Diffusion dome or index card?

I just bought a used ("like new") Nikon SB-700 flash for my D-7500. When reading the manual, it mentions a Nikon diffuser dome, which was not included.

We have a grandson who just turned 1, and we have only been able to visit twice because of distance and COVID. On the last trip, I used the built-in flash with mixed results. We are going down for Thanksgiving in a couple of weeks and want to get some better photos this time. I'm concerned about the bright flash going off directly aimed at his young eyes, so I'd like to do bounce flash off the ceiling. (I try to keep at least a 5-6 foot minimum distance when using flash) I see many people use a white index card rubber-banded to the flash and have the flash pointed up for bouncing off the ceiling.

Looking online, I see a Sto-Fen Omni Bounce OM-700 diffuser for $11.99. Would this be better than the index card? Is the small white card (appx 1" X 1.5") that is built in to the SB-700 enough by itself?

Or - do you have any suggestions for other diffusers?

Thank you!

Hi Mike. After watching this video I myself got just an el cheapo diffuser cap and a small softbox attachment for my Yongnuo speedlight, and both work well. The cap is easier to pop on and off (I often just leave it on), but the soft box does give better light for portrait work (I have an even smaller one than the one shown in the video, which does reduce the effect a bit but is more portable and quicker to slip on). I probably will end up getting the "Flash Bender" at some time in the future, especially if I end up getting more into outdoor portraits and need a fill flash.

Having said that...I did use the ol' white index card with rubber band trick back in my film days, and if you don't have access to anything else that's still a better option I think than a nekkid flash.

nikonpup said:

have you tried using the diffuser that is part of the flash? See sb-700 you tube, lots of videos.

Click to expand...

Just got it in the mail last evening and did not get a chance to try it out. I was planning to try the built-in diffuser, but I thought I read that spreading out the flash source to a larger area is better than all of the light coming from a small, concentrated source. It might be easier on the kiddo's young eyes, too.

From a first-read, it appears the built-in diffuser is designed for straight-on use at short ranges. I don't know how much (if any) would be diffused towards the subject if the flash was pointed up at, say 60-90 degrees. I will have to do some experimenting today.

Look here. https://neilvn.com/tangents/about/black-foamie-thing/

Watch this video... it explains the zoom function and light dispersion of your Speedlite. It you add that diffusion cap on a Nikon light, it acts like the fresnel lens and automatically limits the light's focal length... The Gary Fong type light diffusers or the small softbox diffusers do NOT lock the light's focal length and give you the extended light range but with a softer non-glaring light.

Speedlight is stuck at 14mm Basics of flash zoom explained - YouTube

Thank you, everyone! Looks like I have some homework to do today. I appreciate your input.

The little white index card is a bounce card. As Fred's video points out, when the bounce card is pulled out, the focal length of the flash switches to 14mm no matter what focal length your lens is set to.

Here is a link to the original Nikon diffuser in case you want to order one or can find a used one quickly. The product name is the Nikon SW-14H Diffusion Dome in case you want to search for one that is preowned. At the moment, it looks like B&H even has a used one in stock for a little less than the cost of a new one.

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/prod...3_SW_14H_Diffusion_Dome_for.html?sts=pi&pim=Y

@Dangerspouse I checked out your video, and, like you, I like the Rogue Flash Bender. Looks like it would fold up and not take up much space, and is flexible (literally and figuratively).
@hark Thank for the info. I must have skipped over the part in the manual where it says the flash reverts to 14mm with the little built-in card.

I was blessed this morning with a 2-hour facetime video call from our son and grandson (Mom's at IKEA!) so I am just getting started with experimenting. Stay tuned.

The bounce card does a pretty good job.

BTW, If you pull out the Wide-Angle diffuser the white card pops up with it. Then, you push the diffuser back down, so your flash isn't stuck in wide-angle. The card helps give you a catch-light in the eyes. That's all I got. I am not even close to a flash expert.

Taken with my SB-800 and bounce card.

Delayed again. My wife has one eye that suddenly is very red. Took her to the eye Dr. Luckily, nothing serious and drops (expensive drops!!) will take care of it in a few days.

Maybe I will work on this tomorrow.

