Customer Reviews

STO-FEN Omni-Bounce EW Flash Diffuser for Canon 430EX & II and Sony HVL-F43AM

5 star:		(80)
4 star:		(34)
3 star:		(18)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

This seemingly simple piece of molded plastic was recommended to me by a professional photographer. Basically it's the shape of an open box that slides firmly onto the flash. It is small and sturdy enough to stash in your camera bag without worrying about damage. When used the light disperses more evenly and is less harsh on the subject being photographed.

The white box is for general use. Also available are the green Omni-bounce for florescent lighting and the gold Omni-bounce for a warming effect.

PROS:
Inexpensive solution for better flash photography.
A quality product that works.

CONS:
Reduces the amount of light cast upon subject (should be expected with these types of products).

I have used the Sto-Fen OMEW with my Canon 430EX flash and it fits perfectly. The diffuser is easy to slip on and will stay on tight unless it's pulled off.

This diffuser light to escape in a number of directions (hence omni-bounce)instead of the typical single direction of the flash. The benefit of this is that light is less harsh and because of the bouncing light, there will be less strong shadows and generally more even lighting.

You'll notice the biggest difference in shooting portraits as softer, more even lighting is generally more flattering.

As a diffuser, it works fine and easy to carry. But the fitting is not good. It falls off from my Canon EX430 flash everytime. I am using tape to keep it in position.

I bought this diffuser when I bought my Canon Speedlite 430EX. It works great! The diffuser fits perfectly on my 430EX. No more complaints from family members about the flash. When the flash goes off, none of the dogs blinks their eyes.

Great diffuser. Easy to put on and take off of Canon 430EX speedlite flash. Does a nice job of removing the glare from too much flash. Slightly "deadens" the light range, but this can easily be adjusted for in post. Highly recommended! And you can't beat the price either!

I have no complaints about the functionality of this diffuser. It does a very nice job of softening and controling light from my Canon flash. Unlike one of the reviewers above, I found that it fits the flash perfectly: it's easy to slip on, but maintains enough friction that it will not easily fall off without purposeful pulling. My only complaint is that this plain piece of flimsy plastic, without any complications that would make manufacture difficult, costs $9, and then requires another $7 of shipping. It's just overpriced. I suppose I shouldn't complain since it increases the functionality of a $400 flash, but it is, afterall, just a flimsy piece of plastic.

This diffuser works fine, works best for individual portraits or rather close shots. If you want to use your flash without a bracket, though, you may want to consider a "sphere" diffuser instead.

Not much else to say. The diffuser works OK, but no better than an index card. It also costs a full stop on the flash exposure. Save your money; use a white index card instead.

This does what it says. Fits my Canon Speelite 430ex perfectly.

I bought this product on recomendation from a few photographer friends, I like the bare bulb effect, but sometimes it can be a little harsher than just bouncing the light from the ceiling or even using an index card taped to the back of the flash pointed straight up.

Having used this product for more time I can say that it is not a necessary piece of equipment to put in your camera bag. It has a few applications, but its use (in my experience) is limited to situations where your subject is not far away from the flash, and you must have white or light colored walls for the "bare bulb" effect to be effective. The fact that it is blocking light from the flash increases the power drain on the batteries from each shot, which isn't a HUGE deal if you are shooting in a situation where you have the opportunity to switch them out. It does take a few stops of light out though which could mean getting as much as HALF of the shots from one set of batteries. I have found that this diffuser is not very effective outdoors, or in darkly, or oddly colored rooms (the odd color bounces on the subject).

On the other hand the one application that I have found it to be very good at is with macro photography. The flash usually can't bend down enough to get sufficient light on a subject if you are using a macro lens, but with the diffuser on it, it can be used to add light to close-ups. Kind of a low budget solution to lighting in macro as macro flashes are very expensive.

In short, some people are going to like using the diffuser, and some are not. It comes down to personal preference, I just didn't like it.