Macro Lighting for Oly 60mm f2.8?

can someone explain to me what the difference in effect is between one like this and one which sits over the flash such as this one https://www.tomtop.com/p-d1265.html?currency=GBP&aid=bpagb1&mid=10000019969&utm_source=SEM&utm_medium=Bing+Ads&utm_campaign=TT_GB_PA_BMZ&utm_content=2917&utm_term=4575892518181875

Peter 1745 wrote:

The link you point to is "reflector" which is a different thing to "diffuser". The reflective surface can be silver or white, the former giving harsher reflections than the latter. The product description incorrectly calls itself a "diffuser softbox", which it isn't.

Light is shone through diffusers but bounces off reflectors.

Diffusers tend to spread the light more than reflectors and also soften the light more.

Diffusers are also typically used nearer to the subject than a reflector which increases the relative size of the light source which softens the light even more. The rule of thumb when using a diffuser is that it should be no more than its diameter in distance from the subject.

Both diffusers and reflectors give a softer light than a bare flash and for many subjects it doesn't matter which you use.

With the reflector you linked to you get 2 components of lighting. The reflected light hits the subject directly (the reflector acting as a larger light source) and the light that misses the reflector and bounces arround the room giving indirect softer lighting. If used outdoors there is no bounce component.

With a diffuser you just get 1 component of lighting, a large soft light close to the subject.

Softboxes usually have internal refecting surfaces to spread the light out before it hits and passes through one or more diffusion panels giving more even lighting than a diffusion panel on its own.

Thanks, my education continues

Trevor Carpenter wrote:

can someone explain to me what the difference in effect is between one like this and one which sits over the flash such as this one https://www.tomtop.com/p-d1265.html?currency=GBP&aid=bpagb1&mid=10000019969&utm_source=SEM&utm_medium=Bing+Ads&utm_campaign=TT_GB_PA_BMZ&utm_content=2917&utm_term=4575892518181875

This a fancy version of the age-old 3x5 white index card (your UK equivalent size?) held with a ponytail elastic to the flash. aka Bounce Card.