuser. They only lose light and
wear out their flash faster.

Some photographers also set the flash in a bounce setting (ie say 45
degrees) with the diffuser attached and still take photos in open space
(ie
away from white ceilings).

It may increase the size of the light emitting surface (causing only
slightly softer shadows), and add catchlights in the eyes of the 'victims',
but most of all it wastes light.

I would like to buy a diffuser but what settings will I need to ensure
effective use of the flash ie set flash to overexpose?

Depends on your flash/camera combination. Modern combinations can compensate
for the circumstances quite well.

What are the good and bad points of these types of diffusers?

As mentioned above. An obvious negative point for all diffusers is the
inevitable loss of flash range, so it works best with a powerful flash. For
a more effective softening, you'll need a larger surface and you may want to
check out the Lumiquest range of accessories (http://www.lumiquest.com) but
do make sure the diffuser doesn't cover any camera/flash sensors.

Bart

"PeterH" reply to wrote in message
...
Many professional photographers (eg newspaper and wedding
photographers) have a plastic opaque flash diffuser attached.

A popular one is from http://www.stofen.com/ . Besides, not opaque but
similar looking to opaline.

From what I have read this will disperse the harsh flash light but
will use a lot of power to ensure adequate light coverage of the
subject.

It provides two important features; increasing the size of the light
emitting surface, and using bounced light from surrounding surfaces. Both
will help softening shadows and visually improve the angle of illumination.
A lot of light is diffused in non-image directions, so you effectively lose
a couple of stops.

I have seen wedding photgraphers with this type of flash diffuser
attached even when using a long lens inside a church.

Without walls/ceilings to bounce some of the light from, and shooting from a
distance, will nullify the effect of a diffuser. They only lose light and
wear out their flash faster.

Some photographers also set the flash in a bounce setting (ie say 45
degrees) with the diffuser attached and still take photos in open space
(ie
away from white ceilings).

It may increase the size of the light emitting surface (causing only
slightly softer shadows), and add catchlights in the eyes of the 'victims',
but most of all it wastes light.

I would like to buy a diffuser but what settings will I need to ensure
effective use of the flash ie set flash to overexpose?

Depends on your flash/camera combination. Modern combinations can compensate
for the circumstances quite well.

What are the good and bad points of these types of diffusers?

As mentioned above. An obvious negative point for all diffusers is the
inevitable loss of flash range, so it works best with a powerful flash. For
a more effective softening, you'll need a larger surface and you may want to
check out the Lumiquest range of accessories (http://www.lumiquest.com) but
do make sure the diffuser doesn't cover any camera/flash sensors.

Bart

PeterH wrote:

Many professional photographers (eg newspaper and wedding photographers)
have a plastic opaque flash diffuser attached.

newspaper guys sometimes just tape a white card over the top of
flash and stick it out as a reflector with the head up 45-60 deg.
(softer light and away from the lens axis). Some Nikon flash
units have a little reflector built in, not sure about Canon.)

From what I have read this will disperse the harsh flash light but will use
a lot of power to ensure adequate light coverage of the subject.

About 1.5 to 2.5 stops of loss for something like a Sto-fen.
Depends a large degree on the walls/ceiling around you when you
shoot. The more, and the closer to them, the less loss.


I have seen wedding photgraphers with this type of flash diffuser attached
even when using a long lens inside a church.

Fairly useless at long range. The value of a stofen is really
when the walls/ceiling are white. The difuser gets the flash
light bouncing off of all of them resulting in a softer light at
the expense of quicker battery drain.

Some photographers also set the flash in a bounce setting (ie say 45
degrees) with the diffuser attached and still take photos in open space (ie
away from white ceilings).

At 45 to 60 deg and no ceiling (or walls) the only benefit is
that the light is further from the lens axis (component of red
eye) the light is slightly less punctual (softer), but not much.

I would like to buy a diffuser but what settings will I need to ensure
effective use of the flash ie set flash to overexpose?

On a TTL or pre-flash system nothing. The pre-flash will measure
the return and set the flash for that return. So if you
attenuate the return, the flash will remain on longer.

What are the good and bad points of these types of diffusers?

Pros: softer light when used right, light, compact, easy to carry
around, less suscpetibilty to red eye when angled up ... although
if you open up the aperture to compensate for the loss of light,
then red eye susceptibilty increases... (another reason to stick
to aperture priority).

Cons: $, more junk in the bag to carry around, loss of max flash
power (really means batteries drain quicker as the flash is on
more for each shot. Big photogs carry big flashes and spare
batteries).


How effective are they compared to other types of diffusers?

Depends on the situation. If there is at least one white surface
(wall/ceiling) that the light can be played to, you are way ahead
of having nothing.

