I have both the Gary Fong and the Rogue Flashbender. Each serves a different application for me. The Flashbender XL Pro that I have has one advantage over the others: you can shape your light. You can use remote speedlights with these, shape your light, or you can put a grid on it, or even make a tube that focuses the light into a specific area for a hairlight or focused backdrop light. The Gary Fong set up comes with different color domes, and one version has a black piece to attach to the speedlight allowing you to do a ceiling bounce without the fill from the translucent lightsphere. I have a couple PocketBox modifiers for on-camera softbox work, but I hardly use them. To me, every artist will do different work and what fits best will depend on what they're doing and what they're trying to achieve. I love my Gary Fong gear and my Rogue gear. Not everyone will agree and that's really okay. It's a lot like pickup guys arguing over Ford, Chevy, Dodge, or Toyota. What's best? What are you doing with it and how's it equipped? Same with flash modifiers.
I'm with you 100% Though I pick one that I prefer in this video, the right tool is the tool needed for the job, and that'll vary from person to person, and in the end, these are all good tools that can serve to help photographers create the kinds of images they want to create.
Worth mentioning: The Fong Lightshpere is traditionally not pointed at the subject but rather pointed bulb up. It fills face shadows amazingly when it sends back down diffused light off a ceiling and upper walls. Plus it folds up nicely even if you want to keep it attached to your speedlight. The top diffuser is removable in case you're dealing with an extra tall ceiling.
The versatility of the flashbender beats the other products you are using. You can form a snoot with it or flag frontal light if you want to use bounce light only. If I was only going to buy one I would but the flash bender because of this.
I use the Gary Fong Lightsphere for event photography. Yeah, I have had times where the dome popped off, and times when the entire unit popped off. But, I do get great light from it. It is relatively compact, and since it is not that directional it allows me to light larger groups such as on a stage. I also have a Lumiquest on-flash softbox that I bought for more directional lighting, but I rarely use it.
I use the Rogue Flashbenders and have gotten good results with them. Since I travel, they fold down nicely in my bag. I primarily use a small Flashbender without the diffusion screen and let the flash bounce off of it; it can also be rolled up to form a snoot. I have larger version with a diffusion screen and Rogue Grid which really directs the flash into a tighter beam. Think of them like the Swiss Army knife of modifiers. They do the trick without adding a lot of extra weight to your bag.
I've tried the small Rogue Flashbender on my Nikon SB910 fitted with the diffuser that comes with the SB910. I was able to set the flash at one stop less than with just the Rogue (1/16 vs 1/8 power for example) and got a beautiful soft light.
I have a Gary Fong, and works well for me so far, no problems with it falling apert, you just have to make sure it's in all the way, plus the dome can be reversed (pointing inward) so it can be more of a fill than direct when it sticks out.
FWIW, the FlashBender XL is designed for off camera flash use. I use it mostly as a strip light with the included grid for hair lighting. On camera you should test the standard Rogue flash which is superior to the other products you tested because of its flexibility as a modifier. It can be twisted to flag, snoot, or direct the flash in a variety of ways.
The others are nice diffusers, but that said, I don't find any of them to be dramatically better than the included Sto-fen type diffuser that comes with the 600EX II-RT. I know I don't have to tell you, with all the crap we have to lug around, the advantage of having to only carry 1 modifier that can serve multiple roles versus needing several. Specifically as a diffuser, I still prefer the Rogue, as I can angle it to fit the immediate flash needs of the moment. I can make it bounce forward to the subject as well as off the white wall to the right, but NOT the orange ceiling above, for example. With other diffusers it's an all or none proposition, which is fine if that's what you need, and are shooting in a location conducive to that, but not so great if you want to limit how the flash bounces, but still get decent diffusion. I've also found that by bending the Rogue forward, nearly 90º, it still diffuses pretty nicely outside, while the others really require a ceiling. I honestly don't use on-camera flash much, but have tried most of the diffusers you tested. In the end I kept returning to the Rogue simply for its versatility. If I don't need that versatility, I just slap the flash's included diffuser on and call it a day. :)
I also have one of those knockoff Fstoppers modifiers. I do like it for quick head shots. And it came in handy when I needed light in a space with out any white surfaces to bounce stuff off of. If I had access to more places to bounce, I think I would have stuck with a stofen type of modifier. Thanks for the comparison. For a beginner like me, these videos have been invaluable.
