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07-20-2011, 03:02 PM   #1
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Met 58 AF2 Do I need a diffuser?

i am wondering whether toi invest in a diffuser and what benefits am i looking at. I get the softer light concept but i have also read somewhere that bouncing it of a wall or ceiling is sufficient and having a diffuser makes things more difficult for ttl as the flash does not know that the diffuser is on there so it does not know how best to expose?

any tips would be gratefully received.

regards

07-20-2011, 03:39 PM - 1 Like   #2
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In many cases, there is no wall nor ceiling to bounce the light off. Or there is wall and/or ceiling, but it's not convenient (e.g. too high, too far, of dark color, ....).

A diffuser is always good.

In terms of exposure, p-TTL or auto flash mode should be able to automatically handle light-bouncing and/or light diffusing. Provided there is enough energy in the flash, the exposure should be correct with or without bouncing/diffusing. If the exposure is not correct, there is some problem (I'm having some weird problem with my Metz 40MZ-1i. I think it's a bug in firmware).

A good diffuser doesn't need to cost a lot. One of my best diffusers costs me 87 cents.

A related thread.

Last edited by SOldBear; 07-20-2011 at 03:48 PM.
07-20-2011, 03:52 PM - 1 Like   #3
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QuoteOriginally posted by nu12ul Quote
i am wondering whether toi invest in a diffuser and what benefits am i looking at. I get the softer light concept but i have also read somewhere that bouncing it of a wall or ceiling is sufficient and having a diffuser makes things more difficult for ttl as the flash does not know that the diffuser is on there so it does not know how best to expose?

any tips would be gratefully received.

regards
A diffusor (eg stofen) doesn't make the light softer, it just sprays it around more. The situations where you want to spray the light all over the room are fairly rare, instead you want directional light coming from left or right and falling on your subject which you achieve by bouncing.

pTTL though has no trouble with diffusors on flash heads, not sure who told you that but they're wrong. The flash itself can have trouble because a diffusor robs it of a stop of 2 of light, which can make the difference of a flash being able to deliver the light asked of it or not. But the exposure calculation itself is not stuffed up by a diffusor.

Bottom line: no you do not need a diffusor. First learn to shoot in manual mode on your camera, pTTL on your flash, ride exposure using FEC, and bounce flash off walls. Once you figure that out you will see the (rare) situations that you need a diffusor.

The best site for on camera flash technique by far is this one: http://neilvn.com/tangents/flash-photography-techniques/
07-20-2011, 04:44 PM   #4
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Bouncing has always been better than a diffuser in my (limited) experience. If you don't have a wall, get a bounce sheet or umbrella.

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