John Thawley Posted February 22, 2009 Share #1 Posted February 22, 2009 Advertisement (gone after registration) I would have added this to the new Digilux 2 Social Group.... but pictures are necessary. The community groups seem limited. Also, this will in fact work with the Digilux 3. I wanted to take more advantage of the Digilux 2's unique on-board flash and the bounce feature. Often, though, bouncing off the ceiling produces too much fall off or an inherent tint from whatever color the ceiling might be. So... as necessity is the mother of invention, here's a little (5"x5") bounce card I made up. I made mine out of a sheet of .030 white styrene... though cardboard will work as well. My first mock-up was in cardboard... but I will say it wasn't very durable. I just got the styrene stock to make this one, so I will report later on how well it holds up. Though I'm sure it will do better than the cardboard. The last two pictures show the difference between bounced and direct. With the bounce card in place, I changed the flash settings to full power... 2 stops over, and set the camera to Automatic at both the aperture and shutter settings. There is no post process work on either image. I think you can see that the bounced flash image is much smoother and much more natural. I don't have a sample handy, but I can tell you, portrait shots using the bounced flash as fill, produces amazing skin tones with very, very natural results. Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here… Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/77473-digilux-2-bounce-with-me/?do=findComment&comment=816374'>More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted February 22, 2009 Posted February 22, 2009 Hi John Thawley, Take a look here Digilux 2 .... Bounce With Me.. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
Guest Jockele Posted February 22, 2009 Share #2 Posted February 22, 2009 very good construction! superb. bBest wishes Jockele Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
cadthis Posted February 22, 2009 Share #3 Posted February 22, 2009 Very creative!! Thanks for the specs too (5x5" and +2 stops)!! Will try that when I manage to track down a Digilux 2 (hopefully soon...) :-) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
joppepop Posted February 22, 2009 Share #4 Posted February 22, 2009 What a good diy project!!! I have been doing this for some time now by using whatever piece of paper that is available at the occasion, but this is a much more convinient solution. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
farnz Posted February 22, 2009 Share #5 Posted February 22, 2009 John, Very innovative! A simple question from someone who very rarely uses flash because his technique constantly fails to produce pleasing results to him: did you go 2 stops over to allow one stop for the ceiling bounce and one for reflection off your bounce card? Or am I being overly simplistic? Pete. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Thawley Posted February 22, 2009 Author Share #6 Posted February 22, 2009 John, Very innovative! A simple question from someone who very rarely uses flash because his technique constantly fails to produce pleasing results to him: did you go 2 stops over to allow one stop for the ceiling bounce and one for reflection off your bounce card? Or am I being overly simplistic? Pete. The ceiling bounce is no longer in play. The card is replacing the ceiling. Press the EV button until you see the Flash Exposure menu. Spin the dial to turn it all the way up. I used the Automatic camera settings just for demonstration ease. But once you have the flash set up, you can take an automatic shot .... check the settings, then go to manual settings and go up or down as needed. Believe me, mix this combination with natural light for portraits and you won't believe the results. JT Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Overgaard Posted February 22, 2009 Share #7 Posted February 22, 2009 Advertisement (gone after registration) Crazy idea - love it I've used a paper towel or paper for some similar effect when being forced to find light in very dark places. But this is wort getting into. I would experiment a little with color filters as well (orange 1/4 or 1/2) to get the colors right. By the way. I see we have storage places alike. Chairs and sofas are so great for stuffing stuff. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Thawley Posted February 22, 2009 Author Share #8 Posted February 22, 2009 By the way. I see we have storage places alike. Chairs and sofas are so great for stuffing stuff. Argh.... I clean it off... and fill it up.... will it go round in circles. LOL Here are a couple of very quick shots from this morning at breakfast. No post. First is direct flash... second is with the bounce. The first was at f/5.6 and the second f/4 - somewhere in between would have been ideal. But as you can see, had they been the same f/ stop, the first would have been even worse. JT Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here… Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/77473-digilux-2-bounce-with-me/?do=findComment&comment=817225'>More sharing options...
Overgaard Posted February 22, 2009 Share #9 Posted February 22, 2009 We should do a blog/thread oen day about storage, both digital storage and all the small items residing in chairs, on tables, in closets, bags, etc. I'll have to test that bounce. Hmm, wonder how my silver reflector would work on this? Anyhow, I would only use it in dark places I think. No doubt the indirect flash is better in any case but I can't judge an outdoor shot. The skin looks grayish in any case, which is what flash does to skin. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
joppepop Posted February 23, 2009 Share #10 Posted February 23, 2009 Colour filters, good idea! I have sometimes used my hand instead of a piece of paper, but that results in too warm pictures. A less skin-toned reflector would probably do better. :-) This great reflector of John could be made reversible, white (or why not silver?) on one side and white in a somewhat warmer tone on the other. Such a good project! :-) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Overgaard Posted February 23, 2009 Share #11 Posted February 23, 2009 Then perhaps silver (cold) and gold (warm) sided - or perhaps zebra-gold (silver/gold stripes) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Thawley Posted February 23, 2009 Author Share #12 Posted February 23, 2009 Then perhaps silver (cold) and gold (warm) sided - or perhaps zebra-gold (silver/gold stripes) Design is NOT reversible. But certainly simple enough to make/have more than one. JT Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
joppepop Posted February 23, 2009 Share #13 Posted February 23, 2009 Design is NOT reversible. But certainly simple enough to make/have more than one. JT Yes, I realized if I don't wan't to blow the flash in my face, I'd better not reverse it... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
daveleo Posted February 23, 2009 Share #14 Posted February 23, 2009 John VERY nice bouncecard .... gotta make one myself now. maybe 2 .... one warmer color. great work. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
joppepop Posted February 23, 2009 Share #15 Posted February 23, 2009 Hmmm.... Non-reversible... You're right! hmmm... [two hours later] If the design is modified by folding in "flash sliders" on both the bottom and the top of the card – on either of the sides folded to the opposite direction to the other side – it can be reversed. I couldn't let it go, had to come up with a solution. ;-) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Thawley Posted February 23, 2009 Author Share #16 Posted February 23, 2009 We should do a blog/thread oen day about storage, both digital storage and all the small items residing in chairs, on tables, in closets, bags, etc. I'll have to test that bounce. Hmm, wonder how my silver reflector would work on this? Anyhow, I would only use it in dark places I think. No doubt the indirect flash is better in any case but I can't judge an outdoor shot. The skin looks grayish in any case, which is what flash does to skin. Drawing w/ dimensions now available at: download - Motorsports Photographer ~ John Thawley :: Photography of American Le Mans, Grand Am, SPEED World Challenge File name is bounce_card.pdf Good luck. JT Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Overgaard Posted February 23, 2009 Share #17 Posted February 23, 2009 True, not reversible. But one could ask the person to go on the other side of the camera for a warmer color Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ho_co Posted February 24, 2009 Share #18 Posted February 24, 2009 John--Thanks for posting the pdf! Good idea well presented. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
fsl Posted February 24, 2009 Share #19 Posted February 24, 2009 Very good idea, thanks for sharing this. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
USA road racer Posted February 25, 2009 Share #20 Posted February 25, 2009 John, that's a great solution for a flash problem. Now, if you could get some race team to make up a mount from carbon fiber with a detachable bounce card, you'd be in tall cotton!! Wonder if I couldn't fabricate something along these lines with a small mirror to bounce at an angle & fit my D-Lux4? Now you've got me thinking... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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