The Ultimate Flash Diffuser Comparison Test 

Watching Gary do the test, it's no wonder there is a shadow. for all of the competing products, he pointed the diffuser directly towards the model. That's not going to soften light because it's still just a small light source. But with the light sphere, he pointed it to the ceiling, so it's using the ceiling as a large light source, and the "bulb" nature of the "light sphere" provided direct light to the model. By positioning the other diffusers differently, similar results could have been gotten. Lets see you do that in a room with a high dark ceiling. The results would not have been so different.

I like the sphere light but why is she only smiling in your product image hehehehe

I've used the LS collapsible often and it works great in small to medium rooms where you can get nice bounce. I always carry it. I also have a Rogue with diffuser panel. The Rogue is very versatile, especially for off camera. The Lightsphere is much more convenient as a walk around diffuser. It won't come off by accident. I love your product!

Kinda unfair review as exposure is all over the place and not even out correct exposure and of course the brightest one looks better than the rest as the rest are quite under exposed.

I just made a lightsphere with a soup tub and some bubble wrap

Good controlled test! Better than your other video comparing the stofen to the lightsphere

i own the light sphere and i must say it really does a great job!

Great comparison.. ;) i will loved to see also the stofen in 90 degree insted of just 45..i think that 45 still push the light straight forward and 90 kind of make it more softer. ;)

nice video, helped make my decision on which diffuser to buy even easier. thanks.

Gary, Thank you for your sharing. I'd love to see Ringbox Ringflash Adapter included in test. Also, room is ideal for this type of test, unfortunately it's almost never happens in real life.

so sorry the link embedded in the video didn't work, so I recoded it. You have to type in tinyurl dot com forward slash flashdiffusertest. Gotta love RU-vid!

the best is the on camera flash of course, jk, i hope i can get one of those lightsphere here D:

I admit that the Lightsphere looks good here, the Rogue is pretty equal in vertical; however the other comments are correct that most of these shots are not correctly done for a fair comparison. Of course the Lightsphere would excel with the flash to the side like that; all the other units are throwing a harsher shadow to the side of the model. You wouldn't use most of these modifiers that way. This is not a criticism of the Lightsphere as it is a great diffuser for what it does and it's very convenient; I find the Rogue a bit finicky and heavy but it also does a great job when used properly.

***** I had a difficult time understanding what diffusers do. Thank you for providing this concise video and most importantly, the side-by-side comparison of diffuser results. This helped immensely!

Gary just curious, what f/stop aperture & shutter speed were you using. Excellent presentation!

$60!?!?!? For you light sphere Gary? Really? I would have bought for maybe $20-30.

Wow super informative. Every photographer should see this video and it's results!!

Rogue V and light sphere give a more natural look for a photo. Well, it depends on the look you're going for.

gracias por el video mas sencillo imposible

This was VERY beneficial , well done. I think Lightsphere wins !!

love that model.

I like both the Light Sphere and Rogue..

A very interesting and informative video that's worth watching a few times, thank you.

I don't get it. Why not increase the flash power and get similar result with bounce? I see almost no shadow in the the "Bounce" photo, just not enough exposure.

Thank you ! .

Hardly un-biast if he has a product in the mix.Though the lightr sphere will give good lighting witrh little manipulation .

You used the Lightsphere bounced! Try the Lightsphere directional and let us compare the results!

I bought the Rouge flashbender

great vid and great product....

Looks like he is intentionally using them wrong to make his look better.

im a beginner, what kind of flash you use on this video? brand etc. thanks

thx. that's big help to me

I've tested some of the other ones here and your setting must be off. "All" but your product cast shadows. I got a couple of these products to not cast shadows like the ones seen here..Your product is good but it pushes my flash output to its limits when ttl is used.

i wonder how the ambient light played a role in the results.

very helpful

Would the lightsphere be good for night portrait?

great!

Is there a test like this which is done outdoors where there is no wall?

I can't get to the image gallery, am I missing something?