At 4:44 in your video, you say "What you are looking at here is a sample of the Gary Fong Light Sphere and the F-stopper Flash Disk" However BOTH pictures are labels as Flash w/ Gary Fong pointed directly at subject.
I have the fStoppers unit, and it is very good. If I have a good ceiling to work with, I prefer a Lumi-Quest Quik Bounce, as it is more flexible and adjustable. The Fong and Stofen unit are not overly effective IMO, and waste a lot of light as well. Thanks for the video.
Many years back I was taking product pictures at trade shows using a speedlight on camera with a swivel head pointed upwards and a straight 4 x 6 inch (approximate) piece of white foamcore board attached with Velcro to the flash to reflect some light. It was pretty darn cheap and fairly effective. I plan to take some outdoor portraits (head and shoulders) away from electrical plugs, so I'll be using radio controlled speedlights on tripods. Mostly I want a diffused light close to the face and a separation light/hair light on the shoulders and hair. I may build a softbox out of foamcore board, foil and diffusion gel for the face light. I'll experiment with that and If needed, I might try one of the larger Lightbender devices for the face light. I have not yet figured out what I'll need for the separation light/hair light.
I have the Gary Fong collapsible dome and the top rarely pops out unless I bump into something hard to knock it off. The body is made of some type of rubber and it holds the top cap in place pretty well.
I've used Gary Fong for about 7 years now. I've never had any problems really. I think it does a great job. The thing is it needs to be pointed up, not at your subject. Gary even says this in his instructional videos. Also, you comparison method is flawed because it was the only one you compared by pointing the flash directly at the subject. The only complaint I have about them are they seem to put a lot of stress on the elbow of the flash. Over time the Gary Fong diffusers have worn down my flash elbow and I've read that it's broken some peoples flash at the elbow.
I love my Gary Fong Lightsphere. I never aim it toward a subject, only upright. This erases shadows. Only use the dome if in an area with a high ceiling or outdoors. I use 100 ISO outdoors and 800 ISO indoors with camera set on TTL. I have taken photos of large groups of people and the lighting was great. I have set it up on a light stand, with a remote trigger, and then move around the room easily getting shots. A Great tool.
Thumbs up for an unbiased review. I've tried them both, I like the flashbender more, it evens the light better. The Gary fong looks really cool when it's lit, but it produces harsh shadows. Maybe it was more groundbreaking when it first came out but now there's other options that perform better.
I have the Rogue Flashbender XL and it’s the best $100 I’ve spent. I love that that one modifier become 4: reflector, softbox, strip box and snoot. Yeah it’s heavy but, very worth the money.
This is a good video overall, but the Fong Lightsphere isn’t really intended to be used as a direct flash diffuser. It’s supposed to be used for bounce flash.
I used Gary Fong lightsphere and the Rogue Flashbender professionally. The Fong sphere always seemed to lose the disc that mounts at the end. I had to tape it on. The flash bender is great for formals of multiple people but it is very bulky for event photography. My main go to is a Lumiquest 80/20 without any of the attachements. It allows for 80% of the light to bounce upwards and 20% forward which is a great smooth lighting that does not appear to be a flash. The only thing I dislike about the 80/20 is that its mostly used for landscape photos. It does not give the same performance when you turn the camera for a portrait shot. One item I really want to try is the Demb flip-it. It looks stellar and heard great things about it. It mounts side ways so you can use it for portraits or landscape shots with only bending the flash.
Spyros Heniadis it’s outstanding. I guess some photographers were mounting it sideways and turning the flash bends to the side instead of forward. This way when you turn your camera into portrait mode you just flip it to the side and it facing up. Lumiquest came out with a new setup made to go on this way. It’s called Quick bounce. The Velcro is much stronger on this set up. Looks good so far but my next wedding is next month before I can field test it.
I currently don't have a external flash, which is why I was looking into those things. Then this came up, oh why not look into this while we are at it!
