Reddit reviews Opteka SB-1 Universal Studio Soft Box Flash Diffuser for Canon EOS, Nikon, Olympus, Pentax, Sony, Sigma, Other External Flash Units
We found 4 Reddit comments about Opteka SB-1 Universal Studio Soft Box Flash Diffuser for Canon EOS, Nikon, Olympus, Pentax, Sony, Sigma, Other External Flash Units. Here are the top ones, ranked by their Reddit score.
Universal Studio Soft Box Flash DiffuserProvides soft even flash illuminationOne size fits all. Attaches with the included velcro strap and grip bandFolds down flat for easy storage and portabilityDimensions: 3.5" X 5"
Yeah the answer is definitely a fill flash. I use these and I love them (for how cheap they are compared to a pocket wizard). Start with that, maybe get a little diffuser to soften the light over the flower.
I think most expensive diffusers are overpriced and mostly work the same. Honestly, you can make a decent one from a rubbing alcohol bottle.
however, if you want to look good, get a folding soft box diffuser. They are only around 12 dollars https://www.amazon.ca/Opteka-SB-1-Universal-Diffuser-External/dp/B0017U0WM8
Yeah, an umbrella is going to be too big to hand hold. If you are shooting insects in the wild my experience is there is a trade off between a big enough diffuser to get good looking light (bigger is better) and something that will be so big you will scare insects, or not be able to precisely control it and accidentally bump the bush or whatever you are next to.
I have these two.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0017U0WM8
http://www.amazon.com/Fotodiox-Speedlight-Speedlite-600EX-RT-Panasonica/dp/B003Y322RO
They strap directly to the flash head, so you don't need anything else to attach them. It's not like an umbrella where you need a bracket to hold the umbrella to the flash.
No hood for macro like this. You will be so close to the subject that the hood would actually block light from the flash in some cases.
You may want to start with a flash bracket though. I use a [manfrotto 330B)[http://www.amazon.com/Manfrotto-330B-Bracket-Support-Heads-Black/dp/B001D2CW2I]. It will hold two flash heads but I just use one. The key thing is you need a bracket that lets you position the flash at an angle above the focal point of the lens.
Which reminds me, keep in mind you will probably shoot in manual focus mode. You turn the focus ring to the 1:1 (max) magnification and then move the camera by hand until your subject is in focus. And no matter how you focus, it takes steady hands to keep the very thin focal plane on your subject.
I don't know what your budget is, but if you want the L it's supposed to be nice. I don't know that the IS helps much given that you will be shooting with a flash (that should freeze any hand-shake motion in my opinion). If you might shoot with natural light then the IS would be critical, but I'm not sure how possible it would even be. Flash makes such a HUGE difference for sharpness of the image.
You may want to just get the non-L and if you fall in love with macro you can sell it and buy the L later. Or you may do like me and move toward the extreme 4:1 or 10:1 magnification stuff where the EF lens is useless anyway.
Get a soft box diffuser for your flash like this one. If you get a mounted flash (which most recommend), something like this will work well. I have the second one and it's great.