I've always been terrified of using on camera speedlight flashguns. They always created a flat horrible light, never got the hang of the things. TTL never seemed to work right, ghastly.

So, in order to overcome this horror I got a Gary Fong Lightsphere . . .

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o3mLmwbO6j8

I tried it out tonight using old Bob as the model as he filled in this weeks plant inspection records . . .

https://www.flickr.com/photos/56053365@N07/15643805717/sizes/l/

This was manual flash, 1/2 power of a Metz 52 AF1.

My opinion? If you use this as a bounced flash it works as advertised. It was kind of pricey and I know you can do similar with a bit of old tupperware.

What kind plants are you growing?

What kind plants are you growing?

Komatsu plants, Bell plants and Sandvik crusher plants.

I've heard good reports about the Lightshpere - I tried an inflatable lightbox (good results but tricky to keep in place) and a simple plastic diffuser - and settled on the simple diffuser as it's so easy to use.

But my flash is always used off-camera and I only point it at girls.

I've heard good reports about the Lightshpere - I tried an inflatable lightbox (good results but tricky to keep in place) and a simple plastic diffuser - and settled on the simple diffuser as it's so easy to use.

But my flash is always used off-camera and I only point it at girls.

I just got a Westcott 7 foot silver parabolic umbrella with diffuser. It's a sight to behold.

I've heard good reports about the Lightshpere - I tried an inflatable lightbox (good results but tricky to keep in place) and a simple plastic diffuser - and settled on the simple diffuser as it's so easy to use.

But my flash is always used off-camera and I only point it at girls.

I just got a Westcott 7 foot silver parabolic umbrella with diffuser. It's a sight to behold.

Nice kit - please post some shots so we can see the results.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/56053365@N07/15329686744/

I've heard good reports about the Lightshpere - I tried an inflatable lightbox (good results but tricky to keep in place) and a simple plastic diffuser - and settled on the simple diffuser as it's so easy to use.

But my flash is always used off-camera and I only point it at girls.

I just got a Westcott 7 foot silver parabolic umbrella with diffuser. It's a sight to behold.

I loooooove big umbrellas. I go for the white ones, but I have to admit I have one of these myself.

Word of advice, you're going to need a bigger light stand if you take that thing outdoors (one that is able to take 50kg of sand bags...)

I've heard good reports about the Lightshpere - I tried an inflatable lightbox (good results but tricky to keep in place) and a simple plastic diffuser - and settled on the simple diffuser as it's so easy to use.

But my flash is always used off-camera and I only point it at girls.

I just got a Westcott 7 foot silver parabolic umbrella with diffuser. It's a sight to behold.

I loooooove big umbrellas. I go for the white ones, but I have to admit I have one of these myself.

Word of advice, you're going to need a bigger light stand if you take that thing outdoors (one that is able to take 50kg of sand bags...)

Intention is for indoor studio. Using a Westcott Triple Threat and three Cactus RF60's wirelessly triggered by a Cactus V6. Looking at a Westcott Rapid Box Duo for outside work, although none of my cameras have leaf shutter lenses and fairly slow flash sync speeds (1/180s is the fastest I have), so outdoor flash is limited to dull days really.

Kind of wish I'd researched the new Yongnuo YN560 IV and TX 560 now instead, much cheaper remote flash system, half the price of Cactus.