Gary Fong only out performs when shooting in portrait it turns with the flash and still points to the ceiling. trying to do that with the other modifiers good luck. My go to is the fstopper knock off which I like mine better than the one shown here is because the white part around the circle on mine is black. So no light comes out the sides. Good stuff as always Skyros.
With the rogue flashbender you can increase significantly the power, with silver and bend the top, in studio you can shape the light in background with the bottom. No the flashbender is the best choice if the price is not a problem. Good video
I ordered that fstoppers knockoff for cheap $7. I am doing some close ups and from what I saw from another shooter it makes a good rim/hairlight modifier.
Thanks for this good review-I especially appreciate the comparison of the F-Stoppers and it’s larger copy. Agree that the F-Stoppers is a good unit. After using multiple modifiers in 40+ years experimenting, I also really like the Lumiquest Quik Bounce. I prefer the Quik Bounce in areas with white ceilings at reasonable height, especially as you have 3 levels of bounce. It’s also one of the few units that’s good for vertical shots. I prefer the F-Stoppers where I cannot bounce at all (dark ceilings, ceilings too high, etc.)
I do have the Gary Fong lightsphere and the Flashbender. The Gary Fong I use for corporate portraits. The flashbender I use for hard light fashion shoots. I do like them both :-).
If I can bounce light off the wall, it is probably the best light. The larger modifiers create a huge catch light on the subject's glasses. I don't know how the Sunbounce bouncewall will work comparing with the large modifiers in here.
As I recall, the XL Flashbender was not made for on camera flash. It's for off camera uses, but is really portable. You should have tested the large or smaller size. The Lightsphere isn't supposed to have top on unless one can not bounce off a ceiling. There are other Fong attachments for the Lightsphere, too. Not sure every device got a fair shake in these reviews.
That may be the case. Regardless, people will use these items as they see fit regardless of intended use. With that in mind I used these both as I see other photographers using them, and as I would use them.
At what distance from the subjects would you recommend the disk softbox so as not to lose the softness of the light? I would like to use it for weddings, for example, for practicality
The energy you put-out in your videos forces one to pay attention! Thanks for this review. Hey, is there a remote flash trigger that can turn my cheap Neeware flash into a TTL flash? I meant, after connecting said flash trigger to my camera and then remotely to the flash unit, said flash unit effectively becomes a TTL flash unit. I am new to the photography and your videos have been quite helpful. Thanks
i have the gary fong dome and am very happy with it. i've been referred to the magmod - maybe you can do a review of the magmod and a comparison to these.
I have/had both gary fong and magmod ...sold the magmod as weight is hard on the flash elbow due to weighty magnets, plus have to remember to keep those magnets away from certain types of hard drives. I have both Gary Fong Lightsphere Universal Half Cloud, and Gary Fong Collapsible ...I prefer the Half Cloud as it is lighter weight with equally good diffusion. The Collapsible is too weighty for flash elbow longevity.
Ace video, Spyros. What brand is the flash disk 'knock off'? BTW in England a knock off is something stolen, while an imitation is an 'immo' (in Liverpool at least) and a counterfeit is 'jarg'.
Dude, if you are doing studio shots with the lightphere with a backdrop, you absolutely do not "point it right at the subject. You would only do that if you were outside and wanted focused fill light. You point the Lightsphere and flash head straight up with the dome off for high ceilings or on (inverted) for controlled bounce light if the subject is in front of a backdrop. RTFM.
Awesome review, to the point. Dummy question for anyone: I understand why you want a low ISO and a fast shutter speed in this case, but why would you shoot with such a high aperture? isn't f7 kind of high? or was that simply to compensate for the fact that he was using the flash on full power? Thanks in advance.
I hope there are photos shot outside using these modifiers. I would like to know which is the best when you are shooting at event with very high ceiling that you can't bounce the flash.
I wish you took the sample images sans the eyeglasses. The specular highlights were quite distracting, what with the different poses/head positions.Very good video, nonetheless, thanks for sharing.
