Ring light systems experiences???

[xjjohnno]

I'm considering a ring light for macro pics and wondering what folks experiences are with the different systems available. LED constant light systems versus flash ring are what I'm considering and would love to know the pros and cons of the systems.

[blackcloudbrew]

I have the Pentax version and it works very nicely with the D FA 50 & D FA100 macro lenses. I don't use it as much as I should and it takes some getting used to (it is very easy to overwhelm the subject). Once you get it right it is very nice for hard to light subjects and does a nice fill for strongly lit subjects.

One downside of it is that you will tend to get a strong black background bokeh. This can work for some images and not for others.

I haven't used some of the other non-Pentax brands but clearly there are some cheap ones out there that I wouldn't bother with. Don't know anything about the LED system you mention. I love my system.

Tim

[Ben_Edict]

I only use a ring flash (a Sunpak modell from film days, fully manually on digital, but TTL with film cameras...) and am very happy with that. With a guide number of 12 (metric), it has plenty of power for macro work. And it sports some kind of pilot light, which is really a plus for focusing. All those cheaper ring lights I saw so far, do not provide enough light output for my liking, as I try to use low ISO settings as far as possible.

Ben

[xjjohnno]

Thanks for the input. The annoying side of the LED ring lights I've seen are that they are sold either via Ebay or etailers so I have no way to test the systems before purchase. The LED systems have a certain appeal due to battery life and a WYSIWG composition situation. I suppose I should pester some of the local camera shops to see if they will get in LED systems so I can get in sneaky road tests.

[Ben_Edict]

definitely a good idea to try before you buy.

Ben

[indytax]

Managing white balance can be difficult with LED light, or so I've read. That I'd something you should definitely research first. You might be interested in this DIY project to see if the relatively inexpensive LED solution works for you.

[res3567]

I picked up a copy of PC Photo last night and glanced through it. It had an advertisement about a ringlight adapter that fits over your flash head and surrounds the lens.
I did not buy the magazine, but I will get the website the produt is listed to.

There may be a thread here on something like that also, I can't remember.

[SOldBear]

Originally Posted by res3567

...a ringlight adapter that fits over your flash head and surrounds the lens.

Ray Flash?

[Big I]

Out of a cereal box, tin foil, and duct tape, I made my own! My Vivitar 285HV sits atop my camera, and it transfers the light into the shape of an O. (point and shoot image: The Ghetto Ringflash! on Flickr - Photo Sharing! ) It worked great for me!
Explorer on Flickr - Photo Sharing! was taken with it, and so was
Bubbly on Flickr - Photo Sharing! Neither are very good pictures, but you can see how it worked. Best of luck to you!

[res3567]

Originally Posted by SOldBear

Ray Flash?

Yea. That looks like it. What do you think?

[res3567]

Originally Posted by Big I

Out of a cereal box, tin foil, and duct tape, I made my own! My Vivitar 285HV sits atop my camera, and it transfers the light into the shape of an O. (point and shoot image: The Ghetto Ringflash! on Flickr - Photo Sharing! ) It worked great for me!
Explorer on Flickr - Photo Sharing! was taken with it, and so was
Bubbly on Flickr - Photo Sharing! Neither are very good pictures, but you can see how it worked. Best of luck to you!

Awesome pics.

Ghetto ringflash?

How about my Homeade DIY ringflash?

Who cares what it looks like, as long as it works.

[xjjohnno]

Spotted a variant on the ghetto flash, effectively reflects flash to a ring around the lens via a tube. The ones tempting me are the Phoenix LED ring light and their ring flash. I also found Sony provide a ring flash for their DSLR range but heaps more expensive then the Phoenix ones.