A lumiquest 80-20 is another solution, but quite bulky and
attracts attention that you might not like during use. There are
also mini softboxes that can be added to your flash head.

My main aim is to eliminate "deer in the headlight" type shots using my
flash.

45 to 60 deg to get it up with a difuser. Or get the flash head
off of the camera (wire or wireless) hand held or on a flash
bracket. I often place a two or three wireless (not slave, but
TTL wireless) flashes at venues I'm shooting. Great results and
occasional oddballs.

Cheers,
Alan

--
-- rec.photo.equipment.35mm user resource:
-- http://www.aliasimages.com/rpe35mmur.htm
-- e-meil: there's no such thing as a FreeLunch.--

PeterH wrote:

Many professional photographers (eg newspaper and wedding photographers)
have a plastic opaque flash diffuser attached.

newspaper guys sometimes just tape a white card over the top of
flash and stick it out as a reflector with the head up 45-60 deg.
(softer light and away from the lens axis). Some Nikon flash
units have a little reflector built in, not sure about Canon.)

From what I have read this will disperse the harsh flash light but will use
a lot of power to ensure adequate light coverage of the subject.

About 1.5 to 2.5 stops of loss for something like a Sto-fen.
Depends a large degree on the walls/ceiling around you when you
shoot. The more, and the closer to them, the less loss.


I have seen wedding photgraphers with this type of flash diffuser attached
even when using a long lens inside a church.

Fairly useless at long range. The value of a stofen is really
when the walls/ceiling are white. The difuser gets the flash
light bouncing off of all of them resulting in a softer light at
the expense of quicker battery drain.

Some photographers also set the flash in a bounce setting (ie say 45
degrees) with the diffuser attached and still take photos in open space (ie
away from white ceilings).

At 45 to 60 deg and no ceiling (or walls) the only benefit is
that the light is further from the lens axis (component of red
eye) the light is slightly less punctual (softer), but not much.

I would like to buy a diffuser but what settings will I need to ensure
effective use of the flash ie set flash to overexpose?

On a TTL or pre-flash system nothing. The pre-flash will measure
the return and set the flash for that return. So if you
attenuate the return, the flash will remain on longer.

What are the good and bad points of these types of diffusers?

Pros: softer light when used right, light, compact, easy to carry
around, less suscpetibilty to red eye when angled up ... although
if you open up the aperture to compensate for the loss of light,
then red eye susceptibilty increases... (another reason to stick
to aperture priority).

Cons: $, more junk in the bag to carry around, loss of max flash
power (really means batteries drain quicker as the flash is on
more for each shot. Big photogs carry big flashes and spare
batteries).


How effective are they compared to other types of diffusers?

Depends on the situation. If there is at least one white surface
(wall/ceiling) that the light can be played to, you are way ahead
of having nothing.

A lumiquest 80-20 is another solution, but quite bulky and
attracts attention that you might not like during use. There are
also mini softboxes that can be added to your flash head.

My main aim is to eliminate "deer in the headlight" type shots using my
flash.

45 to 60 deg to get it up with a difuser. Or get the flash head
off of the camera (wire or wireless) hand held or on a flash
bracket. I often place a two or three wireless (not slave, but
TTL wireless) flashes at venues I'm shooting. Great results and
occasional oddballs.

Cheers,
Alan

--
-- rec.photo.equipment.35mm user resource:
-- http://www.aliasimages.com/rpe35mmur.htm
-- e-meil: there's no such thing as a FreeLunch.--

About 1.5 to 2.5 stops of loss for something like a Sto-fen.
Depends a large degree on the walls/ceiling around you when you
shoot. The more, and the closer to them, the less loss.


I am finding my use of a Lumiquest pocketbounce with a Fuji S2 Pro and SB-28
flash seems to consistently underexpose. This is even after doing one stop
of exposure compensation and one of flash compensation (obviously both to
overexpose).


I have seen wedding photgraphers with this type of flash diffuser
attached
even when using a long lens inside a church.


There is no question, as soon as you put a diffuser on your flash, people
assume you are the pro there, whether you actually are shooting the event
professionally or just for your own.

Zinchuk

About 1.5 to 2.5 stops of loss for something like a Sto-fen.
Depends a large degree on the walls/ceiling around you when you
shoot. The more, and the closer to them, the less loss.


I am finding my use of a Lumiquest pocketbounce with a Fuji S2 Pro and SB-28
flash seems to consistently underexpose. This is even after doing one stop
of exposure compensation and one of flash compensation (obviously both to
overexpose).


I have seen wedding photgraphers with this type of flash diffuser
attached
even when using a long lens inside a church.


There is no question, as soon as you put a diffuser on your flash, people
assume you are the pro there, whether you actually are shooting the event
professionally or just for your own.

Zinchuk