diffuser for built in flash

[ruffdog64]

I find that any portrait shots using the built in flash on my canon 1000d tend to wash the picture out ,i`ve seen in a magazine recently a budget diffuser that looks like a flexable bit of plastic that clips on the camera and deflects the flash backwards and is supposed to act as a diffuser has anyone tried this or could recomend an alternative please?

 

[terryt]

I have one of these. It bounces the light from the built in flash to the ceiling. Have done a few test shots and it works pretty well for the cost but haven't used it much as I've since bought a speedlight.

 

[Halflap]

How about one of these

 

[HoppyUK]

Basic problem with any diffuser or deflector for the pop-up is the flash just doesn't have enough power.

Bouncing in particular uses a huge amount of light, though that mirror jobby should work well if you can get by with a low f/number and whack up the ISO, plus have a nice low, white ceiling to work with.

That little Lumiquest diffuser I found useless, likewise the Fong Puffer.

None of them competes with a separate flash. Canon 270EX is a great little gun, with enough power to do this sort of thing properly, and it also does high speed sync. Amazingly small, £90.

 

[lensflair]

Basic problem with any diffuser or deflector for the pop-up is the flash just doesn't have enough power.

Bouncing in particular uses a huge amount of light, though that mirror jobby should work well if you can get by with a low f/number and whack up the ISO, plus have a nice low, white ceiling to work with.

That little Lumiquest diffuser I found useless, likewise the Fong Puffer.

None of them competes with a separate flash. Canon 270EX is a great little gun, with enough power to do this sort of thing properly, and it also does high speed sync. Amazingly small, £90.

POP up flash is pretty useless most of the time, only time it is really any use is for a bit of fill outdoors if you are close to your subject, the fong puffer or similar will help reduce specularity a little but not by much and its still on camera flash which is very nasty light IMO.

I have bounced the a pop up flash sideways into a wall using my hand and the results are much better, but I would have to be pretty desperate to consider using it seriously.