Pop up flash diffuser

[Justb]

Hey everyone,
Has anyone here used a pop up flash diffuser before. I have no real need for a hotshoe flash atm. Anyone got tips on making one or used any good products before

[chrisk]

theres heaps of home made jobbies to be had. i used to use an empty film container back when i used film. i've also seen the handle of a 2ltr milk container used.

[Mr Darcy]

It can be as simple as draping a tissue over the top.

[chrisk]

teabag...

[ATJ]

Note that for a diffuser to be really effective it needs to spread the light over a larger area as the light source.

By default a flash is a point light source and you need to convert it to a light source which starts from a larger area. This is the principle behind a soft box. The diffuser needs to be larger than the flash head and far enough away from the light head so that the light from the flash spreads before it hits the diffuser.

[kiwi]

Try a ping pong ball, don't laugh, it really works

[Pa]

I've used a piece of white paper to divert to a wall or the ceiling to spread the light...had some good results.

[Steffen]

Wasn't there a SpeedLight once that had a fold-down diffuser for the built-in flash? It looked like a good idea at the time, but I don't think the SpeedLight was all that powerful.

Cheers
Steffen.

[ATJ]

Wasn't there a SpeedLight once that had a fold-down diffuser for the built-in flash? It looked like a good idea at the time, but I don't think the SpeedLight was all that powerful.

SB800 has that. Problem is that unless you have the flash pretty close to the subject, it still works as a point light source and provides little benefit other than increasing the field of coverage (i.e. when using a wide angle lens).

[Steffen]

Wasn't there a SpeedLight once that had a fold-down diffuser for the built-in flash? It looked like a good idea at the time, but I don't think the SpeedLight was all that powerful.

SB800 has that.

Ah, that's not what I mean. There used to be a SpeedLight with a diffuser card that folded over the built-in flash.

Cheers
Steffen.

[jammy2]

Here a review of an interesting diffuser for pop-up flashes called the lightscoop. Not sure if the device is available here but been meaning to try to replicate the results by rigging the right-angled accessory often provided for scanning slides on a flat-bed scanner =)

The review link
http://www.camerahobby.com/Access_Lightscoop.html

cheers,
Ken

[ATJ]

Looks like the Lightscoop can be purchased online: http://lightscoop.com/

Note that the Lightscoop is more about bouncing the light and getting the diffusion that way, rather than a straight diffuser like a soft box. It would be fairly easy, even with cardboard, to make something that is the same basic shape that works as a diffuser/softbox.

mmm... long weekend coming up, maybe I have a project.

[bloop]

http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.10920

I am just about to order one, can't go wrong at that price really.

[Steffen]

Looks like a cool gadget, too cheap not to own. I think I'm going to order one, too, once I found out about the shipping cost and whether it is available from a local supplier...

Cheers
Steffen.

[Joshman]

hey, i have plans to make one out of cardboard later on today. i plan to make 2, both will be for bouncing light onto a wall or ceiling,, but one will be for bouncing the light up and one for bouncing the light sideways.

i'll let you know how i goes with my efforts.

[Joshman]

hey guys, here's my pop-up flash diffuser that i whipped up yesterday, i didn't get around to making the sideways one, but it's still on the cards to do.

i drew and cut out my design on whitepaper first then, simply glued it over the top of a piece of black card, then re-cut it out. not the fastest, neatest or more efficient way of doing it, but it works well enough.

the diffuser


test shot of freaky gnome, without diffuser


test shot of freaky gnome, with diffuser

[StarForge]

How well does that paper diffuser fold up for travel? Do you have any other photos of it from another angle?

[Joshman]

lol, never bothered to design it for travel, it was a stop gap till i could afford a hot shoe flash.

now i just point the articulated head at teh roof.

sorry.

[StarForge]

Hehe no problem mate, I was just wondering