Stofen Diffuser

I am not sure that even a cheap replica is worth the money..
Both do what they claim without a problem, however, I feel that a little bit of time and a little bit of paper will do a better job - aim the flash up, and make a reflector that will direct the flash forwards and you have a better product for less money.
A proper reflector is even better, but stofen etc are such a money spinner, I feel.....
A plastic cup can do as much, but a paper reflector will do even better....
 
I use a stofen with the 430ex

it stays on the flash 99% of the time, the spread of light across the subject is far less harsh with it on.
 
A paper or card reflector directs all the light upwards but a stofen will also direct some softened light toward the subject as well as upward. At £15 it's well worth it imo.
 
I use a StoFen diffuser on my 430ex, they work pretty well.

I also have started putting a piece of card on the back (just attatched with an elastic band) as the 430ex dosen't have a whitecard.

Works even better than a diffuser in my opinion. Not only does it make people's eyes sparkle, but it tends to light the areas behind and around the subject if you angle it right. For the type of photography I do it's pretty usefull, but in other situations it might not be quite as good.
 
A pair of scissors set upon a plastic milk carton and 2 staples does a great job. :clap:
 
I use a Lambency diffuser - works a treat.:thumbs: (£10.99 inc P&P from HK)

diffuser.jpg
 
Stoffen diffuser, in other words a piece Injection moulded plastic, there must be an incredible markup on these.
Injection moulding plastic is one of the cheapest manufacturing processes.
 
but as soon as you say photography accesory, you can add stupidly large amounts
 
perhaps worth trying les mcleans diy softbox using a plastic bowl, shoud be under the search somewhere. on the border of sacrificing a plastic bowl to the cause. other than that, the better bounce card, links in another thread somewhere
 
oldfart said:
Lambency diffuser... i looked at them as well. anybody tried a cheap one? any difference
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It's the only one I've got and it's great! I've got various coloured lids with it too ... great investment if a little bulky!
 
oldfart said:
Lambency diffuser... i looked at them as well. anybody tried a cheap one? any difference
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The one in the photo is a cheap one £1.99 with 3 coloured fronts :shrug: its the postage from Hong Kong thats a killer - but still cheaper than the UK.
 
oldfart said:
ok skint myself getting 430ex. Is there any difference apart from name with cheap diffusers? just seems fair bit extra for bit of plastic
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Your 100% right about pricing.
I just purchased 2 diffusers, one for my Canon 420EX and one for my 580EXII, got both for $10.00 Canadian, including shipping.
Compared it with my son's STO-FEN and can't tell the difference.
Purchased on ebay: http://cgi.ebay.ca/Flash-Bounce-Dif...ryZ64354QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Hope this helps.
Brian
 
I use a Lambency diffuser - works a treat.:thumbs: (£10.99 inc P&P from HK)
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:thumbs: :agree:

Yes, you can probably get a similar effect with an old plastic milk bottle and some Sellotape, but then, you can repair your spectacles with sticking plaster, just depends how much of a dork you want to look...:geek:
 
i have a lambency...not the best thing, but stays on better than any other, i also love the results from my Lastolite Microlite Apollo (mini softbox that velcros to the flashgun whilst onboard)...now that's a real PAIN in the you know where, because it pops off all the darn time and the weight of it pulls it from the velcro...but results are by far the best. It was cheap too, around 25pounds if i remember right.
 
I cut down a 1ltr milk container and it fits perfectly on a 580. Works great and is a huge talking point!
I'm shure I got the idea from a post on here.
 
englandshottest2 said:
i have a lambency...not the best thing, but stays on better than any other, i also love the results from my Lastolite Microlite Apollo (mini softbox that velcros to the flashgun whilst onboard)...now that's a real PAIN in the you know where, because it pops off all the darn time and the weight of it pulls it from the velcro...but results are by far the best. It was cheap too, around 25pounds if i remember right.
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When do you use your Lastolite? What circumstances I mean? Thanks
 
I have both the Lambency and the soften both do a fair job, I find the Lambency diffuses better but is too heavy, unless you are using it straight up at 90 degrees the flash head struggles to hold it's position. Home made milk bottle diffusers are great I think.
 
