Flash with lenses wider than 35mm

[ic-racer]

This is one of the setups I'm using. The flash just barely covers this 75mm lens and I'd like to be able to use the 65mm lens (28mm equivalent). Spec sheet on the unit shows coverage of 60 degrees.

[markbarendt]

My (limited) experience is the reverse of this. A diffuser sends light in all directions. Outside, most of this gets lost and a reflector is better. A diffuser works inside as the scattered light can then bounce off of walls and ceilings and more of it will reach the subject.


Steve.

I don't disagree about using a reflector outside, nice big umbrella if possible, anything that can increase the size of the source is a plus.

Inside where there are walls and ceilings to work with I like to give the light some direction and, for me, a diffuser gets in the way of that, it creates light that is too flat.

What I mean by that is that the problems with the flash shadow in direct flash is that 1- it's too sharp, and 2- it's normally not falling in a believable direction.

Tilt and swivel without the diffuser allows me to do things like bounce off the ceiling or a wall where there is already a light fixture.

The other big problem I see in the majority of direct flash shots is simply "too much", the main subject is just lit too brightly for the context.

[John Koehrer]

If you can't tilt the head upwards, the Sto-Fen works pretty well.
If you can the Rodinal bottle will work well. One thing I would do is put some reflecting material
on the side away from the subject to get a little more light on the subject.

[Bob-D659]

Just had a look at my Vivitar 285 and the 28mm wide angle screen for it, the screen is an odd prism pattern, but the adjustable wide/normal, tele zoom part of the head is a normal fresnel lens. close to the tube for wide angle and further out for tele. Try a piece of a cheap fresnel lens.

[2F/2F]

This is one of the setups I'm using. The flash just barely covers this 75mm lens and I'd like to be able to use the 65mm lens (28mm equivalent). Spec sheet on the unit shows coverage of 60 degrees.

I would just buy a sheet of drafting vellum to make a diffuser for this flash, and put them on with Scotch tape. Just cut out pieces to the right shape, which you can trace from the flash head itself. Stack them if one sheet is not enough. Then test to see how many stops you need to add when using the diffuser. If you wanted to get fancy, you could even make a solid frame to keep the diffuser rigid and in good condition. Some hardwood laminate (maple or ebony, maybe; try a luthiery supplier or local hardwood store), an X-Acto knife, and white glue would be a very easy way to make the frame "sandwich."

[Diapositivo]

I second the cheap plastic fresnel lens. It seems they are sold in sheets. One can cut one piece and fit it with some tape to the flash, and try. If it works well, one can either do some more elegant fixture by itself, or ask a repairer to do one (some plastic frame with some metal clips that keeps the diffuser in place).

[olleorama]

Diffusors eat light. And loads of it. I would go with fresnels.

In my experience it's always better to have a bit wider flash coverage than angle of view, at least with hammerhead flashes, the bottom of the frame tends to get less flash exposure otherwise, IME.

A 28 mm FL on 35 mm or 65 mm FL on 6x9 lens is approx 75 degrees, 60 should cover it, shouldn't it? So that 60 degrees must be wrong.

[ic-racer]

A 28 mm FL on 35 mm or 65 mm FL on 6x9 lens is approx 75 degrees, 60 should cover it, shouldn't it? So that 60 degrees must be wrong.

??

[ic-racer]

I'm thinking that "Ultrabounce" for $14 is the way to go. I should be able to use the 180 degree 16mm with it and any focal length longer.

[olleorama]

??

Uuh, my mistake...