Omnibounce... really that useful?

[kiwi2]

This question might have been asked b4 but I did a thorough test myself and I am not convinced...

I don't find the flash to the face that much reduced compared to without using it at all. I'm also comparing this against a self-made cardboard reflector. The latter gives much better "spread" of the light not only on the face but even into the background.

Been seeing some people using the Omnibounce. For that kind of price just buying a piece of cheap looking plastic.... isn't it better to make our own reflector then? Maybe the Omni is just more convenient to use but I seriously doubt its effectiveness...

 

[ST1100]

i pay for the convenience. The omni almost never leaves the flash head. The reflector card works better, but is a lot more troublesome to carry around and setup.

The omni also has the advantage of spread some light forwards when pointed at the ceiling, as compared to a bare flash.

On the times where bouncing is not practical or possible, and no card is available (didn't bring), the omni can be quite a lifesaver. Pointing the naked flash straight on is just too harsh.

Anyway, OT a bit; sulhan sells a reflector package for a few dollars, rubber band, card, ziploc bag, quite a convenient and cheap package if one is too lazy to home-make.

 

[kiwi2]

So it's more of a convenience right... Yes, Omnibounce may be better than bare flash...

 

[TME]

I find hotspots even with the Omnibounce. I bought one used it once and never touched it any more. Also it scratched by flash case cos if u stick it on and take it off, the damages the flash case plastics... boo hoo hoo :cry:

I like bounce card better.... less guesswork compared to bouncing off ceiling which I have no idea how to "agar".....

 

[kiwi2]

I find hotspots even with the Omnibounce. I bought one used it once and never touched it any more. Also it scratched by flash case cos if u stick it on and take it off, the damages the flash case plastics... boo hoo hoo :cry:

I like bounce card better.... less guesswork compared to bouncing off ceiling which I have no idea how to "agar".....

Yah, when I was a newbie several years back, "gong-gong" (no offence, just commenting my own decision) paid so much for a piece of plastic probably worth a few cents! The guy at CP actually shook his head and asked me why don't I do my own.. but I waasn't convinced then.

Recently took it out and tested it again more thoroughly... never want to touch it again. It's ok for convenience especially when you are on the move but I'm simply not convinced it's that much better.

 

[HelmetBox]

Yah, when I was a newbie several years back, "gong-gong" (no offence, just commenting my own decision) paid so much for a piece of plastic probably worth a few cents! The guy at CP actually shook his head and asked me why don't I do my own.. but I waasn't convinced then.

Recently took it out and tested it again more thoroughly... never want to touch it again. It's ok for convenience especially when you are on the move but I'm simply not convinced it's that much better.

since you're not touching it can sell me? heheeeeeee.......

 

[kiwi2]

since you're not touching it can sell me? heheeeeeee.......

Can but how much u want it for? And it's for 380EX.

 

[megaweb]

It is useful to me


For nature , it provide diffuse flash to my object and it looks more like sunlight. So it does not give hash effect.


For event , becoz' I am shooting digitally with flash batt pack , I always compensate +1 to the flash. With omni-bounce , I can shoot bounce effect in portrait and landscape mode anytime. So it is convenience to me

 

[HelmetBox]

Can but how much u want it for? And it's for 380EX.

First, sorry thread starter for OT-ing

I don't think it can fit my 500DG right? If its just sitting there then let me have it cheap lah, look at it as a way to help a newbie improve :lovegrin: I can try cut it up and make use of the diffusing plastic. heheheheeeeeeeeeee...............

 

[ckiang]

My personal take : Omnibounce is useless. The same applies for the "real" thing as well as Nikon SB80DX version. A cheap piece of bounce card works far better as some here have found out as well. (Well at least the SB80DX one is "free", but $30+ for that white dome is a lot to pay for when a < $1 card gives better results....)

With the Omnibounce, the size of your light source stays the same (i.e. it's still the size of your flash head). This means it's still a point source and pics will still be harsh. With bounce cards, soft boxes, etc, the area of the light source is increased, thereby giving softer light.

A particular photo magazine (I forgot which, it's one of the prominent ones) rate the Omnibounce as the "most useless piece of accessory" and I tend to agree. :rbounce:

Regards
CK

 

[Zerstorer]

I won't say its useless, it's just next to useless IMO.
It can help as a wide angle diffusor in a pinch. However, I'd agree that a bouncecard works better in just about all situations.

In fact, if you consider bouncing off a ceiling, a bouncecard is by far more effective and efficient because it allows the direct path of the flashlight to reach the ceiling unhindered. The omnibounce however reduces the amount of light reaching the ceiling.

