Video: DIY Flash Diffuser/***********************************************************

For those of you who learn better with a video, here's a video I made showing you how to make an external flash diffuser. This is based off the designs of Chuck Gardner and Mike M. Here's the old forum post:
http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1025&message=18308364

If you're in the market for an external flash diffuser, I suggest you give this a shot first. This diffuser works really well and at only a few bucks it can't be beat.

Video link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q3Gk19kH3VY

Picture:



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http://www.stepbystep-photography.com
http://www.edamostudios.com

I sent you a msg on your youtube account

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Sven Hedlund
http://www.svenhedlund.se

Thanks for the comments guys.

Sorin, I sent you a reply.
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http://www.stepbystep-photography.com
http://www.edamostudios.com

I made a couple of this type of diffuser a few years back, based on Chucks layout.

I used the 12 x 18 inch sheets of fun-foam, and used a Scotch brand spray-on adhesive for the two sheets. The drying time was very fast. It's been three years since I made them and they are still holding up.

When you don't want the hassle of umbrella's, they do work extremely well. And they are very portable.

For my own personal goofing around, they work just fine for me.

My first portrait attempt using this type of diffuser: two lights- 580EX (fill) and 420EX (key) both with the same kind of diffuser.



Regards, Mike

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B.R.A.S.S. (Breathe, Relax, Aim, Sight, Squeeze)

Yes ...these work fantastic! I use them on my Vivitar 285's.

Mine are slightly different in that there is a plastic mesh in between like this:



The whole article I worked from is at http://super.nova.org/DPR//DIY01

I sewed my together as well ...but the glue idea looks just fine.

I extended the velcro a little so I could snoot it down quite tight when needed for distant shots and was very pleased with the performance. The day after making my first one I did a wedding and took more than 800 shots with it. Even shooting large rooms it seemed to help direct the light just right.

Now if I'm going to be doing flash work ..I never leave home without one or two of them. I find them much better than my mini softboxes and stoffen diffusers. The Vivitar 285 heads don't rotate so when I want the light to bounce off a wall I just turn the diffuser to blast it at the wall. Works great!

Thanks for posting the video.

jj
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http://www.flickr.com/photos/jjlad/sets/

Thanks for posting the video.
Chart showing dimensions was the most improtant part I needed.

Thanks,
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Bakul Vyas
http://www.pbase.com/bakul_vyas

Do you need to clean the funboards in anyway before glueing to make them stick? If yes, how do you do it?

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Sven Hedlund
http://www.svenhedlund.se

I used the fun foam with the mesh between. The rubber cements wouldn't hold the three sheets together at all for me. I wipe the suface clean of the rubber cement and sprayed the fun foam with spray adhesive, let it dry for several minutes and attached the two. I didn't use the mesh this time. I used books as weights during the drying time. After several hour the two were attached very well. I did get rubber cement on the white foam, so at 84 cents a sheet (12x18) I will redo the project for a cleaner look. Great idea!! Got all my supplies at Michaels Craft Store.
Mike

No, I don't clean the fun foam first. I used a nylon cross stitch middle as in the instructions. (14 count, at Michael's). I used 3M Super 77 spray adhesive (at Michael's). So far I have had no problems with sticking.

The first one I made I used glue to attach the velcro circles just to be sure. With subsequent ones I have used the adhesive backed circles, 5/8 inch size. I switched to those when I read a posting by someone that said they were working fine. I've built 4 that way, but have not really used them yet.

For use on a Nikon SB-800 I cut down the part that wraps around the flash head. I cut 1/2 inch off the bottom (after I'm done so the edge is nice and clean) and I cut off 1/2 inch from each side of the wings that wrap around the flash head. I also changed the size of the triangle cut-outs. Instead of only cutting in 1 and 1/2 inch from the side I cut in a full 2 inches.

Canon flash heads are larger (as is a Nikon SB-900 I believe). So the original measurements may be correct.
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Mike Dawson

Thanks for your stories!

Having failed glueing the foam and nylon mesh, I ended up sewing the edges as Chuck has done ( http://super.nova.org/DPR//DIY01/ ). I don't care too much about the appearance of it, since I won't yet use it professionally.

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Sven Hedlund
http://www.svenhedlund.se

What a great idea!
I went searching for some fun foam and made one myself.

Here are the first test shots. I like it









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http://www.flickr.com/photos/benbammens/