At 19:28 4/26/03, you wrote:
The Oly WA diffuser broadens coverage to 21mm lenses.
For GN use, the GN for the Oly WA is known.
You lose a stop using the WA diffuser. It does help some at close
distances for tight shots using standard lens, but not at longer ones. No
matter how large the diffusion panel, the farther you are, the more it
reduces down toward a point source. If you use a diffuser that bounces
light all around in a more confined space, such as a home living room, it
can soften the lighting throughout the room . . . the critical factor being
bouncing light everywhere so that only about half of it falling on the
subject is direct. In large spaces such as a big church or reception hall,
the effect from one is reduced.
BTW, I've had a chance to use my new Sunpak 120J TTL mounted on a Newton
rotating flash bracket powered by a TriPak-II battery slab a couple times
now and it's rapidly becoming my favorite. Was using a Metz 40 MZ-3i (or
-2) on the bracket. The Quantum panel diffuser fits the Sunpak if you only
use one layer of diffuser (comes with two). Without the diffuser it
renders much like flashbulbs used to . . . the brightness of direct flash
but with shadow edges subtly softened slightly by the large bowl reflector.
If you use the homemade one in Auto Mode you have to be careful that it
doesn't direct enough light down onto the light sensor to prematurely
quench the flash. I have not tried this, but remember it as a problem
mentioned in past posts.
Indeed it is . . . and not just with the T-20/32. It can cause the same
problem with my Metz 40 MZ-2/3i, and Sunpak 544/555/120J units.
Neither one will enlarge the effective size of the light source for softer
portrait lighting or move it away from the camera to reduce red-eye.
The white T-32 WA diffuser has had a slight effect for me in the past . . .
but only when very close and tight in a more confined space (low white
ceilings, etc.). I'm doing too much work now in larger spaces at longer
distances that I've just about abandoned using the T-32's most of the time
in favor of the higher powered Metz and Sunpak units. Even the half-stop
gain in the Metz 40 MZ's with ISO 160 film has made a difference.
-- John
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