Gary Fong Thing ???

[Stemmy]

I have recently heard a few people mention these Gary Fong things.

http://secure.mycart.net/catalogs/catalog.asp?prodid=4684316&showprevnext=1

Does anybody have one ?

Are they any good or should I just buy a diffuser ??

Help please

[StagePhotography.co.uk]

Looks impressive... But of course advertising always does...

It would mean looking like you have a yoghurt tub on top
of your camera... But for a soft portrait look, hmmm......

Seems cheap enough to try....

[Stemmy]

You say they are cheap. They are going for £45 in this country.

Might have to speak nicely to some of our American chums ???

[StagePhotography.co.uk]

YOU WHAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Looked like they were only about 12 to 20 dollars...

The gits...

[Renee Marquis]

THE FONG DONG, they call it here in the USA. Ive got one and love it, with me not being that good with camera settings and such. This thing as SAVED me big time in Rec. with them being dark and all. Here is a link to Gary Fong site... check it out and post your thoughts... www.garygong.com and look up Lightsphere II

[StagePhotography.co.uk]

I think he means...

http://www.garyfong.com

:)

[Renee Marquis]

oops! thanks.... I love mine. it really spreads the light out, and you dont get spot light effect.

[StagePhotography.co.uk]

I'm actually quite interested in this....

How can we get them over here cheaper????

Any ideas?

:)

Have you got any examples Renee, you know

Without flash / Camera Flash / Full front normal flash and the Fongy thing..?

[Stemmy]

Yes me too. Ive seen the samples on the website but would like to see some taken "In the field" so to speak.

Anybody else with one please comment.

Renee can you post us some ?????

[DennisB]

My Nikon flashgun came with a diffuser. I rarely use the fashgun without it.

[StagePhotography.co.uk]

And very pretty is it too...

:)

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!ok I'm in a WEEKEND MOOD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
*gets 3 bottles of wine"..
Yum Plum first.....

Ok, so some "real samples" we need first, them perhaps we could get a bulk order from the US?

[Renee Marquis]

Hey all, I dont have any samples with, without, so to speak. But here are some images in a rec. site. that had VERY high celings, and it was very dark. I do believe if I did not have this lightsphere I wouldnt have gotten what I got. Keep in mind all you EXPERTS that I am very new to all this, this was I do believe like my 8th wedding. I getting there... click on my blog and you can see more images from different weddings that I have done.... Http://reneephotos.blogspot.com/ and you can see an instant movie that Gary Fong also offers... Http://www.instantmoviesonline.com/show.php?id=4540 instant movie it is so cool. Let me know what everybody thinks.... Renee

[Alan W]

My Nikon SB800 came with a plastic diffuser like Dennis's above. My SB600 back up which is cheaper didn't, but you can get one called something like 'Stofen Omnibounce' for around £18 and Stofen make them for all sorts of flashguns. I have used the Nikon one on my SB800 with great success especially for fill flash in daylight. I was told by another photographer that when using my diffuser for fill flash to have the gun at 45 degrees if your subject is less than 15 feet away and to have it direct at them if over 15 feet and to turn the gun down 1 stop. This really does seem to work well. From what I have read Canon make the best image stabilisation lenses and Nikon make the best TTL flashguns.

Given the choice I'd rather not have one or those wierd things on my flash, mind you - it would make everone smile!

[BarryM]

Seems impressive, currently i use two strips of scotch tape over my flashgun, it works brilliaintly, i first used this for catwalk shots at a wedding fayre and was so impressed ive not bothered to get a diffuser.

Here was my attempts, a low ceiling around 10 feet and very low lighting in the room.

http://www.barrymoirphotography.co.uk/modthree.jpg


http://www.barrymoirphotography.co.uk/modone.jpg

[Renee Marquis]

I agree also, that this lightsphere looks funny, but I dont care what people think, as long as it gives me a great shot.... the newer one is a little different in design then the older one. This new one doesnt stand out so and its clear plactic. Ive had people come up and make small talk usually asking about the thing on top of my flash... I just feel what the heck, if it works and then everyone else will start using it. Some people have a harder time with change or something different I guess. I know I didnt like my dark shots at the rec. or at the church. This thing saved me, as I grow and learn more about my camera settings, maybe then I wont need the fong dong thing anymore. But, right now it is diffently working for me. The Rec. with such dark lighting, this diffuser really lumiantes the light all over so much better then any other diffuser. The above pic. it was an old barn turned into a reception site. Very, very high celings, and it was very dark. I was saved that day by the FONG DONG, I stongly believe that.

[BarryM]

certainly gives great results, just a pity its so expensive over here =[[

[Renee Marquis]

How much does it cost over there? It runs for $48.00 US. My second shooter made a home made one out of a like plasic container... it worked for him....

[Matt Needham]

I have and use both the Gary Fong Lightsphere (not the fancy, new, collapsable model, but the older hard plastic version) and the Sto Fen Omni Bounce.

The Lightsphere isn't anything amazing, just an over-sized bounce flash diffuser. I see complaints posted all over the internet; people seem to be disappointed when it arrives, and they see it in person. I don't know what they were expecting. It's exactly like what I thought it was going to be when I ordered mine. Yes, you could use a tupperware container, but when the client puts down a few thousand dollars they don't like to see the pro show up with something duct taped to their flash. ;) It does a good job for what it is. I prefer it to the Sto Fen Omni bounce because when I turn the camera vertical, and swivel the flash to bounce off the ceiling, the Lightsphere presents the same sized area of light source to the subject as when the camera is in the horizontal position. The Sto Fen and similar diffusers are reduced to about a third of their normal size (facing the subject) when the camera is vertical.

On the other hand the Sto Fen fits in my bag. So I carry the Sto Fen Omni Bounce all the time, and only pack the Lightsphere when I know I'm going to use it.

[Stemmy]

Interesting Matt.

[neilgordon]

I have 29 years experience as a professional wedding photiographer and I think the Lightsphere is the best accessory I have ever purchased. Where I used to set up one or two lights, I now use the Lightsphere on an SB80 and get superb results. Attached is a shot of a Bridesmaid taken on Saturday (4/3/06) standing practically against a very small area of light wall with the flash on camera (something I would never have done before).
The secret is to open up your aperture to f4 or f2.8 for close ups and f5.6 for groups and use ISO 400, and the combination of available light and flash will give you great results.

There have been several occasions where I have set up two studio heads and then struggled to deal with reflections and have ended up turning of the lights and used the Nikon SB80 gun on top of the camera with the Lightsphere.

It also works as an excellent fill light outside. When I need only a little "kick" of flash I point it up, and if I need more, I point it directly.

I use the Lightsphere in almost every photograph I take. See my on-line wedding proofs for samples (since middle of 2005).

http://www.aberdeenphoto.com/RecentWedFrameset.htm

I also use it for most of my commercial shoots either on it's own or with other lights.

I would recommend using a Quantum battery pack with it as it obviously does use more output.

I am very sceptical of the hard sell advertising but my recommendation is based on practical daily use.

It is well worth the £50. I have just ordered the translucent version.