Rather like englandshottest2, I have a mini softbox (lumiquest, I think).
Never had any problems with the velcro, and it gives a much better light than a stofen type diffuser, IF there are no surfaces to bounce from. I meant to say that in my first reply !
Given a ceiling or wall to bounce from, then a stofen is great, but if there is nothing, so the flash is being fired directly at the subject, then a softbox is the business, and the bigger the better (mine is about 5x3 inches, so small enough to be easy to use in a busy place)
 
Oh. are you supposed to bounce the light with the stofen?
i thought you just angled it at 45 degrees and shot straight onto the subject.

Does that prevent the dark shadows you get under noses when you bounce from ceiling with no diffuser?
 
steveinspain said:
Rather like englandshottest2, I have a mini softbox (lumiquest, I think).
Never had any problems with the velcro, and it gives a much better light than a stofen type diffuser, IF there are no surfaces to bounce from. I meant to say that in my first reply !
Given a ceiling or wall to bounce from, then a stofen is great, but if there is nothing, so the flash is being fired directly at the subject, then a softbox is the business, and the bigger the better (mine is about 5x3 inches, so small enough to be easy to use in a busy place)
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I use the Lumiquest mini too on my 430 ex for some of my macros and I put an extra sheet of kitchen paper over the front just to soften a little more ;) It's an excellent diffuser.
 
All well and good for home purposes... but at a wedding I really wouldnt want to walk around with half a milk carton and a lump of kitchen towel!! :nono:
 
Janice said:
Oh. are you supposed to bounce the light with the stofen?
i thought you just angled it at 45 degrees and shot straight onto the subject.

Does that prevent the dark shadows you get under noses when you bounce from ceiling with no diffuser?
Click to expand...

Janice - if you angle it at 45 degrees, you will be bouncing it surely..?
The stofen does direct some light forwards, but the main flash goes up at 45 degrees and being diffused spreads more, giving a softer light than direct flash, but with some fill/catchlight.
If used direct, it just spreads the light out more, so doesn't really diffuse it any - it is still a very small point light source. Best use is if you have a white or light coloured wall behind you - swivel the flash at 45 degrees, so it bounces off the back wall and the ceiling - this is where the extra power of the 580 is really handy...

And yes - it does help diminish the shadows under chins etc..!
 
Janice said:
All well and good for home purposes... but at a wedding I really wouldnt want to walk around with half a milk carton and a lump of kitchen towel!! :nono:
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Not very "Professional":lol:
 
I use both Stofen and Lambency units. The advantage of the Lambancy is you can use a small amount of kitchen foil to give some direction to the light if needed.

I also have the mini Apollo units. The bigger one can be a real pain at times. But it does give a softer light. Tend to use them as horses for courses
 
steveinspain said:
Janice - if you angle it at 45 degrees, you will be bouncing it surely..?
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Bouncing means bouncing off of something doesnt it?

The stofen tells you to always angle the head at 45 degrees upwards. If you are using flash outside there will be nothing to bounce off.

And if you are standing in front of someone in a room and angle it at 45 degrees it will go just above their head and bounce down behind them.

You'd have to be at the perfect distance away so that it comes down onto the front of them.

So I was just wondering why we have to angle it up regardless of if there is something to bounce it off or not. :shrug:
 
Sorry, I was rushing, and ahead of myself..
You are right Janice (as normal..)
I was clearly in a room with a white ceiling...
As the stofen spreads the light in most directions in front of it, assuming there is a ceiling, some light will be bounced back onto the subject - I guess the instructions, such as they are, assume a ceiling as well - using it outside makes a stofen almost useless, as most of the flash will disappear - the point I was trying to make in my first post - a softbox type will be a much better bet.
As for why we always are told to aim it at 45 degrees - I can see no point unless there is a ceiling to bounce from..
 
We are now reading from the same hymn-sheet, Steve!!!

(Pity its not the Stofen instruction sheet!!) :D
 
db247 said:
When do you use your Lastolite? What circumstances I mean? Thanks
Click to expand...

anytime really...just depends on whether i have the patience to fiddle with it and keep it velcroed to the flash :D...works well indoors, outside, anywhere! much much much better than the lambency, but my lastolite is the larger model, im considering getting the smaller one, maybe wouldnt be so unmanageable when being used! i think its about 13" long and about half that in width. it's wonderful for angling right at the subject straight on. also use another of lastolites nifty gadgets which is the hotshoe ezybox softbox (for when flashgun is on a tripod)...its nice but i prefer on-board as it gives better shadow when mounted on.
 
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