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Studio Lighting - DIY Homemade Flash Mini-Bouncer
Here Brian shows how to build a homemade cheap flash bouncer. The flash bouncer can be used to increase the size of a hot-shoe flash. The bouncer is great and very easy to build. An alternative to the bouncer is the home made softbox. Another option for building this homemade flash bouncer is to use polypropylene sheet, it is sterdier then cardboard. Enjoy your read, Udi.
Flash Mini Bouncer Details
Print this image on 8.5 x 11" paper with zero margins and use as a template to create a Mini-Bouncer for your hotshoe flash (choose "original", 595x770 size and print at 70 dpi, 99 or 100% scale on 8.5 x 11 paper). Use heavy weight photo paper or cardboard, or cut from two sheets of heavy white & black vinyl, then heat seal or glue together at folds and edges with cut up cardboard pieces sandwiched inside. Apply self-adhesive Velcro strips inside the flaps to attach to flash head. Pattern and image © 2003 Brian L. Zimmerman. OK to print for personal, non-commercial use.
Cheap photo paper version taped to flash for demonstration (could be used this way too). Pattern may be transferred to another heavier more durable material.
Pattern cut and folded.
For storage, fold flaps inward, then fold in half.
Folds to fit within a 5-inch square.
© 2003 Brian L. Zimmerman, BLZphotos.com
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Comments
That works great, prints out
That works great, prints out just fine borderless on an a4 sheet and fits on my canon Speedlight 580.
Excelent Idea
Cheap and easy way to make a flash bouncer. Thanks!
Great
Great idea. Very interesting, thanks for it. I posted on my blog page.
Great!
I have a very similar design I found on a different DIY site. instead of using tape to attach it to my flash, I use an elastic hair tie (which I find allows me great range of angle)
Mine
I did mine using a thicker paper that had one side black. Then I laminated the whole thing. Then I've cropped it. and then I applied button like velcro. Since both side where reflective. I've pealed the white side in this way is not that reflective anymore. If I'd have some time I'll make some pictures.
Thanks for sharing the original design Brian! Way to go!
C
Great hacking, Constantin
Love to hear your tweaks.
I'd love to see some pictures of your gadget.
best regards,
Udi
flash diffuser
I made one up tonite and put it on my Vivitar 730AF--which I use on my Nikon D-50, in manual mode--and it worked very nicely, Brian. Thanks for sharing!
Jim K.
Made this when it first
Made this when it first appeared here, and now its starting to look like an old rag. So it's time to make a new one. It's a great compact thing to have. I've found an interesting property of this design. It can be easily folded completely flat so that it fits in the camera bag with the flash. I'm using rubber hair band to keep it on the flash. I'm not sure if this applies if its made of vinyl tho, I made it out of thick white drawing paper.
Great instruction!
great instructions how to do it! What I need is a flash that have the head movable. I only have a flash at the moment that shows right ahead and it is not possible to move the flash head to top or more to bottom.
Greetings and thank you for the instruction! - Marco
material?
Can I also use the A0 Pollypropelene instead of the photo paper? I would think this would hold up a little better!
Anoter idea...
My local Spotlight (crafty type store) sells PVC placemats for $1.50 AUD, i'm trying it with one of them. It looks reasonably solid, and has the stiffness i wanted.
Will report back with success/failure.
Works great
Brian
Thanks loads, man.
Can't thank you enough for providing the pattern. I've been wanting to make one of these but I'm lousy at creating patterns.
With a couple minor mods it fits my old Vivitar 3500 perfectly.
I made mine from "Fun Foam" (available at craft stores) w/ fabric stiffener sandwiched between a black outer side and a white inner side. Attached it to the flash w/ a black hair scrunchie.
I will post a link to this on my photo club website.
Lyle
Works perfect
The results are awsome!
A friend of mine made his
A friend of mine made his out of foamcore. Very stiff and very light.
Can't wait to try it
Great idea. I can't wait to try it and see the results....
Great! With suggestions
Very good idea! I'm so greateful to you for that pattern! As a simple suggestion, I used a white PVC piece (as a book cover). It works very well, and better, it's durable!!!!!
What I did was to use the pattern over the PVC.
Try it, will be good!
Thanks!
Awesome Brian! This is exactly what I have been looking for. So generous of you to share! Thank you, thank you!
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