+Gary Fong "What you see as underexposure are the shadow areas created by the way the light is cast. The highlight areas are correctly exposed in all of them, it's the shape of the light that makes the dark areas look underexposed.".... THAT IS NOT CORRECT. THE BACKGROUND IS NOT A SHADOW AREA; AND IT IS UNDEREXPOSED IN ALL OF THE SHOTS BUT YOUR PRODUCT OF COURSE. YOUR PRODUCT IS GREAT IN INTERIORS WITH CLEAR WALLS AND LARGE/SMALL ENOUGH RELATIVE TO THE POWER OF THE FLASH. IN LARGE PLACES OR OUTDOORS; IF YOU ARE NOT CLOSE, ALMOST ALL LIGHT SCATTERS AND THERE IS NOT ENOUGH LIGHT LEFT TO PROPERLY EXPOSE THE SUBJECT, NOT TO MENTION THE UNNECESSARY WEAR OF THE FLASH, IN MY OPINION. YOU MADE A GREAT PRODUCT, IT HAS IT'S STRONG POINTS AND WEAKNESSES, I AM SURE YOU MAKE A GREAT DEAL MONEY OF IT. YOU HAVE NO NEED TO IN MY OPINION DISCREDIT YOUR FELLOW BUSINESSMEN. SOME PEOPLE KNOW BETTER. FYI. IF YOU DARE ERASE THIS, I WILL BRING IT TO THE OTHER MANUFACTURERS AND RU-vid.

what kind flash diffuser go direct to model best. coz some situation u can't bounce flash on roof .

Nice video :D

I don't think he gave the softbox at 3:05 a fair chance by him pointing it forward. A better angle may have been straight up. I would have loved to see that. Additionally, all diffusers should have been given the same positions for proper comparison.

didn't even try to compare them. Lol

An interesting test and a host of interesting comments, but only one reply from Gary. Methinks it's time he did the test over, but as he is selling his own product it's never going to be impartial. So, let's leave this as a pseudo- scientific infomercial and look for an impartial scenario instead. Does anyone have any suggestions for a good video to watch?

Only Gary is smiling as much as the one photo $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

convinced me, I'm off to eBay, cheers !

what kind of flash should be used in which place? any tutorial?

Noisy lavalier mics turns me off. #myopinion.

all those shots are exposed differently (most of them are underexposed) so it's almost impossible to compare.. also, all modifiers but the lightsphere are aimed straight at the model. A stofen-like modifier bounced with a white card attached gives wonderful result and that's how you are suposed to use it! Very bad comparison. As it is not an independent tester, it is biased! The litghtsphere is a good modifier, but it is way too expensive (and ugly) to be worth buying.

Garlong on bracket vs. Lightsphere...

What is the speedlight distance you shot it at?

A Secret, (after 40 years of photo profession)??????? ONE (Direct) flash is NOT good. A flash (Bounced) is pretty good... TWO (reflected) flashes is better.... BUT....THREE Flashes (one per side + one at the center)...reflected, bounced, direct.....the way you want....IS THE BEST!!!!!!!!

lighsphere is better.

r3199 Learn english!

Cute gal

Why shooting a living model, who can not stand still. That is not lab like. Shoot some teddy bears, with a grey and colour cart.

lightsphere win :)

nice marketing strategy, biased, unfair kind of test, I wonder how many photographers fall to this trickery. Some photos are underexposed you should dialed in some flash compensation on different modifier devices, please redo a more honest and unbiased video, this clearly shows you desperately want to sell your product, I used a milk bottle and I can assure you that I get far way better flash lighting in a bad ambient room lights

Notice that the only photo in which the model even tries to smile is the Lightsphere. That's gimmicky.

I feel that this is a biased test. Yes, with your lightsphere you are creating omnidirectional lighting, via the white ceiling. Would you achieve the same results with the lightsphere pointed directly at the model? How much of a "harsh shadow" would you receive? For a "scientific study in a controlled lab", would it have been more beneficial to also point ALL OF the other modifiers straight up in a 90 degree fashion as well as directly at the model? (i.e. I'd be interested to see both the graslon and lightsphere here) I understand your product and am in no way knocking it....just knocking the steps taken to show potential consumers certain results to explain a perspective that you want them to see. Gary, this is not unlike trying to sell an automobile that you have created....and showing 0-60mph (0-96km/h) times....upon which your "lightsphere car" is driving forwards, and the other ones you compare it to, you are driving backwards...lol

Gary used most of these modifiers incorrectly. He incorrectly used the Sto-Fen diffuser which should never be pointed directly at your subject. Even his angled shot cut down on the total effect of the Sto-Fen since he had the head at a vertical angle to the subject. Only the soft-box should be used pointed directly at the subject, and even then a soft-box on the head of a flash is still a very small light source that's guaranteed to give you shadows with harsh light. This was a pretty bogus test.

