Diffusion material for softbox

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Kashim
Posts: 33
Joined: Thu Dec 18, 2014 8:46 pm

Post by Kashim »

I took apart another LCD screen and this one had 3 layers of the diffusing material. Two of the layers are very transparent and only the third layer seems "frosted" compared to the last screen I took apart, which had just the two frosted layers. I'm guessing I should be using all 3 layers together to get proper diffusion? Anyone have any experience with this stuff?
http://www.flickr.com/photos/tnagy/
I specialize in jumping spider portraits mostly, so check out my Flickr page if that interests you!

Beatsy
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Joined: Fri Jul 05, 2013 3:10 am
Location: Malvern, UK

Post by Beatsy »

Sounds like the version that LostVertex described earlier. One frosted sheet for random diffusion and two lenticular microlens sheets - one spreads light vertically, the other horizontally. These are sure to be the same material though, just rotated 90 degrees with respect to each other. Which gives the option to cut them up and use multiple layers at different angles - perhaps with more than one piece of 'plain diffuser' interspersed. So yes, use all 3, but maybe not in the same configuration as in the monitor.

Edit: don't forget to look out for a sheet of polariser (if not glued to the glass substrate). That can reduce certain specular highlights on a subject too.

Peter De Smidt
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Joined: Thu Jan 05, 2012 9:10 am
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Post by Peter De Smidt »

Frosted mylar or acetate from an art store should work well for a small softbox. Rosco has bigger sheets, if needed.

Kashim
Posts: 33
Joined: Thu Dec 18, 2014 8:46 pm

Post by Kashim »

Beatsy wrote:Edit: don't forget to look out for a sheet of polariser (if not glued to the glass substrate). That can reduce certain specular highlights on a subject too.
Couldn't find anything other than the 3 sheets I described. If there was a polarizer layer I guess it was glued to to the glass really well.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/tnagy/
I specialize in jumping spider portraits mostly, so check out my Flickr page if that interests you!

Macrero
Posts: 1166
Joined: Thu Sep 01, 2011 8:17 am
Location: Valladolid , Spain

Post by Macrero »

The LCD sheet is really good diffusing material, but it cuts a ton of light, much more than plastic and virtually any stuff I used, and this makes it unusable in many cases when working with constant light. And I'm talking about the "white" sheet only, if you add also the translucent sheets you should shoot in bulb to expose correctly...

I don't use flash, but I guess it will work perfectly for that.

- Macrero
https://500px.com/macrero - Amateurs worry about equipment, Pros worry about money, Masters worry about Light

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