Ringflash for Macro (Canon fit) - Recommendations wanted
Hi,I'm looking to get a ringflash for macro work. I already have a 430EX and off-camera cord, but I'm wanting to photograph live insects, hand held, and manipulating the camera and flash is too fidly, hence looking to go down the ringflash route.
For the amount of shots I'm looking to do I reall can't justify £700 for the Canon, so that is (probably) out of the equation.
That leaves me with the Nissin or Sigma, each around £300, or the Yongnuo and Kenro (not heard of that brand before) around £80 or £130 respectively.
I believe the Yongnuo doesn't support high speed sync - is that really an issue ?
So my question is - what do the Sigma and Nissin bring to the party to justify spending the extra ? I'm happy to spend the extra if they deliver something I might need or like that I've overlooked.
Also I reluctantly ask the same about the Canon, but I'm scared someone will say something that then makes me want it !!
Cheers,
John have you considered something like this, twin flash? https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B06Y2W3YSX/ref=psdc_332217031_t1_B0000C4G5K I would go with godox ml 150 which is 50 pounds. I’ve had very good experience with the godox system and at that price you can’t really go wrong. Hi,
Thanks for the replies - sorry for my late update but for some reason I wasn't getting notifications data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7
I did consider a twin flash, but somehow they seem more cumbersome than a ring flash, and for any given brand more expensive too.
I've not heard of Godox before and took a look but couldn't find a UK supplier (only eBay from China, which I was just a bit nervous of).
I've taken a punt on the Yongnuo - ultimately for around £80 based on the reviews it seems like good value for money.
I'll try and post some photos using it once I get it.
Cheers,
John I have the £80 Yongnou, I've had it about 3 years, I like it very much!
Be careful with the battery door, mine has broken and appears to be a common problem.
Here is one of my macro shots using the Canon 100mm f2.8 IS Macro and the Yongnou.
/proxy.php?image=https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1883/29413982637_a90f308f49_n.jpg&hash=743ca80a065299fd6dea1cfd0de0e7e5IMG_8358 (2) by John Walsh., on Flickr Hope yr purchase lives up to expectations...
However, As you probably know a ringflash will produce shadow-less light, so the viewer sees "more" without any distracting shadows...
Was there some reason you wanted "flash" - or was this previous experience with film-cameras, perhaps?
Nowadays, with LEDs there is no reason why you can't get a small array of LEDs, fitted to the lens, using a snug-fit cardboard tube . . .Of course, if you have DIY tools and abilities this would be a grander product.
It could need some adjustment to maintain the exposure, so a continuous LED light may be better - and easier to frame the insects. Four, or six AA rechargeable battery-pack should do.
I'm guessing the lens is no more than 2" in diameter, so the LEDs will be about 3" dia, maybe tilted inwards to get as much light on the subject. What’s the relative power of such an LED array vs flash? To be honest I hadn't really thought about making a modelling light out of LED's. With macro work I often shoot at around f14 and need a lot of light and having ETTL functionality is a bonus which fixed lighting doesn't give of course.
The flash has now arrived and I've done just a couple of test shots justto check it works. The only thing I've found is that in ETTL mode I don't seem to be able to balance the relative flash power from one tube to the other, but that works in manual mode.
I'll see if I can get some shots off it this weekend.
Cheers,
John "Electronic Flash" is very bright as it excitesXenon-gas in a tube.... however it is difficult to control once triggered, so there are snubbing circuits that discharge the storage capacitor and this extinguishes the light.... my understanding is that's the effect of TTL control -BUT you need a dedicated flashgun and then it needs to be small enough for macro-work.... this is a tall order since the macro-lens is normal-size and the ring-flash tube needs to be protected. In the past these set-ups were quite big, but the pictures were stunning as folks hadn't seen before.
Nowadays, with LEDs you can have either flash ( mimicking Xenon, but most likely to freeze action, as in sport / scientific ).... -OR- as a continuous light which means you can get the "pose" correct, - and focus ( always difficult in Macro ).
LEDs can be pulsed and their Tech-spec may give details - but it will be for a short duration.... this means an electronic circuit to control and with such a short duration,this is a flash.... i.e. not continuous at all.If you want LED lighting for other reasons ( e.g colour temperature )- then an array of modest LEDs won't be very large - and moderately cheap. In a ring different colour would be rather "Arty" - but beware that some colours are not the same efficiency - their brightness may disappoint!
The difficulty is that each situation/need is different - so without seeking a ready-made light it's almost impossible to say what the brightness will be. HOWEVER, the LED unit may be small enough to get closer to the subject - whilst this has "exposure" difficulties with fall-off - by enclosing the "bug" in aluminium foil the light should bounce about, giving a more-even exposure. Because it is much closer, it should be bright and if lit for a few seconds only, the effect on the LED junction should ( That's "should" ), be minimal and may even allow the lens to get closer . . . . after all it is the picture that's the real issue.
Whilst I might take a small bet the electronic tube will be brighter than a LED- the relative placing/proximity maybe evens-out the practicality . . . . Perhaps you can tell us what exposure you'd be using if this was lit by the sun (i.e set-up outside )?This would be interesting as fill-in flash used to be electronic/Xenon but now almost all ( really?), digital cameras use LEDs. These can be seen in bright daylight, so my guess is they are almost equal . . . but a flash is going to be far brighter than any continuous source; excepting maybe the sun.
jradley's received his flash, -whilst some "subject" pictures will be informative, it would be useful to see the set-up ( e.g.a side-view), to discover what the relative sizes/distances are.
Cheers.
Pages:
[1]