What is your favorite light modifier?

I only have a Westcott umbrella and Rapidbox. I'll have to say I enjoy the Rapidbox the most. I've been considering getting a smaller softbox like the Lastolite Ezybox for quick oustide shots. Also considering getting a 7 ft umbrella or the Westcott 50 inch softbox.

What light modifiers do you use and what do you like about them??

I have tried a few, but far from an expert at lighting, .... far far away from that.

I bought into a few of the Fong gizmo's - have two of his Whale Tale thing-a-ma-gigs. They would fall under the "Why on earth did I buy that" category. Used them a few times. Now they just take up space. Lots of space.

I have a couple of cheap chinese ebay umbrella's. These I use. I should probably buy a quality one and see if you get what you pay for - if if the cheapies are just as good. Sometimes they are, often they are not. They are not durable but when I have used them, I've been happy with the results.

I have some cheap chinese slap onto your flash, soft boxes, small medium-small and medium (as in about 14"x10"). Actually the smallest one is used when I want to get away from the bright flash in my eye complaint. Works. Might look at some better ones of these things. The one I use the most is starting to fall apart. Fair mileage for something I probably paid $2 to buy.

I use the white diffuser that came with my SB-700 - it works for me - and it came with. Never use the coloured ones though. Tried once, na.

I have a nice bright LED light thing I picked up on eBay - not that cheap but good. I also bought some LED 'side" lights and flexible 'arms" to hold the lights on either side of subject in close up photography. Good for shooting small items where you want good control of the lighting. A bother to fiddle with though. The big bright one recharges internal battery or runs plugged in. The small ones use AA's which is OK. But they are not that bright. Bought those retail.

I have one of those pop open reflectors , use if infrequently. At least it stows away easily in its bag. Mine is about 3' diameter White one side gold on the other.

I have played around with Nikons CLS with two flashes, plus my pop-up (which I have one of those pop up cover over diffuser snap-on things). I add that bright LED sometimes bounced off of my reflector (it does get some use).

What I know is that I don't know much about lighting - and I know that knowing how to use light would be a very good thing. I've read a bit about lighting and it is something on my "I should spend some time learning more about this" list.

I like to shoot small models ( no not short people who pose but toy trains and other models of that kind). I've read about light boxes and tents, have used a opaque white storage tote with bright lights shining through - didn't get the effect I wanted. Might build me one of the DIY lighting tents to shoot stuff .... also on my 'someday' list.

I hope people who know what they are doing will chime in and give you some helpful advice.

I'm not exactly sure this fits the category, but radio triggers. If I had to pick specifically a light modifier it would be my snoots.

Rogue Flashbender. It was that or that lightsphere everyone mainly talks about because Gary Fong "invented it" and I chose the Rogue because it takes up less room when folded up, does just as good a job, more adjustable and yet less expensive.

I have the Gary Fong Lightsphere. I had to shoot it a couple of times and play with it but it is fantastic when you are having to move around and shoot. I was shooting a family gathering today in a church. There was a 40 foot ceiling so bounce was not going to work. I still pointed the flash straight up with the Lightsphere on it using the dome and shot away. Here is one that is straight out of the D750 just resized

Saw a great DIY tutorial for making a Lightsphere from an empty Wanton Soup container. 1/10 the price and you're full when you're done.

I've gotten more than my money's worth from the pair of beginner white umbrellas that I got with my constant light starter kit. Everything else is still looking to recoup the cost of my needing it.

Like Hippie said above. the amount you pay for the product makes no difference on the quality of the light hitting the subject. I have photoflex umbrellas and I have 42" chinese umbrellas that cost less than half the photoflex $45 price. they produce the same quality light. I have a photoflex softbox that costed me 10 years back $200 and a cheap $30 60x90 brolly softbox I use with speedlights and it comes with a grid that has the same quality light. THE SAME. name brand with high prices for light modifiers is not relevant.

xlDeMoNiClx said:

Rogue Flashbender. It was that or that lightsphere everyone mainly talks about because Gary Fong "invented it" and I chose the Rogue because it takes up less room when folded up, does just as good a job, more adjustable and yet less expensive.

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The Fong disperses the light in all directions whereas the Flashbender when flat and pointed straight up only disperses the light forward, upward, and to the side - no wasted light shooting backwards. You can also bend and fold it to your liking and even roll it into a snoot. And yes, if folds flat. You can also buy a cheap diffuser to place on the front of it, so that your flash fires up between the Flashbender and the diffuser, to create your own on-camera softbox. I've seen good results with the Fong but I can't imagine how much more flash power you're using to be shooting the light in all directions.

lostnomore said:

The Fong disperses the light in all directions whereas the Flashbender when flat and pointed straight up only disperses the light forward, upward, and to the side - no wasted light shooting backwards. You can also bend and fold it to your liking and even roll it into a snoot. And yes, if folds flat. You can also buy a cheap diffuser to place on the front of it, so that your flash fires up between the Flashbender and the diffuser, to create your own on-camera softbox. I've seen good results with the Fong but I can't imagine how much more flash power you're using to be shooting the light in all directions.

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That's why I'm glad I made the choice I did.

lightsphere for certain situations... flashbender for others...
otherwise, umbrellas, softboxes and beautydishes for studio work...
then lastly ringlights for that certain touch.