Are dome diffusers worth it for speedlites?

[Michael D Beckwith]

I recently had a family shoot and used the flash off camera with a ttl cord. At first I killed the ambient but found in the shots that there was vignetting due to the spread of the flash. Would a dome diffuser help much more? If so could you recommend a reasonably priced one to have a look at.

 

[blakester]

A dome diffuser will just spread the light more. I would suggest in this case trying to control the light more. I have a rogue flash bender for this very purpose.
It is relatively expensive though.
Perhaps use card or as Neil Van Nierkirk suggests, a black foamie thing. This would be bought cheaply from a craft shop. It's essentially a piece of craft foam wrapped around your speedlight which shapes/directs the light to wherever you point it.
I hope this helps a little.

 

[juggler]

I recently had a family shoot and used the flash off camera with a ttl cord. At first I killed the ambient but found in the shots that there was vignetting due to the spread of the flash. Would a dome diffuser help much more? If so could you recommend a reasonably priced one to have a look at.

Domes work by sending the light in more directions so it bounces off walls and ceilings as well as travelling forwards. It sounds to me, though, as if you want more control than that and are about to start down the path of brollies, softboxes and the like.

Can you show us examples of (a) the results you got and (b) what you were trying to achieve? (In the latter case just link, don't copy others work here).

 

[HoppyUK]

I recently had a family shoot and used the flash off camera with a ttl cord. At first I killed the ambient but found in the shots that there was vignetting due to the spread of the flash. Would a dome diffuser help much more? If so could you recommend a reasonably priced one to have a look at.

By vignetting, you mean light from the flash wasn't covering the subject sufficiently? Can't you zoom the flash head back, use the wide-panel, or move the camera position back and increase focal length?

If none of that works, then a diffuser cap is certainly an option and indoors (with a white ceiling - point it straight up) results can be good and easy, certainly better than you're getting. Press photographers tend to use them pretty much 100% of the time. Stofen is the original brand name, though they are lots of clones about that work just as well for a few quid on Amazon/ebay. An alternative is to use the little pull-out hilite panel built in to the flash head - it works in a very similar way to a Stofen. If your gun doesn't have that, it's a simple DIY job with a small piece of white card and a rubber band, known as a bounce card (google it).

This is a big subject though, and there are loads of other accessories available. Don't believe all you read - it's a area rich in snake oil. Accessories I rate include the Lumquest QuikBounce, Rogue FlashBender, and Neil Van N's DIY Black Foamie Thing. With the last two, you need to know what you're doing for best results.

 

[Michael D Beckwith]

By vignetting, you mean light from the flash wasn't covering the subject sufficiently? Can't you zoom the flash head back, use the wide-panel, or move the camera position back and increase focal length?

If none of that works, then a diffuser cap is certainly an option and indoors (with a white ceiling - point it straight up) results can be good and easy, certainly better than you're getting. Press photographers tend to use them pretty much 100% of the time. Stofen is the original brand name, though they are lots of clones about that work just as well for a few quid on Amazon/ebay. An alternative is to use the little pull-out hilite panel built in to the flash head - it works in a very similar way to a Stofen. If your gun doesn't have that, it's a simple DIY job with a small piece of white card and a rubber band, known as a bounce card (google it).

This is a big subject though, and there are loads of other accessories available. Don't believe all you read - it's a area rich in snake oil. Accessories I rate include the Lumquest QuikBounce, Rogue FlashBender, and Neil Van N's DIY Black Foamie Thing. With the last two, you need to know what you're doing for best results.

To be honest I forgot about the focal length of the lens. 99% of my photography is architecture and I don't really use strobes much. I am going to use the same settings again then set the manual zoom on the speedlite to its widest and see if that makes things better. If not then try a diffuser cap to spread the light more. Thanks for the feedback Hoppy UK, Juggler and blakester.

 

[HoppyUK]

To be honest I forgot about the focal length of the lens. 99% of my photography is architecture and I don't really use strobes much. I am going to use the same settings again then set the manual zoom on the speedlite to its widest and see if that makes things better. If not then try a diffuser cap to spread the light more. Thanks for the feedback Hoppy UK, Juggler and blakester.

You owe it to yourself to get to grips with flash. Applies to every photographer TBH but if your architectural work includes real estate or similar, a flash gun or three in the right places will transform results

 

[Michael D Beckwith]

You owe it to yourself to get to grips with flash. Applies to every photographer TBH but if your architectural work includes real estate or similar, a flash gun or three in the right places will transform results

I've never used speedlites in my architecture photography before, might give it ago to see how it makes a change.

Here is my portofolio if you don't mind me pimping.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/118118485@N05/

 

[HoppyUK]

I've never used speedlites in my architecture photography before, might give it ago to see how it makes a change.

Here is my portofolio if you don't mind me pimping.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/118118485@N05/

Cathedrals might be tricky with flash for various reasons, but could be a handy arrow to have in your quiver. More HDR territory I think, carefully done - looks like you might be on to that already Sort out those converging verticals!