The net result is that an omnibounce throws more light forward and allows less light to bounce from the ceiling compared to a bouncecard. This will certainly result in a harsher effect.

 

[HelmetBox]

I was thinking, after seeing their website on how the omni bounce works, it works more like a diffuser than a bounce. I think its more effective when there's nowhere to bounce your flash, like maybe in a big room with tall ceiling or outdoor or taking vertical shots.

A point source light direct on produces harsh shadows. If the light is diffused using the omnibounce, its not so much of a point source and thus not so harsh shadows (as depicted in their website) Theoratically its useful but you will have to compensate the light lose.

But then its a little too expensive. I'm experimenting now with different translucent materials to get a good flash diffusion. Won't pay for the original thing.

 

[Zerstorer]

If a bouncecard is larger than the omnibounce it will be better than the omnibounce. The omnibounce is still a point source if you think of it carefully, just that its now a larger point.

An omnibounce is most useless in large rooms, high ceilings or outdoors. It is at its best only in a tiny room with the ceiling and side walls close to you.

 

[HelmetBox]

If a bouncecard is larger than the omnibounce it will be better than the omnibounce. The omnibounce is still a point source if you think of it carefully, just that its now a larger point.

An omnibounce is most useless in large rooms, high ceilings or outdoors. It is at its best only in a tiny room with the ceiling and side walls close to you.

Will it be better if I pointed the omni bounce straight? or only slightly tilted when outdoors? Cause I see some professionals use it direct.......

:dunno:

 

[Zerstorer]

Will it be better if I pointed the omni bounce straight? or only slightly tilted when outdoors?

When outdoors a bouncecard will be better than an omnibounce no matter what angle you are using. This is because there is no longer any sidewall,rearwall and ceiling for the omnibounce to work.

Cause I see some professionals use it direct.......

The only reason I can think of is that their flash coverage is limited and they are using an ultrawide angle lens. Else it doesn't make sense.

So far, I've found that an omnibounce fired direct has the same effect as a flash fired direct, sometimes possibly worse if the material of the omnibounce is not of even thickness/transmittivity.

 

[Prismatic]

I agree that a bounce card gives a better lighting anytime. But at a lot of press events, you actually see very few people use a bounce card. This is because a bounce card irritates the hell out of other photographers. It makes the profile of your camera much bigger that it usually and gets in the view of other people.

You can always ignore that and tell yourself that only getting the picture counts. But that's not very nice, and when you irritate other photographers enuff, they tend get unruly and start blocking you. It's childish, but sort of a karma thing, hahaha.

 

[HelmetBox]

When outdoors a bouncecard will be better than an omnibounce no matter what angle you are using. This is because there is no longer any sidewall,rearwall and ceiling for the omnibounce to work.

The only reason I can think of is that their flash coverage is limited and they are using an ultrawide angle lens. Else it doesn't make sense.

So far, I've found that an omnibounce fired direct has the same effect as a flash fired direct, sometimes possibly worse if the material of the omnibounce is not of even thickness/transmittivity.

Sorry OT a little:

So it means that when I'm outdoors and I don't have any reflectors, a bounce card will be enough? If so what angle should the flash be? still pointing up?

Thanks for the advice.

 

[HelmetBox]

I agree that a bounce card gives a better lighting anytime. But at a lot of press events, you actually see very few people use a bounce card. This is because a bounce card irritates the hell out of other photographers. It makes the profile of your camera much bigger that it usually and gets in the view of other people.

You can always ignore that and tell yourself that only getting the picture counts. But that's not very nice, and when you irritate other photographers enuff, they tend get unruly and start blocking you. It's childish, but sort of a karma thing, hahaha.

hahahahahaha :bsmilie: thats new!

 

[Zerstorer]

Helmetbox:Straight-up, you can adjust the angle of the bouncecard to control the amt of light thrown.

Prismatic:Tell that to the lumiquest users.

 

[ST1100]

i find my omnibounce pretty useful actually. i used a 420EX with the omnibounce for a long while, then i bought my 550EX some years down the road. i didn't get the 'expensive piece of plastic' bcoz i though it was probably a waste of money.

Anyway, to cut the long story short, after one wedding with the naked flash, i headed straight down to CP and got my second omnibounce without a second thought.

The effect i like is that when pointed upwards, it throws about just the right amount of light forwards - less than a bounce card, and more than a naked flash pointing up, giving the picture a sense of two light sources - an omindirectional one from the ceiling, and a gentler direct catchlight. i still use the bouncecard + omnibounce for weddings, but if i suspect a subject's face is too oily or sweaty, i remove the bounce card and shoot with the omnibounce pointed up. (BTW: this techinique drains the batts quite fast. A lot of light is wasted in other directions.)

YMMV.