Customer Reviews

Stofen OM400 Omnibounce Flash Bouncer for Nikon SB400

5 star:		(34)
4 star:		(15)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I own an SB400 flash and looked at this diffuser attachment. First, like the diffusion adapter that comes with the SB800, it's a bit bulky and takes excess space. Secondly, it costs. Thirdly, you can lose it.

Much easier way to bounce and diffuse an SB400: tape a white business card to the top of the flash so it hangs off the front. Bend the card at the middle upward to a 45 degree angle. Tilt the flash tube upward 90 degrees so it dumps the light into this mini white card. Shoot the photo.

You can leave the card on the flash, fold it up and stick the whole thing in the SB400's cute little carrying case. Zero cost. Replace it when it wears out.

By the way, the SB400 in a room with an 8-10' white ceiling works really well by simply rotating the flash tube up 90 degrees. By design, the exact amount of light emits from the edge of the SB400 flash when it's pointed upward. This gives a perfect amount of fill light and the very important eye highlight. You really only need the diffuser or this whitecard trick if the ceiling is so high the flash runs out of gas. The "before and after" photos shown here would look exactly the same if you simply point the flash tube toward the ceiling.

I also found that pointing it up at less than 90 degrees allows too much light to go forward and overexposes the upper half of the frame. If I use the tilting flash at all, it's always up the full 90 degrees.

First off, and maybe most importantly, there are two groups of people who like to comment on flash diffusers...the first group likes to pull their pants up a little over their belly, albeit momentarily, and then makes some comment about a cheaper way to go. Like "I just tape a business card on my flash and cover it with a pair of old panty hose and it didn't cost nary a penny." So yes, this is a simple piece of plastic. We are paying 15 whole dollars for a piece of plastic, ok?

The second group includes me, where I don't bother pulling my pants up over my belly anymore and I whip out the $15 like I am made of money. And it works GREAT. I expected to use it when ceiling height or color was not ideal, or for portrait shots. During my sophisticated experiments (sitting in pajamas and bath robe taking pictures of the crap on my kitchen table) I was surprised that the lighting with the diffuser (flash set at the first click like Sto-Fen suggests) was superior to using the flash without the diffuser - direct or at any angle. There were no ultrabright spots and the lighting was very nice. Buy it. (Look at my other reviews and you will see that I am not always smitten with products.)

This little gadget makes a huge difference in my digital pictures - between harsh lighting and smooth illumination. I'm still pretty new at using my Nikon D40x 10.2MP Digital SLR Camera with 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G ED II AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor Lens, and I appreciate anything that helps to make my pictures better.

It might be possible to save the cost of a diffuser gadget like this by rigging up something out of thin plastic, paper clips, rubber bands and (for all I know) chewing gum. But I don't know how, and anyway when I'm taking pictures I usually don't have a lot of time to fiddle around with my camera first. This diffuser is small and easy to carry, and snaps on and off the Nikon SB-400 AF Speedlight for Nikon Digital SLR Cameras in a second.

Unless and until I become a professional photographer diva and can order everybody around me to hold everything until I get my camera all twiddled with and set up, I'm glad that I can use things like this diffuser to catch the best pictures I can as a happy amateur snapper.

I purchased the Sto-fen diffuser primarily because I was worried about the SB-400 not swiveling for vertical shots. With a little practice you get nicely lit shots without the typical harsh lighting associated with flashes. It works very well for illuminating the entire shot --- it's one subtle difference I've noticed between a diffuser and a bounce card. I do like using both but if you want to capture objects in the background the diffuser is the way to go (the bounce card tends to highlight the main subject while background items are darker).

I know there are a lot of DIY diffusers out there but this one isn't too expensive and isn't bulky. Very nice product.

When I got my SB-400 flash, it had just come out so I was unable to find anyone selling a diffuser for it. I'm very happy with this one. I can now get lovely, warm flash photos (mostly of people) outdoors which are very similar to those I was able to get indoors bouncing off the ceiling. No flash blowout anymore, indoors or outdoors. And I almost never get a shadow from the flash.

I also use it inside instead of a ceiling bounce most of the time.

I would definitely buy this diffuser again.

Diffuses flash pretty well if you're in a low light high ceiling place. If the ceilings are low enough, bouncing the flash off the ceiling still produces more natural lighting.

This works great at parties, banquets, restaurants, weddings when you need a fill light or as a diffused single light source.

NOTE: make sure to set your Nikon to the "Flash" white balance setting and adjust it a little lower (-2) or to manually set your white balance using white paper. If not your pics will look a little too cool.

This simple flash diffusor helps to soften the light of indoor shots where bounce flash may not work well. It took me a few tries to get the exposure adjusted for it, but it is pretty simple. I've used it on many family pictures, and it produces a nice, soft light. It is so small that it stores attached to my flash in my smallish camera bag. Can't go too wrong at the price.

At first was not pleased at all. The plastic diffuser does not look like much and the packaging is not pretty !!! But hold on it attached to the SB-400 as indicated in the instructions. EASY !!! More important it stayed put all the time I was using it with my Nikon D40 . I discovered this particular Flash Diffuser for the Nikon D40 only because of the Amazon website . I decided to purchase this particular diffuser because of the reviews written by others who have purchased and used the item. The review process is valuable to all of us / read the reviews and be sure to add your own to help others make their decisions as well.

The Sto-Fen Omni-Bounce Flash Diffuser for the Nikon D40 is a good product and I will purchase another if I misplace this one. My pictures for my Ebay listings look better because they are not flooded with too much light . I do not have a special studio in which to shoot my pictures of objects for my listings ... I use the bathroom and the shower bar to hang my background curtains over . Lighting in the bathroom is not all that good / the walls are white so there is a lot of bouncing around glare . The photographs I took last night looked great because of the diffuser.
A good item . Not expensive yet does the job ... Oh I know you can make a diffuser for far less from things around the house or apartment ! Sure you can if you have the time to hunt for materials to make it and if you do not mind putting tape on your camera !!! I found a better solution quick and inexpensive the Sto-Fen Omni-Bounce Flash Diffuser for the Nikon SB400 Speed Light Flash attachment . If you are looking for a diffuser get this one it is great !
efc

Over all a Great product, takes a lttle getting use to, in order not to have your photos come out under-exposed. After a little practice, great addition.

This diffuser will improve your indoor flash photography. You are limited a bit by the SB400 in that you can't do any side-bounce, but that's a limitation of the speedlight.
I carry this with me in my camera bag always, and it is on my speedlight whenever I am indoors. For less than $15 it is a inexpensive way to improve your photography.