Sto Fen for Canon 430 ex mk2

scottduffy

scottduffy

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Is it worth buying one of these? I am new to flash photography and keep hearing that many people have these. Does it just soften the light?
 
There are plenty of cheap versions on Ebay. They also work just as well.
 
I have the same flash & bought one of these stofens. Keep it on my flash all the time. I recently took a group shot indoors and it was fine, however a couple of portraits that I used it for I found only slightly harsh using the camera TTL (didn't bounce it). Have been exploring other possibilities to soften further such as the big diffusers that fit on the flash. Whether they work any better is any ones guess. In the mean time I am quite happy with the size & convenience of the stofen. Have a soup dispenser 1/2 full at the moment that I will probably cut up for an extra diffuser.
 
As above, get one off ebay. I got mine for £1.99 from china, it came within a week. I originally got it for my 420EX, but when i got my 430EX, i foung that you can put it in boiling water for a couple of seconds and it will soften up enough to be stretched over the 430.
Dean:)
 
scottduffy said:
Is it worth buying one of these? I am new to flash photography and keep hearing that many people have these. Does it just soften the light?
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Flash In The Pan on here sells them for £2 - see post #3 http://www.talkphotography.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=157807 Not certain if 430EX and 430EXII are the same fit though, I think they are not TBH.

Stofen works by squirting light everywhere, mainly towards the ceiling for soft bounce and some forward for fill. Works very well with a ceiling, pretty useless without. Stofen's ace card is robustness and convenience, and it doesn't look silly.

It's the same idea as a bounce card, as here www.abetterbouncecard.com Most flash diffusers, Fong etc, are fairly subtle variations on the same theme - the key to nice light is the ceiling bounce and the nature of the forward fill element is very much secondary.

I like this one best, Lumiquest Quik - does softer fill without a ceiling, and bounce fill, vertical and horizontal orientation, very versatile and does everything pretty well http://www.warehouseexpress.com/buy-lumiquest-quik-bounce/p1031217
 
:plusone:
I'm with Mr Hoppy on that........

Them Lumiquest 'snap on' diffusers with the 45' tops are pretty sweet for the occasions when you can't find a ceiling to bounce from !!

I went for the promax system with the 'extras' but they are a muchness......
 
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