There is no way i will ever use the flash disc when I shoot weddings or events. It’s too big, floppy and intrusive. Gary Fong is discreet compared to that.
hi bro i need some help...i accidentally brought the wrong rogue flashbender...i just ended buying the diffusion panel and didnt know that if i purchase one or the other and not the full kit it dont come together...so now i'm left with the diffusion panel for now and was wondering how i can make good use of it can i still use it to take good pics even without the flashbender? i just wont be able to fold it and bend the diffusion panel is that correct (it just wont stay in place right)? unless i have the flashbender attached onto the diffusion panel...
I just ordered a product called the Lite Scoop 3 from Litegenius based on a review on UA-cam from Dustin Abbott. Have not received it yet - hopefully by Christmas.
Exactly what I needed :) thanks! Curious, would you think the fladhdisk would be a good solution for an indoor event, pretty poorly lit to dark? Like party shots, or proms?
Sadly, that great beard didn't help with the comparison. I wanted to see the softness of the chin shadow. You should consider another comparison between the Fstoppers Flashdisc and MagMod Sphere and Bounce.
Great video though!! Have you seen the "black foamie thing" light modifier? It's basically free (diy) and gives off a great light similar to off camera flash when you are bouncing the light! I love it and guy who created it has an awesome website showing ways to get awesome pics without buying into all of the marketing gimmicks. Would love to see a review of it!!
Well of course it's hard for you to get the light sphere on, it looks like you have Velcro on your flash. And as others point out you don't just point it at the subject. I think if you review something you should know how to use it.
Or spend near zero money using a piece of A4 card stock and attaching it with a rubber band for a near identical result. That Gary Thong gimmick looks like a family planning device handed out by missionaries in Guatemala.
Very nice video, thank You for this comparison. Your winner is mine also. Maybe one another piece is this one www.roundflash.com/roundflash_dish Only one problem with this modifier is that it can be used in case when the speedlight is off camera.
This round flash is working like a beauty dish if placed closer to the photografed face. The black round part on the front contains silver reflective surface inside, this bounce the light to the back which is also covered with silver reflective surface and finally light comming out troiugh white front white ring. It is not cheap but for me it was a good invesment. I am happy with the results. Creates also nice aka beauty dish reflections in eyes.
I have both the Gary Fong and the Rogue Flashbender. Each serves a different application for me. The Flashbender XL Pro that I have has one advantage over the others: you can shape your light. You can use remote speedlights with these, shape your light, or you can put a grid on it, or even make a tube that focuses the light into a specific area for a hairlight or focused backdrop light. The Gary Fong set up comes with different color domes, and one version has a black piece to attach to the speedlight allowing you to do a ceiling bounce without the fill from the translucent lightsphere. I have a couple PocketBox modifiers for on-camera softbox work, but I hardly use them.
To me, every artist will do different work and what fits best will depend on what they're doing and what they're trying to achieve. I love my Gary Fong gear and my Rogue gear. Not everyone will agree and that's really okay. It's a lot like pickup guys arguing over Ford, Chevy, Dodge, or Toyota. What's best? What are you doing with it and how's it equipped? Same with flash modifiers.
I'm with you 100% Though I pick one that I prefer in this video, the right tool is the tool needed for the job, and that'll vary from person to person, and in the end, these are all good tools that can serve to help photographers create the kinds of images they want to create.
Worth mentioning: The Fong Lightshpere is traditionally not pointed at the subject but rather pointed bulb up. It fills face shadows amazingly when it sends back down diffused light off a ceiling and upper walls. Plus it folds up nicely even if you want to keep it attached to your speedlight. The top diffuser is removable in case you're dealing with an extra tall ceiling.
The versatility of the flashbender beats the other products you are using. You can form a snoot with it or flag frontal light if you want to use bounce light only. If I was only going to buy one I would but the flash bender because of this.
I use the Gary Fong Lightsphere for event photography. Yeah, I have had times where the dome popped off, and times when the entire unit popped off. But, I do get great light from it. It is relatively compact, and since it is not that directional it allows me to light larger groups such as on a stage. I also have a Lumiquest on-flash softbox that I bought for more directional lighting, but I rarely use it.
