Demb Flash Products: Good Things Come in Small Packages

If you have not heard of Demb Flash Products, you may be missing out on some innovative products designed specifically for the working photographer. The company produces three products, all designed by professional photographer Joe Demb for his own use to fill a need and help with his own photography business.

Demb Flip-It! and Flash Diffuser
The first Demb product brought to market was the Flip-It! flash reflector. This is a variable flash reflector that uses a heavy-duty hinge that allows the photographer to set the reflector at any angle. In doing this the photographer can then chose the best lighting and light output for any room or situation. Need softer light? Raise the panel. Want more light directed at your subject? Simply lower it.

The reflector base attaches to the flash using a rubber-backed Velcro strap that stays in place when wrapped around the top part of the flash. We used the 4 x 4-inch Big Flip-It! reflector. The other available reflectors are the 2½ x 3-inch Flip-It! Junior, and the 5¾ x 4¾-inch Jumbo Flip-It! All reflectors are interchangeable so one base can be used with any reflector. Additionally, the Big and Jumbo models work well with flash units that have a parabolic reflector such as the Lumedyne, Quantum Q-Flash or
Sunpak 120J.

Adding the Diffuser
The Demb Flash Diffuser is actually a piece that is placed onto the front of the flash using the Velcro that is holding the Flip-It! reflector in place. When you add the diffuser, the light bounces off the reflector and diffuses before reaching the subject. As before, raising or lowering the reflector allows you to increase or decrease the light that passes through the diffuser and onto your subject.

Demb Flash Bracket
The Demb Flash Bracket is the most recent product from Demb Flash Products. Made from strong lightweight aluminum the bracket weighs a mere seven ounces, yet is strong enough to handle any type of flash. It is designed to fit any SLR that has a 1/4 x 20-inch receptacle in the base. There are no anti-twist plates required; instead the bracket has two rubber strips on the base where the bracket meets the camera to prevent it from twisting. The flash sits forward of the camera.

The flash is attached to the swivel atop the bracket using the built-in ¼ x 20 on the top. If you have a shoe-mount flash you can attach a compatible off-camera cord to the ¼ x 20 screw or buy a cold shoe from Demb. Once in place the bracket swivel allows you to quickly position the flash above the lens when shooting horizontal or vertical. The swivel hinge is designed with a stabilizer bar to keep the tension constant and to prevent the flash from flopping. You can easily adjust the tension to your taste with any wrench. The tension allows the flash to stay in place wherever you position it. There is no other clamp or requirement.

Conclusion
After using the products myself for about two weeks, I asked several professional photographers to try them and see what they thought. Their biggest complaint with most flash diffusers they have used in the past was that they tended to be large and obtrusive. They also pointed out that many of the brackets they used were either flimsy, awkward to handle or very expensive.

All found the Demb Flip-It! worked very well and pointed out that the hinge was a great idea since it provided the ability to vary the light as needed by simply raising or lowering the reflector. The fact that the Demb diffuser could be added or removed quickly, leaving the reflector in place, was also appealing. One photographer in particular was thrilled to find he could use the Flip-It! with his QFlash when he wanted soft, diffused lighting. The price for the Big Flip-It! is $29.95 and for $5 more you get the removable Demb Flash Diffuser as well.

The Demb Flash Bracket also received a lot of positive comments. Everyone, including myself, was very impressed by its small size and simplicity and how easy it made positioning the flash over the lens when changing from horizontal to vertical shooting. The fact that you can adjust the tension for lighter or heavier flashes was also a plus. The only drawback was that those who used a vertical grip with their camera said you had to get used to the bracket being there when shooting vertical. That aside, all but one photographer plans to buy the bracket, saying it was a bargain at $89.

It would seem that Demb Flash Products are proof of the age-old adage; good things come in small packages. For more information about Demb Flash Products including how to purchase them, please visit the website: https://www.dembflashproducts.com/.

Peter Kotsinadelis is a writer/photographer living in Pleasanton, CA. He may be reached at [email protected].