Alternative Ideas for flash diffuser

[rachelle_m.]

Hi all,

 

I'm leaving for New Zealand to shoot my first wedding and all the

film, plus diffuser, I ordered from B&H weeks ago has not arrived

which means I'll have to buy all of it again today. However, I

would prefer not to have to buy a second sto-fen diffuser for my SB-

28 since I know its "in the mail" and I won't need two. However, I

will need to use something (and test it today!) over the flash --

this will be an outdoor wedding on the beach, reception will also be

outdoors, possibly under cover. Unless it's raining heavily,

everything will be outside and I was planning on using direct,

diffused flash for those purposes. So, with that in mind, I would

like some ideas about some cheap, but effective, diffusers I might

be able to make/buy very quickly.

 

I have seen the posts about the modified gatorade and rubbing

alcohol bottles, was just wondering if there are other ideas out

there about what I can I do.

 

Cheers.

[iskandar_azaman___kuala_lu]

Get a few white business cards and a rubber band.

[al_kaplan1]

The business cards work great for kicking a little fill when you're doing ceiling bounce but don't diffuse the main output of direct flash. Any small Tupperware type plastic food storage container, one with a frosted surface will work. Some disposeable plastic drink cups are also frosted. To get a better fit cut some slits down from the rim and then use a heavy rubber band.

[Ed_Ingold]

How do you know you won't need two Sto-Fens diffusers? Put the other one on your spare flash in case one gets lost or cracked (it happens). They're not that expensive, are they?

 

I use a Sto-Fens outside at distances of 8 feet or less, for better WA coverage and less chance of overexposure. The light is not really softer when there's no ceiling and walls around. Direct flash is often too hot at close range.

[steve_levine]

I'd suggest running a test roll with whatever you end up using, before you use it!

[harris_goldstein]

Any decent art store will have sheets of acetate in various thickness and opacity. I've used thin acetate (thickness of writing paper) and cut and folded it so it is right over the flash. A rubber band holds it in place. Can be doubled over for more effect. You can use slightly thicker acetate (that holds it's shape better), fold it over, then pull it out a bit to more closely replicate the Sto-fen diffuser. Buy a couple of options and test.

[jeffcallen]

A small, frosted plastic bottle of Isopropal alcohol can work well once you drain it and cut off

the top, you may need some gaffers tape to hold it on your flash... It may smell, but it's

worked well for me.... somewhat more like a Fong diffuser than a sto-fen...

[darrin ballman www.crossl]

like Al's comment - something with that frosted look handles the direct flash well. Any number of frosted vellum papers would work. I've used different sheets of the Roscoe diffusers for years with good results. Of course - I've got a great specialty paper store nearby that carries about 30 types - I suppose a Hobby Lobby or Michael's might have a variety too. Plus....it looks a little more "natural" on the flash than some things might!

[corrie sweiger]

Even MATTE scotch tape(the frosty kind) taped right on to the flash can make a great diffuser. Ive heard of people making diffuser out of milk jugs, and im sure that they work great, but i doubt you'd want to show up at a wedding like that: )

[manolis1]

My home made diffusers...<div></div>

[Zootman]

You might do a search of this site for the topic of using a sto-fen outside. I love t use it indoors, but have concluded along with others that it does very little outside except reduce the power of your flash.

[stephen_kruft]

I still think the card (I use about 8 inches of the white back of part of a gray card, cut the width of the head) and rubber bands, with the flash tilted up and the card face forward, makes a big improvement if you don't have the modern diffuser.

[rachelle_m.]

Hi everyone,

 

Wow -- thanks for all those suggestions. I'm going to try the small plastic containers -- will try to find something in the right kind of size. Although the tape sounds good too! Yes, I'm definitely going to run a test roll as well, and if I have the opportunity closer to the wedding, I'll try using my friend (the bride) as a model to test various lighting situations.

 

Hopefully, in a few weeks time, I'll have something good to post for all of you - notwithstanding the bride and groom of course! ;-)

 

Cheers!

[corrie sweiger]

Emmanouil, what kind of containers were the square one? Those look like they'd do the job nicely.

[manolis1]

Corrie,

 

It is a rubbing alcohol container. You can cut it shorter (the same size as a sto-fen difusser) if you want. It fit perfectly on almost any flash. I use it on Nikon SB-28, vivitar 283 and sunpak 383. When I use that container or the sto-fen diffuser on SB-28 I use the wide flash adapter of the flash as well, at the same time. That combination gives me even softer light.

[corrie sweiger]

Im going to have to try that, thanks!

[paul.thomsen]

Just for my own curiosity how do these ideas of small homemade diffusers and smaller bought ones compare against the little diffuser Nikon provide with the SB800? http://www.adorama.com/NKSW10H.html

[jasonsmith]

You could also dial your flash down to -1.5 to -2 stops and dont use a diffuser. This will also safe your battery life etc. If you go this way I would use standard TTL and opposed to Daylight Balanced Fill Flash as you dont know how much the latter will compensate.