I use the Rogue Flashbenders and have gotten good results with them. Since I travel, they fold down nicely in my bag. I primarily use a small Flashbender without the diffusion screen and let the flash bounce off of it; it can also be rolled up to form a snoot. I have larger version with a diffusion screen and Rogue Grid which really directs the flash into a tighter beam. Think of them like the Swiss Army knife of modifiers. They do the trick without adding a lot of extra weight to your bag.
I've tried the small Rogue Flashbender on my Nikon SB910 fitted with the diffuser that comes with the SB910. I was able to set the flash at one stop less than with just the Rogue (1/16 vs 1/8 power for example) and got a beautiful soft light.
I've been looking for a comprehensive comparison between speedlight modifiers. This is perfect! Thanks so much for making this video!
I have a Gary Fong, and works well for me so far, no problems with it falling apert, you just have to make sure it's in all the way, plus the dome can be reversed (pointing inward) so it can be more of a fill than direct when it sticks out.
FWIW, the FlashBender XL is designed for off camera flash use. I use it mostly as a strip light with the included grid for hair lighting. On camera you should test the standard Rogue flash which is superior to the other products you tested because of its flexibility as a modifier. It can be twisted to flag, snoot, or direct the flash in a variety of ways.
The others are nice diffusers, but that said, I don't find any of them to be dramatically better than the included Sto-fen type diffuser that comes with the 600EX II-RT. I know I don't have to tell you, with all the crap we have to lug around, the advantage of having to only carry 1 modifier that can serve multiple roles versus needing several.
Specifically as a diffuser, I still prefer the Rogue, as I can angle it to fit the immediate flash needs of the moment. I can make it bounce forward to the subject as well as off the white wall to the right, but NOT the orange ceiling above, for example. With other diffusers it's an all or none proposition, which is fine if that's what you need, and are shooting in a location conducive to that, but not so great if you want to limit how the flash bounces, but still get decent diffusion. I've also found that by bending the Rogue forward, nearly 90º, it still diffuses pretty nicely outside, while the others really require a ceiling.
I honestly don't use on-camera flash much, but have tried most of the diffusers you tested. In the end I kept returning to the Rogue simply for its versatility. If I don't need that versatility, I just slap the flash's included diffuser on and call it a day. :)
I've been using the Gary Fong dome for years and have never had any of the obviously clumsy results you did. It's a great product.
Getting mines delivered on sat. Can't wait to test it out 👐
Same!! My rarely comes off unless I bump it into a table hard enough
I also have one of those knockoff Fstoppers modifiers. I do like it for quick head shots. And it came in handy when I needed light in a space with out any white surfaces to bounce stuff off of. If I had access to more places to bounce, I think I would have stuck with a stofen type of modifier. Thanks for the comparison. For a beginner like me, these videos have been invaluable.
At 4:44 in your video, you say "What you are looking at here is a sample of the Gary Fong Light Sphere and the F-stopper Flash Disk" However BOTH pictures are labels as Flash w/ Gary Fong pointed directly at subject.
I have the fStoppers unit, and it is very good. If I have a good ceiling to work with, I prefer a Lumi-Quest Quik Bounce, as it is more flexible and adjustable. The Fong and Stofen unit are not overly effective IMO, and waste a lot of light as well. Thanks for the video.
Many years back I was taking product pictures at trade shows using a speedlight on camera with a swivel head pointed upwards and a straight 4 x 6 inch (approximate) piece of white foamcore board attached with Velcro to the flash to reflect some light. It was pretty darn cheap and fairly effective.
I plan to take some outdoor portraits (head and shoulders) away from electrical plugs, so I'll be using radio controlled speedlights on tripods. Mostly I want a diffused light close to the face and a separation light/hair light on the shoulders and hair. I may build a softbox out of foamcore board, foil and diffusion gel for the face light. I'll experiment with that and If needed, I might try one of the larger Lightbender devices for the face light. I have not yet figured out what I'll need for the separation light/hair light.
I have the Gary Fong collapsible dome and the top rarely pops out unless I bump into something hard to knock it off. The body is made of some type of rubber and it holds the top cap in place pretty well.