I have the older SB-600. I bought the STO-FEN diffuser for it. But really in a home setting with short distances to subject and ceiling, just bounce the flash. It will light the entire room in your photos. The flash diffuser domes tend to make background go darker. A reflecting card will concentrate the light on subject a bit more than a simple bounce, and make the background darker for it also. Nothing screams flash photography like a bright subject and a barely visible dark background.

The SB-600 has enough power in a residential home to illuminate everything in a bounce, even aimed straight-up. I expect the SB-700 to be even more capable that way.

As Hammer suggested just use bounce flash. I prefer to bounce from slightly behind me and not straight up. I have some old non TTL radio triggers I often will set the flash in some location out of the way such as on the fire place mantel or dish hutch and just use it to supplement the room light, much lighter than with the flash on camera. Further down on the pace in the link I provided in the other post is all kinds of bounce flash information.
If you can get down low and shoot some pictures an the child's level. I have some nice pictures of the grand kids when I was lying on the floor.

I used the dome that came with my SB-800 speedlight and found something didn't seem right with exposure. I drilled a small hole in it so it didn't depress the little sensing switch on the head when mounted and like the results better.

Well, I had time to do some experimenting and found the bounce flash with a 4X6 inch white index card works pretty well. The built in flash on the D7500 is pretty good, but the bounce flash made a more even spread of lighting all the way out to the edges.

I did find that pointing the SB700 straight ahead resulted in some very slight darker areas near the edge. This was using the widest-angle setting on the 18X140 kit lens. (See photo #3)


#1 - No Flash: I chose this shot of our dining room because of the difficult lighting.



#2 - Built in Flash : Using Aperture Priority and the D7500's built in flash. Actually not too bad. (I used Aperture Priority mode on all of the following shots because the camera did not want to fire the flash on Auto mode. (Odd!)



#3 - SB700 pointed straight ahead. Aperture Priority. Note the flower stand in the far right corner is darker than when using the built-in flash. Although - this may have been a shadow from the china cabinet on the wall. The built-in flash would have been low enough to "sneak" in underneath the cabinet, whereas the cabinet would have blocked the taller SB700.



#4 - SB700 pointed straight up with 4x6 white index card attached. The small table in the RH foreground is more evenly lit.

I am surprised there was not more difference between the shots. Subtle changes, but enough to warrant the small cost and effort to use the SB700 and bounce flash indoors. I think I am still going to order the Rogue Flash Bender (small v2).

Thank you all for your help.

Thanks for doing a nice comparison post.

I need to do the same type of test. Though I haven't done any actual comparisons, I seem to get the best results indoors with my SB-800 diffuser dome on, sensing switch disabled, and flash head pointed at the ceiling or slightly forward. This can require a lot of flash power in big rooms or long distances.

(Disabling the sensor switch keeps the SB-800 from setting its zoom feature to 14mm and disabling the auto-zoom. I don't know if this makes much difference when attempting ceiling bounce, but I think it helps when shooting with the dome on and the flash pointed straight ahead at more distant subjects.)

desmobob said:

Thanks for doing a nice comparison post.

I need to do the same type of test. Though I haven't done any actual comparisons, I seem to get the best results indoors with my SB-800 diffuser dome on, sensing switch disabled, and flash head pointed at the ceiling or slightly forward. This can require a lot of flash power in big rooms or long distances.

(Disabling the sensor switch keeps the SB-800 from setting its zoom feature to 14mm and disabling the auto-zoom. I don't know if this makes much difference when attempting ceiling bounce, but I think it helps when shooting with the dome on and the flash pointed straight ahead at more distant subjects.)

Click to expand...

Just curious, how are you disabling the sensor?

FredKingston said:

Just curious, how are you disabling the sensor?

Click to expand...

The sensor is a tiny switch that protrudes from the flash head of the SB-800 (near the front edge, on the bottom). Placing the diffusion dome on the head compresses the switch. I made a tiny hole in the rim of the dome so that the switch stays out. I can rotate the dome 180˚ and the side without the hole will compress the switch as originally designed.

EDIT: I was mistaken... this last sentence in red is incorrect. See posts below.
Bob

Wow!!! @desmobob You taught an old dawg a new trick.

I never really examined the SB-910a (which is the one I have) but you don't even need to modify the cap. Right-side up, the cap engages the switch, up-side down, it fits perfectly but doesn't engage the switch.

Thank You!!!!

You're welcome, Fred. I'm very happy to have been able to provide information here rather than just gather it! (BTW... I'm an old dawg too.)