I would much appreciate if the cealing was dark, so we could have an idea of how those diffusers really work without the cealing reflecting the light.

very very good, but she always look surprise with the others diffuser and with the lightsphere she is smiling !

All the sphere does is spread the light in all directions evenly. If there is a light coloured surface near enough to it, front back or sides, of course it will deliver a softer light. In real life situations this is not the case. This thing is great if shooting in a white box. A bounce card is more directional, but if shooting at a closer, more realistic distance for event photography, it will be much softer than examples shown in this video. Softness of light, or, more gradual gradation from highlight to shadow, is directly related to the size of the light source. If the sphere has a big old white wall and ceiling to bounce from it works a treat, but without the wall, a big bounce card is a great substitute. A shorter distance from the subject helps too.

I really like the Rogue, its not bounced off the ceiling and yet give very soft light.

I find it interesting that these were all shot vertically. Of course most photos are shot horizontally, and therefore a decent light diffusion designer would make their product for the most often used position. I know that the harsher shadows will be more apparent if the light source is off to the side, like when shot vertically. So it makes for better comparisons of how harsh the shadows can be. I'd prefer these comparisons were done in the more traditional, horizontal direction. The way the diffusion devices were designed to be used.

at least you could test the modifiers in the mode they are designed to be used in Gary. The lumiquest 80/20 is meant to be used in landscape orientation so 80% of the light bounces off the ceiling, not as you've used it.

This video also shows why you need a flash bracket. He mentioned he doesn't have one right now and I know that's not the point of the video but man. A bracket makes a huge difference

Lightsphere performs well, but you also can't ignore the results of good old fashioned bouncing when done correctly..by someone like Neil van Niekerk ;-)

This reminds me of poll stating 90% of all woman asked said they judge a man first by the shoes he wears. Reading the fine print, you find out the creators of the poll was a shoe company. When one uses devices or bounces flash they have to put some thought into where will it flatter your subject the most and stay away from what will produce the worst results/shadows. Simulate studio photographers, who position their light sources at 45 degree angles to the person slightly above the subject's head. Aim your bounce flash the same way (behind you at a 45 degree angle to the subject and above their head), and you'll find bounce flash produces the most pleasing, most studio like results and is still completely portable.

I'm not trying to knock down the GF lightsphere (I'm actually thinking of buying one second hand), but this is a poorly designed comparative test. However, it shows that for a photograph taken next to a wall, the lightsphere performs better...

Biggest rip off gimmick of the past decade. Make your own with an empty milk carton, honestly it does just as good. Having the 'model' smile only for the strategically 'bounced' sphere didn't really fool anyone either, why didn't you point it right at her like you did with the others? Also the exposures are clearly all over the place, I've used a number of these mods and got much better results. Your 'sphere' looks like a burst milk carton, I laugh and point at photographers I see using one - which is actually very, very rare thankfully

Graslon looks more like a Mugshot. Just sayin'

Nice video Gary. I own two of your collapsible Lighsphere's & they are by far, my favorite on-camera modifier. For scenario's where OCF isn't possible, they do a superb job softening a bounced speedlite & rarely do they leave noticeable shadows under the chin....

Undoubtfully, Rogue did the best work, keeping in mind that it was pointed directly towards the subject.

My only thought when the Rogue Flashbender was being compared to the Light Sphere, should it have been bent forward? I am still impressed with the Light Sphere as a modifier.

The results would be more meaningful if the exposure was consistent...

In a concert and Festival environment that is just too much fiddling around I just don`t have that kind of time at concerts and Festivals

I think It's Lightsphere to the work. Photo smooth great.

This is a pointless test, because all the diffusers should be tested: A as a direct light, and B as a bounce light. Furthermore, each shot should be properly exposed. The point of this test should not be to see the amount of light that is produced so much as it is to see how the light is diffused and how the light reacts on the subjects face. How about a retest with the above taken into account?

