WTB: Flash bounce

fredjclaus

I'm looking to buy a Gary Fong, or Lumiquest flash bounce. Doing some weddings and need a way for the flash to be pointed up but still bounce down.

Art Scott

Check out Lumiquest and their Super Seconds ...........I have used the Fong styled diffuser and
due to it weight and inflexibility I have stuck with Lumiquest Softboxes....but their bounce kits look great......or there are the DIY bouncedrs that Ziggy uses
Just need to search for them on here........

Good Luck

GadgetRick

I have a regular Gary Fong diffuser I'd be willing to part with.

Te Amo

Buy a pack of white index cards from the office supply store for $0.99. It's cheaper, and better than a big piece of tupperware on your flash.

ziggy53

I'm a big believer in DIY for flash modifiers:

You can create your own light modifiers (DIY). A couple that I can recommend are:

http://www.fototime.com/inv/908195739C4C0D3

http://abetterbouncecard.com/

Joe Demb also makes an interesting device for sale (reasonable):

http://www.dembflashproducts.com/flipit/

I own a FlipIt product and it works well and is very well made.

A site showing various modifiers in use:

http://www.the-meissners.org/2006-small-albums/2006-flashmod/index.html

fredjclaus

Thanks Art and Ziggy,

I'm leaning toward the Pocket bouncer but I also like the first DIY link you gave me. Sort of a home made pocket bouncer. I'll have to try that this weekend.

fredjclaus

Ziggy,

I've had some time to take a look at the "better Bounce Card" and the DIY one. I'm visiting my local walmart and picking up some foamie so I can make my own. I have a question for you and Art though.

when I shoot with the camera in portrait mode, I have the problem illistrated in this photograph. If I tilt and swivel the flash so it's still on the hotshoe but puting up at the ceiling still, then having the bouncer attached. Will that set up help to reduce the shadow effect I'm getting on the right side of each of these men?

Art Scott

it should and you might need to rotate the modifier so that it is actually pointing at your subjects.............
this is where a camera rotator flash bracket comes in real handy or a monopod like the Giottos P-pod that has 3 screw in legs
and you just mount the flash on it and shoot wirelessly if you system will do that...............

ziggy53

I agree with Art that you need to use a flash bracket and off-camera cord for best results and to keep the flash above the lens axis in order to place the shadows behind the subjects. A suitable bracket will also put the flash further above the camera, allowing the shadows to fall even further behind the subjects.

Remember that a bounce card of any variety "requires" using either a ceiling or wall as a reflector for the primary source of illumination. The bounce card itself is only used as a fill light to reduce the facial shadows.

The scoop type reflector is rather the opposite and can act as a primary source of illumination and the ceiling will still bounce some light back when available. The scoop works well on a bracket when there is no ceiling available or with a very high ceiling. I often use it outdoors. A bracket is potentially even more important to use with the scoop as it allows the light to come at a higher and more natural angle.

When used at fairly close distances the light from a scoop is still nice even without a bracket.

fredjclaus

Thanks guys, I am currently shopping around for a good bracket but I'm looking for one that is similar to the StroboFlip I used to have.

Art Scott

I am getting ready to put up on the FM 2 stroboframes....1 RL2000 and 1 RB4..gotta get photos later this evening and items on Fm by tomorrrow
Oh FM= flea market.......NOT fred miranda.... :-]]

Nikonic1

A second for the lumiquest products. I have had great experiences with them.

catspaw

Tossing this out here, but Lumiquest has a clearance spot on their website -- just give them a call to see which ones are in stock (it's ever changing) and you can get stuff at a great price. Great service over the phone too!

http://www.lumiquest.com/sale.htm

fredjclaus

Art and ziggy.

I was at my local camera store today and saw this bracket up close. It was about $40.00 more at my store than on B&H. What do you think of it?

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/549954-REG/Stroboframe_310_625EX_Pro_Digital_Folding_Flip_Flash.html

I'm also looking at this one too.

http://www.amazon.com/Opteka-Rotating-Bracket-Digital-External/dp/B00337QLNM/ref=sr_1_34?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1281403682&sr=8-34

Art Scott

Fred,
I wouold be more inclined to get the opteka bracket as the stroboframe........as much as I like and have
used stroboframes........I only like camera rotator brackets......I want my flash to stay 100% centered over my lens axis........also I want the flash to be horizontal at all times.......

The only flash rotator I would ever consider is the Newton Folding Bracket but I would also recommed buying directly from Mr Newton.....the price is the same but BH does not always have them in stock when the website says they are in stock..............

ziggy53

fredjclaus wrote: »

Art and ziggy.

I was at my local camera store today and saw this bracket up close. It was about $40.00 more at my store than on B&H. What do you think of it?

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/549954-REG/Stroboframe_310_625EX_Pro_Digital_Folding_Flip_Flash.html

I'm also looking at this one too.

http://www.amazon.com/Opteka-Rotating-Bracket-Digital-External/dp/B00337QLNM/ref=sr_1_34?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1281403682&sr=8-34

Do you have a camera with a battery grip or vertical grip? I don't believe that either linked model will accomodate a gripped camera.

Do you want the flash bracket to mount to the left or to the right? I think that the first link mounts to the left, which I don't like.

---

The bracket which I have and which I use and which I like is the Stroboframe Pro-T, which mounts to the right and ahead of the camera, out of the way of both hands.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/675556-REG/Stroboframe_310_800EX.html

http://www.adorama.com/SB310800EX.html

It will fit gripped cameras and has good adjustability for different camera/flash combinations. It does not rotate the camera, so it does not meet Art's criteria. I do like the handling and I have no plans to change brackets. I rather like the ability to "sweep" the flash to different orientations as needed.

Here are some images (of mine) of how it mounts and how I use it:

met

ziggy53 wrote: »

I'm a big believer in DIY for flash modifiers:

You can create your own light modifiers (DIY). A couple that I can recommend are:

http://www.fototime.com/inv/908195739C4C0D3

I just made one of these a few days ago for a wedding just out of white poster board that I shot on Friday and loved it. It worked like a dream and seriously reduced the harsh side shadow even with my flash on camera. Because I didn't put black foam on the back, sometimes I swiveled my flash all the way around so the back of it was pointed towards my subject and that also created some nice fill. It created some nice soft light and I noticed added a bit of pleasing warmth as well. Here's a couple examples of some vertically shot with flash on camera. The other light sources were a small bedroom window (which you can see in the background of one of them and a small floor lamp).







And here's an example with the exact same flash on camera with no diffuser turned and bounced off a white tent. I would say the amount of ambient light was fairly similar to the above shots.