I've used Gary Fong for about 7 years now. I've never had any problems really. I think it does a great job. The thing is it needs to be pointed up, not at your subject. Gary even says this in his instructional videos. Also, you comparison method is flawed because it was the only one you compared by pointing the flash directly at the subject. The only complaint I have about them are they seem to put a lot of stress on the elbow of the flash. Over time the Gary Fong diffusers have worn down my flash elbow and I've read that it's broken some peoples flash at the elbow.
I wish this review came out before I purchased the Gary Fong bull#%^%
i returned mine the same day after testing it..
I love my Gary Fong Lightsphere. I never aim it toward a subject, only upright. This erases shadows. Only use the dome if in an area with a high ceiling or outdoors. I use 100 ISO outdoors and 800 ISO indoors with camera set on TTL. I have taken photos of large groups of people and the lighting was great. I have set it up on a light stand, with a remote trigger, and then move around the room easily getting shots. A Great tool.
That's great! I'm glad it works for you! That's the most important thing. :)
Thumbs up for an unbiased review. I've tried them both, I like the flashbender more, it evens the light better. The Gary fong looks really cool when it's lit, but it produces harsh shadows. Maybe it was more groundbreaking when it first came out but now there's other options that perform better.
I have the Rogue Flashbender XL and it’s the best $100 I’ve spent. I love that that one modifier become 4: reflector, softbox, strip box and snoot. Yeah it’s heavy but, very worth the money.
Awesome!! The most important thing is that it’s useful, and it definitely is.
This is a good video overall, but the Fong Lightsphere isn’t really intended to be used as a direct flash diffuser. It’s supposed to be used for bounce flash.
it's a miracle that flash unit remained on the table up until the end of the video.
I used Gary Fong lightsphere and the Rogue Flashbender professionally. The Fong sphere always seemed to lose the disc that mounts at the end. I had to tape it on. The flash bender is great for formals of multiple people but it is very bulky for event photography.
My main go to is a Lumiquest 80/20 without any of the attachements. It allows for 80% of the light to bounce upwards and 20% forward which is a great smooth lighting that does not appear to be a flash. The only thing I dislike about the 80/20 is that its mostly used for landscape photos. It does not give the same performance when you turn the camera for a portrait shot.
One item I really want to try is the Demb flip-it. It looks stellar and heard great things about it. It mounts side ways so you can use it for portraits or landscape shots with only bending the flash.
I haven't tried the 80/20. I'll have to give that a look!
Spyros Heniadis it’s outstanding. I guess some photographers were mounting it sideways and turning the flash bends to the side instead of forward. This way when you turn your camera into portrait mode you just flip it to the side and it facing up.
Lumiquest came out with a new setup made to go on this way. It’s called Quick bounce. The Velcro is much stronger on this set up. Looks good so far but my next wedding is next month before I can field test it.
Spyros Heniadis if you wanted to test the 80-20 you can get them cheap used on eBay. It’s called the pro max system.
I currently don't have a external flash, which is why I was looking into those things. Then this came up, oh why not look into this while we are at it!
Gary Fong only out performs when shooting in portrait it turns with the flash and still points to the ceiling. trying to do that with the other modifiers good luck. My go to is the fstopper knock off which I like mine better than the one shown here is because the white part around the circle on mine is black. So no light comes out the sides. Good stuff as always Skyros.
*Spyros
With the rogue flashbender you can increase significantly the power, with silver and bend the top, in studio you can shape the light in background with the bottom. No the flashbender is the best choice if the price is not a problem. Good video
Thank you! The shaping capability of the flashbender is a great advantage of it.
I ordered that fstoppers knockoff for cheap $7. I am doing some close ups and from what I saw from another shooter it makes a good rim/hairlight modifier.
Thanks for this good review-I especially appreciate the comparison of the F-Stoppers and it’s larger copy. Agree that the F-Stoppers is a good unit.
After using multiple modifiers in 40+ years experimenting, I also really like the Lumiquest Quik Bounce. I prefer the Quik Bounce in areas with white ceilings at reasonable height, especially as you have 3 levels of bounce. It’s also one of the few units that’s good for vertical shots.
I prefer the F-Stoppers where I cannot bounce at all (dark ceilings, ceilings too high, etc.)
