Gary Fong Alternatives

[Markok765]

I love the quality and style of light provided by gary fong diffusers, especially for club photography. unfortunately my metz flash is too large to fit one. any worthy homemade or even store-bought alternatives?

 

[Mainecoonmaniac]

You can find DIY solutions on Instructables.com or pre-made solutions here.

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[kato669]

Lots of alternatives on e*bay too. Do a search on you flash make/model and the word 'diffuser'

 

[TheFlyingCamera]

Just get one of those translucent quart-size (liter size for the imperial-measurement-challenged) plastic takeout containers with a snap-on lid. Cut a hole in the bottom or the lid (whichever fits better on your Metz) and slip it over the head of the flash. A little tape and/or Velcro to hold it on, and voila, instant Gary Fong for the cost of some cheap wonton soup.

 

[Marc B.]

Plastic rubbing alcohol bottles.
Also, at WalMart, in the craft department, they have sheets of cloudy white plastic for making stencils.
About two or three sheets per pack, about 5 X 7 inches, for about $3 dollars per pack.
Don't forget the Strobist site. Always examples of good DIY reflector/diffuser ideas there.

 

[ParkerSmithPhoto]

Take a piece of the milky plexiglass, cut it to a good size so you can velcro or rubber band it on to the flash head. Drill a few holes in it to allow some light to go up to the ceiling and bounce down, while most bounces forward. Tilt the head to about 45 degrees.

Most of the times for wedding receptions and indoor dance type stuff, I'd just use ASA 800-1600, about 1/4 second and direct flash to blend it all together. My Gary Fong didn't get much love from me!

 

[Derek Lofgreen]

Hey Marko,
When your shooting film (C41 color neg) you really don't need to have those hokey diffusers on your flash. Try over exposing your film (iso 800 at 400 etc.) and set your flash for -1/4 or -1/3. Meter for your subject and shoot. You will be surprised at how good it looks. Not a lot of hard shadows and plenty of ambient light. I do it all the time and sometimes you can't even tell there was a flash.

Give it a try, it's film. It's a different medium than what the digi folks are shooting, so it takes a different approach.

Hope it helps,
D.

 

[Mainecoonmaniac]

This is more my speed. A DIY El Cheapo solution.

http://www.instructables.com/id/DIY-Gary-Fong-Lightsphere/

 

[benjiboy]

I made a Gerry Fong light sphere for my Metz 45CL4 with a round white opal plastic pudding basin with lid, it has the same light bending propertys as the original and I sprayed the inside of my wife's hair lacquer to make it more diffused when it had dried, and cut out the bottom of the basin to make it a push fit on the flash head.

 

[olleorama]

Here in sweden you often see bathroom lamps with a plastic dome that screws in to a big porcelain socket. They would be ideal.

This is what i mean, kinda, you often see them mounted on walls, and with white sockets. Must be made in china since they're so common:

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I ebay'd lamp shade sphere and got this: http://www.ebay.com/itm/10-REPLACEM...t=LH_DefaultDomain_0&var=&hash=item61cb87ce16

Should be able to fit a metz into that. 10 inches, that's a big diffuser! And 14.95 for a 10", 4" opening, white, and made in the USA on top of that.

 

[Markok765]

Thanks guys! so many ideas, i'll have to give them a try I'll try dereks idea too, for film, hmm.