Forgot to also add,.. Attaching the Lumiquest, should it not have been "Strapped" on, "Sideways"? (If that makes sense)

Though Bob Coss has a valid point, I'm not so sure as to how to correctly interpret the result of this otherwise interesting test unless coming with this message: None of small size, over the flash, modifiers are going to do the job of a traditional light box, unless you mix a lot of experience with some elements of luck. Good video and thanks for sharing.

meh....bad test. white ceiling. basically bounced with your flash. Can do that without a gimmicky modifier....but theyre selling for so what do I know

This is cheating!!! you are using other modifiers pointed directly into the subject while for light sphere you are bouncing it using white ceiling. This is so unfair, in this case you should in fact compare it to bare flash but also bounced or even those modifiers but fire them against ceiling. But you didn't do it as you know that would look pretty the same if not better!

i bought the lightsphere kind of dissapoint......in real world it doesnt help that much than the regular ceiling bounce, you could only notice in very dark places....

I have an older Light Sphere and it works well, no complaints but the test is not fair. Shooting from the side assures there is a shadow to the rear camera right. With a shoe mounted flash, having the flash vertically over the lens axis would prevent a visible shadow with all these. The soft box being very small is used close so the relative cross section of light source is large, and in that case would work very well. They all have an advantage in some situations. Typically I have 4-5 light modifiers for events including the LightSphere but for best head shots a off camera flash with a hand held 40x40cm softbox is best. Photographers will do best with flexibility using a variety of lighting aids and using what works best in the scene they are shooting at that moment.

Regrettably, many subjects think that standing next to a wall will make for a pleasing photo. Such isn't the case. When I absolutely have to photograph people close to a wall (which should be avoided), I rarely shoot vertically, as the probability of harsh shadows increases. Shoot horizontally with enough resolution and cropping the image into a vertical is simple, and using most any diffusion device minimizes the shadow issue. That being said, if you have to shoot vertically, and close to a wall, Gary's device looks like a diffusion winner.

Hi, mate. Would you able to tell me if I can use this wire on my Canon 1200D (T5) with an external flash (speedlite)? My purpose is that the camera will be kept inside a box and the wire will come out to the external flash and once the photo is taken, the external flash fires. Also, do you know which feature I need to check before buying the speedlite? Thanks!

G'day Gary, so I'm about to buy the canon 430ex ii and am looking for a diffuser to go with it for event photography. Would you suggest I shoot in manual mode for the extra power and point the flash up if i got the light sphere? Any help would be great thanks

Lightsphere works in interior with white ceiling very well. I also have a Rogue, nice light. But Rogue is not very portable and easy to fall. BTW, this girl is so pretty.

gary, are we supposed to not use the top lid for the diffuser? I want to make sure I get the best photos possible

How did the results for Graslon become so different on/off bracket? It seems like basically a softbox that points the light directly at the subject, but the amount of light on her was drastically lower on the bracket. Was it TTL and the metering got confused?

Very helpful. Thank you! I am trying to explore more lighting, as well as DSLR shooting... ANY bit of information is helpful for me...

I think standing so close to the flash with the bill of your white hat might have affected some of the results. I feel like when you lean into the flash some of the light that would otherwise reach the ceiling to bounce, is being blocked by the bill of your white. Maybe re-creating the video absent the hat might be more assuring of equal conditions with no variable. That said, I do like the light sphere.

If there were no nearby walls and ceilings to bounce off of, only a small area of the sphere would be lighting the the model, so the shadow would be much harsher. Therefore, the Lightsphere would not necessarily be better than the others that don't rely on bounce flash. I think if you had tested the Graslon Prodigy with its 5x8" flat panel lens (instead of the small one), you would have found that that one casts softer shadows, whether inside or outside, than the other ones.

Test is leaning on the channel's product. Would've been nice to see photos taking best use of each product. e.g. using the Rogue's flashbender with the diffusion panel open at top. would've been a truer comparison.

have to do a Celine ad campaign reshoot for school project - so lighting like Juergen Teller but using digital. lighting suggestions??

Why is she making that shape with her mouth

9, 9 is the one where she's smiling properly not making a silly face. Oh that's the lightsphere - Better buy one so my models smile more