The Quik Bounce reminds me of the DIY modifier I just recently did a video on!
ua-cam.com/video/yl-iJjAbBro/v-deo.html
The large flash benders are great for off camera flash
I do have the Gary Fong lightsphere and the Flashbender. The Gary Fong I use for corporate portraits. The flashbender I use for hard light fashion shoots. I do like them both :-).
If I can bounce light off the wall, it is probably the best light. The larger modifiers create a huge catch light on the subject's glasses. I don't know how the Sunbounce bouncewall will work comparing with the large modifiers in here.
A wall bounce is definitely a good option when available!
As I recall, the XL Flashbender was not made for on camera flash. It's for off camera uses, but is really portable. You should have tested the large or smaller size. The Lightsphere isn't supposed to have top on unless one can not bounce off a ceiling. There are other Fong attachments for the Lightsphere, too. Not sure every device got a fair shake in these reviews.
That may be the case. Regardless, people will use these items as they see fit regardless of intended use.
With that in mind I used these both as I see other photographers using them, and as I would use them.
At what distance from the subjects would you recommend the disk softbox so as not to lose the softness of the light? I would like to use it for weddings, for example, for practicality
They do make a hard plastic version of the Gary Fong, works great for real estate work.
The energy you put-out in your videos forces one to pay attention! Thanks for this review. Hey, is there a remote flash trigger that can turn my cheap Neeware flash into a TTL flash? I meant, after connecting said flash trigger to my camera and then remotely to the flash unit, said flash unit effectively becomes a TTL flash unit. I am new to the photography and your videos have been quite helpful. Thanks
I bought a smaller flashbender and love it.
Gary Fong ist kompakter und für mich die beste Wahl ☺
Nikon makes a really good diffuser that spreads the light out. It comes with the SB500 unit, I don't know about other speedlights.
i have the gary fong dome and am very happy with it. i've been referred to the magmod - maybe you can do a review of the magmod and a comparison to these.
I'd like to review the magmod. I haven't had a chance to yet. Need to get my hands on some of the magmod gear.
I have/had both gary fong and magmod ...sold the magmod as weight is hard on the flash elbow due to weighty magnets, plus have to remember to keep those magnets away from certain types of hard drives. I have both Gary Fong Lightsphere Universal Half Cloud, and Gary Fong Collapsible ...I prefer the Half Cloud as it is lighter weight with equally good diffusion. The Collapsible is too weighty for flash elbow longevity.
Thanks for the comparison. I'm sorry you didn't compare the MagMod diffuser as well.
Looking forward to it.
Very cool video!!! I hate flash and that's why I was looking at modifiers. I guess I will get the fstoppers knock-off. Thank you so much.
Happy to help!!
Ace video, Spyros. What brand is the flash disk 'knock off'? BTW in England a knock off is something stolen, while an imitation is an 'immo' (in Liverpool at least) and a counterfeit is 'jarg'.
is it actual better than a godox 24" softbox?
Dude, if you are doing studio shots with the lightphere with a backdrop, you absolutely do not "point it right at the subject. You would only do that if you were outside and wanted focused fill light. You point the Lightsphere and flash head straight up with the dome off for high ceilings or on (inverted) for controlled bounce light if the subject is in front of a backdrop. RTFM.
I bought a flash bender and used for years now I use a 22 inch octa
My light sphere dome never popped off during a shoot
That’s good to know! For me the light sphere was too fiddly, but if it works for you that’s all that matters.
I don't ink the Gary Fong is meant to be used in a direct flash position pointed at the subject. Not an appropriate comparison.
Who takes portraits with the flash on the camera?
wedding and event photographers. that’s who!
Awesome review, to the point.
Dummy question for anyone: I understand why you want a low ISO and a fast shutter speed in this case, but why would you shoot with such a high aperture? isn't f7 kind of high? or was that simply to compensate for the fact that he was using the flash on full power? Thanks in advance.
Spyros Heniadis Thanks a lot man! I think I will better go out there and shoot some damn photos to practice what you have explained.
I hope there are photos shot outside using these modifiers. I would like to know which is the best when you are shooting at event with very high ceiling that you can't bounce the flash.
