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[OM] Re: Oh flash gurus, please help

Subject: [OM] Re: Oh flash gurus, please help
From: Joel Wilcox <jfwilcox@xxxxxxxxx>
Date: Thu, 26 Jan 2006 10:22:53 -0600
I have also tried a number of Lumiquest products that work well. 
Among the reasons I especially like the Stofen on the T32 is

1) The T32 is so low to the ground and the Stofen adds nothing on top
of that and adds virtually no weight of any significance
2) I don't really like flash, so I keep trying things that promise to
make me like flash better, which means I have more flashes than I can
really use and a lot of doodads to diffuse the light.  This satisfies
my desire for something that is easily packed and brainlessly operated
with pleasing results.

Those things speak to my limitations as a photographer, not to the
worth of mine or anyone else's items.  Some people see the lack of an
on-board flash as a limitation of the E-1.  I don't because I am then
never actually tempted to use it to my eventual and almost certain
regret.  One could argue that one benefit of digital with regard to
flash is that you learn with chimpomatic immediacy that your photos
look like crap (in most cases).

Tim's suggestions makes me wish to venture beyond my accustomed total
lack of flash sophistication.  I also keep thinking I need to put one
of the E-system dedicated flashes on my wishlist, but the 1.4x TC
beckons, and the LWMNBN ...  (DZ50-200 arrives today, and Olympus is
looking a bit more like itself)

Joel W.

On 1/26/06, Tim Hughes <timhughes@xxxxxxxx> wrote:
> My favourite is  the (slighly fragile) Sunpak mini-umbrella. This little 
> umbrella is really more like a very large flat diffuser (~1ft square area) 
> when deployed on the flash head.  It mounts on a clear plate (like the Oly  
> flash filters that slide onto the T32). and then sits on a rod mounted in the 
> middle of the plate. Designed for 544 series flashes, but easy to to use on 
> any flash with a tilt-rotate head (Oly, FL series for example, you  just use 
> rubber bands or tape to hold the clear plate onto other flashes). You 
> typically rotate the flash head to point backwards at about 45 deg (or 
> upwards) and bounce the flash off the unfolded flatish "umbrella" surface. It 
> has two different diffuser bounce angles for vertical or 45deg head positions 
> or for closeup etc.
>
>   Advantages:
>   It is like having a very low "portable" bounce ceiling even if the real  
> ceiling is miles off.
>   It is very portable and light wt and easily folds up and fits within 
> smallish camera bag.
>   It has much better diffuse light than pocket bounces,cards,inflatable 
> reflector etc.
>   (years ago Modern Photo did a very good article comparing all the different 
> flash enhancers and this was by far the best in light quality for portable 
> /on flash units)
>   Works with most tilt-swivel head flashes with slight adaption
>   Relatively inexpnsive
>   Works ttl with system flashes. For example you can combine an FL series 
> with the umbrella and  combine it with the in camera flash on an E series 
> camera.
>
> Disadvanages :
>   Somewhat flimsy compared to say Stofen
>   Useless if used outside in even a light breeze.
>   May be difficult to get now?
>
>   Metz has a card bounce add on for CT4 flash that works in somewhat similar 
> way, but it has a much smaller area and sits closer to the head, so not 
> nearly so good for producing a broader diffuse source.
>
>   Tim Hughes
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