Omnibounce on 550ex - dumb question

[alex_tudor]

I'm just getting into flash photography - I've been solely into

natural light up until now. So I got the 550ex for my EOS 1v and an

Omnibounce.

 

This will come across as a stupid question, but here it is:

 

The Omnibounce is just supposed to slide over the flash, but do I

press it all the way down, or leave some room between the plastic

front and the head of the flash? The reason I ask this silly

question is that it seems like I have to really struggle to push it

down and it doesn't feel right being so rigid. Never mind pulling it

back up! Of course I got the right Omnibounce, but it doesn't feel

like it should. And since I don't know if I need to leave room

between the flash head and the plastic I ask myself if this is

normal.

 

Do I just push the damn thing all the way down? Or halfway? I'd

never thought I'd ask such a silly question! Do I lubricate it :)?

[cgo]

The OmniBouce is indeed stiff to apply. If you feel the inside of your OmniBounce, you feel a ledge at about the 3/4" mark - that's how far it is meant to go onto the flash head. The remaining 1/2" is to remain ahead of the flash head.

[danny_spry]

There is a " T " on the face of the omnibounce that inticates the top. Make sure this is right side up when you are putting this on your flash.

[ian_felgar]

I had the same problem with the one for the 420EX. Don't worry, they are made a little too tight. It does get a little easier to do in time. As someone said in another thread, the omnibounce is not rocket science, so don't worry about getting it "perfect." As long as it is securely on the flash, it should do its job. However, it is ideally supposed to be pushed on up to the ridge (i.e. the "fatter" part goes over the flash head, and the "skinnier" part sits in front).