Spyros Heniadis please make a tutorial using flash on high ceiling. Please 🙏🏻
I did the test, flash bender Will be the best choice
Will the less expensive flash benders found on Amazon work just as well?
Yes. At least I think so.
I wish you took the sample images sans the eyeglasses. The specular highlights were quite distracting, what with the different poses/head positions.Very good video, nonetheless, thanks for sharing.
There is no way i will ever use the flash disc when I shoot weddings or events. It’s too big, floppy and intrusive. Gary Fong is discreet compared to that.
hi bro i need some help...i accidentally brought the wrong rogue flashbender...i just ended buying the diffusion panel and didnt know that if i purchase one or the other and not the full kit it dont come together...so now i'm left with the diffusion panel for now and was wondering how i can make good use of it can i still use it to take good pics even without the flashbender? i just wont be able to fold it and bend the diffusion panel is that correct (it just wont stay in place right)? unless i have the flashbender attached onto the diffusion panel...
I just ordered a product called the Lite Scoop 3 from Litegenius based on a review on UA-cam from Dustin Abbott. Have not received it yet - hopefully by Christmas.
Exactly what I needed :) thanks! Curious, would you think the fladhdisk would be a good solution for an indoor event, pretty poorly lit to dark? Like party shots, or proms?
I think the flashdisc wood work well for an indoor event, especially for run and gun party shots.
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Why not just try velcroing a 8x10" white foam core board to your flash.
What do you think about Godoy A200 and the Pro Photo A1
Sadly, that great beard didn't help with the comparison. I wanted to see the softness of the chin shadow.
You should consider another comparison between the Fstoppers Flashdisc and MagMod Sphere and Bounce.
@4:57 the captions are off. both images say "flash w/ gary fong pointed directly at subject"
Great video though!! Have you seen the "black foamie thing" light modifier? It's basically free (diy) and gives off a great light similar to off camera flash when you are bouncing the light! I love it and guy who created it has an awesome website showing ways to get awesome pics without buying into all of the marketing gimmicks. Would love to see a review of it!!
very informative, thanks
Well of course it's hard for you to get the light sphere on, it looks like you have Velcro on your flash. And as others point out you don't just point it at the subject. I think if you review something you should know how to use it.
Been using the Gary Fong it's mehhhh but I rather use it rather than using bare flash.
excellent! Thank you!
The best that fills well and easy to add for me is a 1 pint spray bottle $.99
Darryl C Your Solution is good. I also use white foam like Spiro's black foam. It can be folded over when coloured ceilling would crest a cast
Spiro your suggestion of soft Velcro on flash is brilliant. Folding umbrella beauty dishes are great.
THANKS SO MUCH
Thank you! Glad you enjoyed it!
Appreciate the vid tnx
How come no MagMod?
Greg Wallis when make magmod maybe you can do rogue Large size aswell...i think rogue XL is for OCF..thanks!
Just us the Neewer on a light stand
Yes, that would make for a nice, different video comparison. In this one, he's discussing using these modifiers on the camera, though.
Wrestling with alligators .....😎nice critique!
silly poses are entertaining xD haha
If you didn’t have the Velcro on that big a$$ speedlight, maybe the lightsphere would have fit better.
Heh. Maybe.
You can get the sphere for 10$ not even that.
Or spend near zero money using a piece of A4 card stock and attaching it with a rubber band for a near identical result. That Gary Thong gimmick looks like a family planning device handed out by missionaries in Guatemala.
Very nice video, thank You for this comparison. Your winner is mine also. Maybe one another piece is this one www.roundflash.com/roundflash_dish Only one problem with this modifier is that it can be used in case when the speedlight is off camera.
This round flash is working like a beauty dish if placed closer to the photografed face. The black round part on the front contains silver reflective surface inside, this bounce the light to the back which is also covered with silver reflective surface and finally light comming out troiugh white front white ring. It is not cheap but for me it was a good invesment. I am happy with the results. Creates also nice aka beauty dish reflections in eyes.
You know a world famous photographer doesn't use any of these...Terry Richardson.
Bakwas.....
You are really a putts!
I like how spontaneous you are. Thanks for the review. I needed it.