DIY bounce card for flash

[willyfoo]

Originally posted by hackie
how abt flash extender?? any DYI to show? is it for directing more light to the front so as to "extend" the flash range?

I'm not an expert in flash extender.. picked it up from Edmund & Darren. But I have a pix of the flash extender..

In my understanding, the fresnal lens help to focus the light into a smaller area thereby increasing the intensity of the flash at a longer range. In effect, it should help to improve your shots about 1-2 stops.

Someone who understands this better please feel free to correct me.

 

[Fundee]

watch your distance if you bounce ur flash.......be it straight-up, 45 or 60 deg..good luck....

 

[afiend]

Originally posted by Fundee
watch your distance if you bounce ur flash.......be it straight-up, 45 or 60 deg..good luck....

Could you elaborate?

 

[roygoh]

Originally posted by hackie
am i right to say tat reflector is more for close up and human photography to prevent harsh light? same concept as bouncing off ceiling?

how abt flash extender?? any DYI to show? is it for directing more light to the front so as to "extend" the flash range?

so for fill-in flash, which one to use?

:dunno: :dunno: :dunno: :dunno: :dunno:

Hi hackie,

I agree with what you say.

The benefit of using a reflector instead of bouncing the flash off the ceiling is that a reflector gets more light onto your subject that the ceiling can. The direction of the light source is also very different, thus yielding different results. When you use a reflector, the light source is more or less from the same direction as where the camera is (unless you are using off-camera flash). For ceiling bounced flash, the light souce is from above. Ceiling bouced flash will yield a softer illumination, and the reflector is more harsh, though it is much better that direct flash.

Sometimes, when taking indoor group shots without the reflector, I stand with my back close to a white wall and actually point my flash backwards at the wall behing me. This gives better results than bouncing off the ceiling because you get less shaows on the peoples' faces.

Your definition of a flash extender is also pretty much correct.

For fill-in flash, you can use the built-in flash on the camera.

Hope this helps.

Roy

 

[roygoh]

Originally posted by Paladin
On the topic of bounce card...I tried with this DIY bounce card...

http://www.fujifilm.com.sg/storage/photos/dankoo/HOME/flash.jpg

and the result at 60 degree bounce

http://www.fujifilm.com.sg/storage/photos/dankoo/HOME/bear with reflector.jpg

and without the reflector at 60 degree bounce...

http://www.fujifilm.com.sg/storage/photos/dankoo/HOME/bear wo reflector.jpg

to me the 2nd pic looks warmer, right?? I just got the feeling that with the reflector card, it still creates quite a harsh pic. Maybe it is becos my seling was lower and if in a ballroom setting, it will be different??

Another thing..this was taken from G2, so if from SLR film, effect should be the same?

Please advise...

Hi Paladin,

When you bounce the flash off the ceiling, because of the lower illumination from the reflected flash outut, the exposure of the subject is divided between the flash (white) and the ambient light (warmer, depending on surrounding objects). That's why the second picture looks warmer.

The reflector card is a compromise between the 2 extremes - direct, powerfull, point source of illumination from the flash or soft, weak, illumination comming from almost all directions of a ceiling bounced flash.

I believe the effects should be very much the same between digital and film.

-Roy

 

[Paladin]

Originally posted by roygoh


Hi Paladin,

When you bounce the flash off the ceiling, because of the lower illumination from the reflected flash outut, the exposure of the subject is divided between the flash (white) and the ambient light (warmer, depending on surrounding objects). That's why the second picture looks warmer.

The reflector card is a compromise between the 2 extremes - direct, powerfull, point source of illumination from the flash or soft, weak, illumination comming from almost all directions of a ceiling bounced flash.

I believe the effects should be very much the same between digital and film.

-Roy

Thanks! Roygoh...as wondering if I use a bigger reflector and cover it with aluminium foil, will it be better?

 

[roygoh]

Originally posted by Paladin


Thanks! Roygoh...as wondering if I use a bigger reflector and cover it with aluminium foil, will it be better?

Hi Paladin,

In your current reflector design, most of the flash output is shot directly at the ceiling, and only a portion of it hits the reflector. Increasing its area and adding aluminum foil on the reflector will help, but you still end up sending most of the light to the ceiling.

To be more effective, you have to position the reflector board at 45 degrees to the direction of the flash, like the reflector I have made. That would capture most of the flash output and send them in the forward direction.

Hope this helps.

Roy