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Had one for a long time, but have hardly ever used it! : (
But with a few family weddings coming up, and knowing zilch about flash photography, I was thinking of maybe using it. I was under the impression it was ideally intended for indoors, ie bouncing off things!, but reading another forum, some use it outside. Any thoughts? Even the guys in another forum don't seem agreed on it's use. Not really interested in trying any other of the alternatives available, it's too late now, and anyway I won't get the use out of it. Once I get two family weddings out the way, I'll go back to just landscape stuff! ; )
I have used one for quite a while on a Canon 350 with a 430EX. I usually use it on A.P but you need to tilt the flash gun to 45deg which is the advice Stofen gave me. Have used it both in and outdoors and results have always been good (as far as I am concerned!) I dont know if this helps but thats my input. All the best with the weddings
Quote: but you need to tilt the flash gun to 45deg which is the advice Stofen gave me
Yes, I have read what there is to read about it, but was more interested in the outside use really. If it is used outdoors, would it be positioned straight ahead (given that it's not going to bounce off anything), would it only be effective at close distances, ie giving a softer, less harsh effect, or would it simply be better not using it outside at all? ; )
Thanks for your reply.
I use one sometimes in the pits at race meets for driver shots etc, sometimes the flash pointing skywards, sometimes straight, play and see which you like.
Its just a diffuser to soften the harsh light of naked flash.
Also play with the flash compo + or - as you need it.
Steve
It works well outsidefor close-up shots, but doesn't give very good range for longer focal lengths because it disperses the light so much. It works ok for a nice soft highlight in the eye of wildlife though. Practice is the key. I set my flash at -.7 EV for fill and close-up shots, and you'd hardly know a flash was used.
I use it straight ahead for outdoor shots btw.
Just read the original post; use it outside to soften the effect of flash, and I wouldn't dicount it for a nice soft fill in the forground of a landscape.
As you've read right, Omnibounce is only intended for situations when you have something to bounce off. If outdoors, it does nothing but eat up the light power - making your recycle time longer, and using up more battery. if you want an outdoor fill in flash, I would take the stofen off, set it to TTL and fire away, adjusting its power by flash compensation.
FYI, the hardness/softness of the flash is determined by the relative size of source and the subject, not the intensity or its spread.
Hope that helps.
Quote: As you've read right, Omnibounce is only intended for situations when you have something to bounce off......
... err, well that's what you'd expect but not exactly.
I did some experimenting when I got mine and can say that you definatly get a softer light when you tilt the flash head up 45 degrees. This ISN'T because you've actually got less light so it "looks" softer (I measured it) but I think it's to do with the fact that, because of the design and the angles and everything you end up with a more diffuse light pattern (or something). Anyway from experience it does help outdoors.
Sam
Sam - If you feel that it helped your photos, fair enough. I can't and won't argue with that 
But my opinion stands. The physical size of the lightsource relative to subject remains the same. A piece of tupperware will make no difference to that. When a given amount of light disperses in all (omni) directions in an uncontrolled manner, it is basically wansting all the juice, and the amount of light hitting the part you wanted to, ie the subject, will be less. Tilting the flashhead into an open air only adds to that adverse effect.
This is just a guess, but if your flash was on TTL mode, lens would measure the correct exposure but by tilting your flashhead, you ended up sort of feathering the subject, and only the falling off light ended up hittin the subject? This may give you an illusion of softer light.
Anyway, Abwhitt wanted to know whether he should be using omnibounce with his flash outdoor for upcoming weddings. I vote NO for the reasons stated
Cheers
Keigo
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