Omni-bounce and appropriate flash settings?

[dustin_hatcher]

<p>Hi All,</p>

<p>I noticed on some of the Nikon and Canon flashes when you use the built-in bounce card + diffuser the flash automatically goes to a certain zoom setting (like 14mm for the 580ex II).</p>

<p>I was curious if its common-place to set a similar zoom setting when you're using something like the Stofen Omni-bounce on the flash? I always thought you were supposed to set it to max zoom in order to get the full power of the flash?</p>

<p>Just trying to settle some curiosity here and see what other's opinions/thoughts are. :)</p>

[picturesque]

<p>Don't know about Nikon flashes, but with Canon flashes, the head zooms to 50mm when you tilt or swivel it. If you put the wide angle diffuser down, the head zooms to 14mm, whether you have it tilted or swiveled.</p>

<p>The zoom is useful for bouncing off ceilings and walls, because the narrower you zoom, the more concentrated a beam you send to the bounce surface. If you try to bounce your flash with the head zoomed to 14mm (without a modifier), the flash beam is spread so wide, it might not reach your bounce surface--or at least, when it does, it is so weakened, the bounce is not effective. This is why it is useful to narrow the beam when bouncing off high ceilings, and to widen the beam when bouncing off low ceilings. Experiment with this, and you will see a difference in the bounce effect on the subject.</p>

<p>When you put an OmniBounce on, tilted, probably the 50mm angle is fine, although you can still toy with the zoom position further. When you use it, but with the head straight forward, you probably want to manually set your zoom angle because it won't automatically go to 50mm, and you want to help the Omni spread the beam widely. Test it this way using a narrow angle and a wide angle, and under indoor circumstances, you can see a difference. Outdoors, you won't.</p>

[dustin_hatcher]

<p>Ok, so not a hard fast rule by any means. I figured that's about how it ought to work, I just wanted to double-check I wasn't missing out on anything. :) Thank you Nadine!</p>

[picturesque]

<p>Sorry--I meant to say, above, that with the wide angle diffuser down, the head zooms to 14mm, regardless of tilt or swivel.</p>

[wedding-photography-denver]

<p>That is the same with Nikon's 900.</p>

<p>If you zoom to the 85mm setting, less flash is diffused due to the head retracting within the case of the flash head. If you use the wide setting (14mm or less) the flash tube is moved to the fore of the flash making the spread of light somewhat greater within the Omni bounce.</p>

<p>So, if you want the most diffused light from it, then the widest stetting applies. If you don't care too much anything from there to the 35 - 50 will work, just less light emanating from the flash position and more will be bounced form the surface you are aiming it at.</p>

<p>Hope that makes sense.</p>

<p> </p>

[lex_jenkins]

<p>I've been running some tests using my Nikon D2H and SB-800 for a possible article, comparing the standard pop-on dome included with the SB-800 (very similar to the Sto-Fen Omni Bounce) with various homebrewed diffusers.</p>

<p>I haven't quite finished yet but to sum up, the homebrewed diffuser, which can range from double to quadruple the height of the standard Nikon diffuser, does create a very slightly softer light, but no significant difference in exposure (very limited testing conditions, which I'll detail). That surprised me.</p>

<p>I've tried flash head positions ranging from 14mm to 24mm to 105mm. In bounce position (flash head straight up), the differences are negligible, hardly worth considering. There is a difference when the flash head is aimed straight forward, with the "wider" focal length defaults for the flash head position creating softer light, the 105mm setting creating a harder light that, as you might expect, would be better suited to use with telephotos at longer distances.</p>