flash filter

[Theo]

right now I'm stuck with using my on camera flash. But as to make the best of this situation, I have set the flash power to the lowest setting and set it to fire at the 2nd curtain(same as rear sync I think.) To even more help this situation, I'm considering buying a cheap filter for it. Like the gel ones the external flash units use. What would be a good (and cheap) choice?

[Mpow]

Not sure what type of camera/flash you've got, but I just made a diffuser for my pop up flash on my Nikon D60 by cutting a hole in the side of a "clear" plastic film canister with a craft knife. It slips right over the flash. I got the idea from the Photojojo book, but they may have the instructions online, too. My flash is a little too wide, so I couldn't close the cover on the film canister and had to attach the cover with clear packing tape. It was very simple, cost me $0, took about 5 minutes.

[OsmosisStudios]

Gels are for correcting white balance, not adjusting power.

[Theo]

oh woops...my mistake. I meant a diffuser. :-D

[OsmosisStudios]

There are several different kinds. Im partial to the Sto-Fen type. Small, light, cheap and effective.

[zona5101]

Originally Posted by OsmosisStudios

Gels are for correcting white balance, not adjusting power.

you use an ND gel to "adjust" power...

[inkista]

Yup, ND can help any flash get to 1/128th power, if so desired.

BTW, Theo, putting the flash onto 2nd/rear curtain sync won't do a damn thing to cut down the power, and it will cause you problems if you're shooting portraits with e/i-TTL. This is because the time separation between the pre-flash and the actual flash burst will be large enough for your subject to notice, so they may move/blink before the actual flash burst arrives. You really want to stay in 1st/front curtain sync unless you need the "end-of-motion freeze" effect you get with 2nd curtain.

If you have high-speed sync/FP-mode, you may want to try that and shutter speeds over your max. sync speed--that will definitely cut your power down.

[Chip]

Originally Posted by inkista

BTW, Theo, putting the flash onto 2nd/rear curtain sync won't do a damn thing to cut down the power, and it will cause you problems if you're shooting portraits with e/i-TTL. This is because the time separation between the pre-flash and the actual flash burst will be large enough for your subject to notice, so they may move/blink before the actual flash burst arrives. You really want to stay in 1st/front curtain sync unless you need the "end-of-motion freeze" effect you get with 2nd curtain.

I'd never thought of that. Doh! Seems so obvious now. Thanks for the enlightenment, inkista.

[OsmosisStudios]

Originally Posted by zona5101

you use an ND gel to "adjust" power...

True, but when you you need 1/128th power?

[inkista]

Originally Posted by Chip

I'd never thought of that. Doh! Seems so obvious now. Thanks for the enlightenment, inkista.

Don't thank me. Thank planetneil. It wasn't obvious to me, either.

Originally Posted by OsmosisStudios

True, but when you you need 1/128th power?

Macro or product work. If your lights are only inches away from your subject, there are times you're going to want the smaller power settings. I have actually had to use the 1/128 on my 580EX a few times.