newbe- umbrella, softbox, reflector question

shaylou

shaylou

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I'm new to flashes and was wondering if someone could give me a better idea of how and what these are used for. I understand that the umbrella and softbox are defusers but I don't know what the difference in uses really are. Reflectors, well they reflect and can be used to bounce but is there more uses.
Lastly, the small plastic defusers that attach on the flash seem like a must. Is that correct?

Thanks for all your help.
 
A brolly and softbox as you say diffuse the light. They make it softer by increasing the size of the light source.

A brolly however throws light out and it spreads everywhere. A softbox provides a more directional light (generally better).

A reflector again as you say bounces light to genrally reduce contrast (soften shadows). The colour and material used can be different so you get a different effect like gold providing a warm fill or silver a sharper cleaner look.

the stofen diffuser on your flash spreads the light on your flash gun which helps when bouncing the light off a ceiling or wall but outdoors doesn't do much except waste power by throwing light in all directions (not just the subject direction). The light missing your subject is wasted power.

HTH

Jim
 
EOS_JD said:
A brolly and softbox as you say diffuse the light. They make it softer by increasing the size of the light source.

A brolly however throws light out and it spreads everywhere. A softbox provides a more directional light (generally better).

A reflector again as you say bounces light to genrally reduce contrast (soften shadows). The colour and material used can be different so you get a different effect like gold providing a warm fill or silver a sharper cleaner look.

the stofen diffuser on your flash spreads the light on your flash gun which helps when bouncing the light off a ceiling or wall but outdoors doesn't do much except waste power by throwing light in all directions (not just the subject direction). The light missing your subject is wasted power.

HTH

Jim
Click to expand...

Thanks so much for the good info. It seems as though every source I turn to for lighting info there is a defuser involved. With that said, there are so many choice that I didn't know where to start. Now that I have the basics it leads me to more question. :/

When it comes to the stofen how do I choose? I mean are they all pretty much the same or is there things that I should look for. Same question with the box. I seem to recall some have black lining and some do not. They also come in so many different sizes. I assume that the larger the box the wider you can spread the light. If so, is that an advantage? Sorry for drilling with all the question but my new 600 ex rt will be here this weekend leaving me with only one day to get a defuser if I want (and I do) to try it out. Thanks again.
 
shaylou said:
Thanks so much for the good info. It seems as though every source I turn to for lighting info there is a defuser involved. With that said, there are so many choice that I didn't know where to start. Now that I have the basics it leads me to more question. :/

When it comes to the stofen how do I choose? I mean are they all pretty much the same or is there things that I should look for. Same question with the box. I seem to recall some have black lining and some do not. They also come in so many different sizes. I assume that the larger the box the wider you can spread the light. If so, is that an advantage? Sorry for drilling with all the question but my new 600 ex rt will be here this weekend leaving me with only one day to get a defuser if I want (and I do) to try it out. Thanks again.
Click to expand...

You'll find all the answers in that book you've got (for others, Speedliter's Handbook by Syl Arena).

But my short answer to your question is to get a Lumiquest Quik Bounce, learn about how light works, and apply that knowledge. IMHO it's the single best modifier you can put on a flash gun, very effective and versatile. Here http://www.lumiquest.com/store/products/LumiQuest-Quik-Bounce.html Check the user review number 2 ;)
 
HoppyUK said:
You'll find all the answers in that book you've got (for others, Speedliter's Handbook by Syl Arena).

But my short answer to your question is to get a Lumiquest Quik Bounce, learn about how light works, and apply that knowledge. IMHO it's the single best modifier you can put on a flash gun, very effective and versatile. Here http://www.lumiquest.com/store/products/LumiQuest-Quik-Bounce.html Check the user review number 2 ;)
Click to expand...

Start with this: How Light Works - the basics :)

The larger the light source, the softer the shadows. And size is relative to distance, eg sun is huge, but a very long way off, so the light is hard. In the same way, moving a softbox to the other side of the room makes it harder.

Remember that when you're bouncing flash, it's the bounce surface that becomes the new, and much larger, light source - eg Stofen does nothing by itself, because it's very small, but spreads the light all around where it bounces off ceiling/walls. But in addition, a Stofen also sends (hard) light directly to the subject so in effect you get two light sources in one. This is the working principle behind many diffuser accessories - Stofen, Fong, bounce-card (including the little HiLite panel that pulls out from the head of most hot-shoe guns, and also the Lumiquest Quik Bounce I linked above.

Flash is very sensitive to distance and follows the inverse square law - double the distance reduces the light to one quarter (two stops reduction). Basically, flash falls off more quickly than you may think.

Light bounces off a surface at the same angle it strikes, like a snooker/pool ball off the cushion.

Get your head around these basic principles, practise and apply them, and you'll be well on the way :)
 
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