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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Equipment, set-ups and techniques » Set-ups for Photography
Photo#1349923
Pingpong Ball Flash Diffuser
Copyright © 2017 Stephen Hart

Pingpong Ball Flash Diffuser
Port Angeles, Clallam County, Washington, USA
March 25, 2017
Here's how I cut a pingpong ball to use as a field diffuser for the pop-up flash on my Panasonic Lumix FZ 1000. The ball just slips onto the pop-up flash.

Note that this is intended as an emergency diffuser I can carry in a belt pack, not as a studio flash system or a substitute for a "real" dual flash or ring flash.
Also note that the ball has cracked a bit in my pack. When I build another one, I may put a bit of epoxy around the cut edge for reinforcement.

Here is a web page of nice flash macro shots in which the photographer shows several DIY flash setups:
/https://beingmark.com/macro-illustrated

Most of these are far too bulky for the kind of field photography I like to do, but may be useful in other situations.

Images of this individual: tag all
Pingpong Ball Flash Diffuser Pingpong Ball Flash Diffuser Pingpong Ball Flash Diffuser Pingpong Ball Flash Diffuser
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Contributed by Stephen Hart on 25 March, 2017 - 12:48pm
Last updated 23 April, 2017 - 10:47am

Falling off
This maybe a stupid question, but how do you stop it falling and getting lost?
… Davholla2002, 21 September, 2018 - 9:48am login or register to post comments

 
Falling off
It's all in the fit, though I think one of these is bound to fall off at some point. The plastic tends to crack, loosening the fit. On the other hand, they're relatively easy to make and incredibly cheap.
I suppose you could add an elastic strap of some kind. But you can also get commercial diffusers that may work better.
… Stephen Hart, 21 September, 2018 - 9:52am login or register to post comments

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