build.in flash diffuser/softbox?

[roisin_murphy]

I have a canon 350d, and would like to either buy or make a

softbox/diffuser for the build.in pop.up flash

I know most people would just get a cheap 420EX flash, but for the

maximum portability, it would help to get the most out of the build.in

flash.

Anyone has any recommendations?

<br><br>

So far google came up with these:

<br><br>

<a

href="http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?A=details&kw=MICD1000&is=REG&Q=&O=productlist&sku=63848">Minolta

CD-1000 Close-up Diffuser, $34 at B&H</a>

<br>

<img

src="http://mishilo.image.pbase.com/u43/john_down_under/upload/28143481.A1flashdifside.jpg"

/>

<br><br>

<a href="http://www.lumiquest.com/softscreen.htm">Lumiquest Softscreen</a>

<br>

<img src="http://www.lumiquest.com/images/softscreen.jpg" />

<br><br>

More ideas: <a

href="http://www.pbase.com/john_down_under/flash_diffusers">here</a>

[tom ferguson]

Here is a cheap & quick form of diffusion for pop-up flashes which I have heard about but never used myself - my camera does not have a pop-up flash.

 

A cigarette paper of the "roll your own" variety can be stuck to the top of the pop-up flash & folded so that it hangs in front & a little bit away from the flash. Different thicknesses of cigarette paper should give different amounts of diffusion. The possible problem I can foresee is that the paper may fall off without you noticing.

 

It would be interesting to find out how well this works.

 

Tom

[paul -]

Have you considered that the popup flash is already so weak (GN 43/feet) that the light loss from diffusing it could make it pretty much useless?

[peter_phan]

Judging from the sample images on Lumiquest's site, the effect of the diffuser seems to be extremely mild, at best. Frankly, I don't really see any difference at all, other than a slightly warmer color balance. The lack of a significant difference is probably because the diffuser panel sits so close to the light source, so you still get a very strong and small flash lightsource. The only way to get a more diffused lighting effect is to increase the size of the lightsource or to spread the light around more so it bounces around (off of side walls and ceiling surfaces) before reaching your subject. The Lumiquest Softscreen appears to no none of that.

<p>

 

 

 

 

To maintain portability, but still get better flash quality, you might consider getting the <a href="http://emedia.leeward.hawaii.edu/frary/canon220ex.htm">220EX</a>. The size of the flash head on the 220EX alone is already larger than what you get from any pop-up flash. The 220EX has a flash head that is about 6cm wide, compared to the pop-up which is only about 3cm wide-- it's twice the size of the pop-up. From there, you could affix a Stofen Omnibounce to the front of it. A Stofen Omnibounce oriented vertically (short side up) would probably fit quite nicely over the entire front of the 220EX body. Have the lower portion of the Omnibounce rest on the top of the camera body (atop the closed pop-up flash) and use two pieces of clear tape on either side of the Omnibounce and 220EX to keep it in place. It would probably do a better job of flash diffusion than the Lumiquest Softscreen because it would send light out in more of a bare-bulb fashion (forward, to the sides, above and below). Plus, a 220EX would also cope better with the power demands of using a diffuser because it is more powerful than a pop-up flash. And it won't run down your camera's battery because it uses its own batteries.

[roisin_murphy]

Well, if I was to get an external flash, I would go for the 420EX...

<br><br>

I wish every pop.up flash had two positions, like on the leica digilux2:<br><br>

<img src="http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/LeicaDigilux2/Images/flash01-001.jpg" />

<img src="http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/LeicaDigilux2/Images/flash02-001.jpg" />

[roisin_murphy]

Also, is the minolta hot.shoe the same as the canon one? would that CD-1000 attach to a canon hot.shoe?

[madhu1]

You can also use a piece of white cloth held with a rubberband around the on-camera or external flash. Works surprisingly well.

[lex_jenkins]

Years ago I homebrewed a simple diffusion device that's very much like the Lumiquest Softscreen. It's just a flexible sheet of transluscent white plastic. I use either Velcro fasteners or masking tape to affix it to either the outboard or onboard flash, including on my relatively tiny compact p&s digicam.

 

For three or four years (maybe longer) It's worked great. In all kinds of situations with various flashes and cameras it's delivered reliable flash. Most auto/TTL flash cameras can easily accomodate the very slight light loss. So the end result is a proper exposure with more diffuse flash. My +/- EV flash settings work just the same too.

 

I like the idea of anything that's durable, stows away easily (preferably flat when not in use) and works with such simplicity.

[yongbo]

I bought Sigma EF-500 DG Super Flash for my 300D. The flash has a build-in diffuser. If you take picture for the fly, the build-in flash will be block by the lens. http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=productlist&A=details&Q=&sku=352101&is=REG&addedTroughType=search

[jcuknz]

Some have suggest the use of a plastic coffee cup stuck on top of camera .. better than just something in front of the flash due to it's large surface area. But most digitals flash are as weak as a kitten and only useful, excellent for syncro-sunlight, and being so close to the lens create a minimum shadow in the subject.

 

You may strike problems if the sensor is built into the flash unit and not some way away as in the Nikon camera illustrated. The sensor will be so overwhelmed with light that you will get even darker pictures than many do without a diffuser.

 

The camera illustrated looks like a 5000 and with it's tilting forward trigger has been suspected of dark results due to ham fisted operators having a large finger on the trigger which reflected light back into the sensor just beside.

 

If you kept the plastic wrapper your camera came in you could make the second photo version yourself :-)

[rob_murray]

slit open a fuji flim cannister so it will fit over the small flash head. A friction fit or velcro would keep it there.

[roisin_murphy]

So I just built couple home.made diffusers, either from white thick paper or plastic vitamin containers. But since they are all white, lots of the flash light bounces backwards, even heavily hitting my eyes when shooting with it. I probably need something with black back and sides...