[Peter Zack]

This is a cool idea. Before you dismiss it for the price, consider that a dedicated ring flash like the 080 was around the same or more when we could get them. I wonder if this would fit the 360 or 540 without much fuss. Anyone know the head size of the listed Nikons and Canon's? I may write them to find out.

ExpoImaging > Products

[falconeye]

I like your link. Very interesting find! Thank you.

Here is another manufacturer for a ring flash which fits Pentax:
ArticleGroup

The combi flash exists in a dedicated Pentax version.

The first, macro-only version (119,00 €) seems to fit any SLR and provides "automatic" operation at f/5.6, manual operation otherwise.

The guide numbers for the ring flash are 8.4 (combi version) and 18 (macro-only version).


UPDATE:
I've just seen an ebay shop selling the Dörr ring flash as "for Pentax" for 90 USD (ebay article# 290238147852). The manufacturer is not disclosed and it is claimed "FULL FACTORY USA WARRANTY". But from the specs, it must be the Dörr device. The price does match as well as it sells for 64,00 EUR excl. VAT in Germany (dnet24.de - Dörr DigiRingblitz Dörr DigiRingblitz 0000000420422).

The Sigma 140 ring flash, in their German PDF, is flagged as "Pentax A-PTTL (to be announced)". So, something to watch as well.

[Tom S.]

Very interesting concept, but I can't get past the price for what amounts to $10 or less in materials. I paid less than a third of that for my Vivitar ring flash (used).

[jshurak]

Strobist did a write up about that a while back.

[Confused]

Hi Peter

If you're interested, there's a review of the Ray Flash Ring Flash Adaptor in the May 2008 edition (Issue 135) of What Digital Camera magazine (UK). Check out the link below:

Review of the OTHER - ExpoImaging Ray Flash Ringflash Adapter - Digital SLR Reviews - What Digital Camera - digital camera reviews, latest camera news, camera buying advice, photography techniques, photographic gallery, photography forums

Best regards
Richard

[Peter Zack]

Confused, thanks for the link. They find it too expensive as well and considering it has no electronics. Well the Chinese will have copies for $39.99 soon enough, just like the wireless V2 triggers and Gary Fong stuff. I think China is a copyright free zone.

[falconeye]

Is there anything wrong with the ring flash I mentioned earlier? (because nobody wanted to give comments)

It is just 90$, GN 18, and looks like this:

[Peter Zack]

Falconeye. I never said anything only because I can't read German and I wasn't sure which ring flash on that page you were commenting on.

That ring flash looks very much like the Vivitar 6000 I have. Great little unit except it's only TTL so I only use it on my *istD. I can use it on the K10D but there aren't many manual controls and trying to shoot bugs etc is very hit and miss. Scanning the write up on that site, I don't see P-TTL reffered to or even TTL for that matter. So it would depend on the controls for manual adjusting. Also trigger voltage would be important. Pentax recommends 30 volts or less (better below 25v).

The write up was pretty thin on details when translated with Babel Fish:

Digi macro ring lightning Perfect illuminating for all macro and close-ups. By the circular arrangement of the lightning tube around the objective a shade-free illuminating of the motive is reached. Thus ring lightning is suitable both for photographs in the medicine, Dental and technique range and for creative areas of application. For greatest possible depth sharpness the manual lightning range is suitable. For photographs with screen 5.6 an automatic range is available. Technical data: • for shade-free illuminating • for medicine, Dental, technique and creative photographs • manual and automatic lightning price increase (with screen 5,6) • Mittenkontakt • for connection 52, 55, 58 & 62mmTechnische data • Code number/ISO 100:18 in the manual Bereic • Connection: Lightning foot with Mittenkontakt • for digital and similar cameras with Mittenkontakt • Color temperature: 5600K • Lightning attitudes: manually (m) and mechanism (A) for computer price increase with screen 5,6 • recommended distance within the automatic range: 2,5cm to 1m • Connecting thread: 58mm, coupling rings for 52, 55 and 62mm in the scope of supply • Current supply: 4x1,5V Mignon batteries type AA or NiMH Akkus of the same type • Dimension: Ring lightning: 92x112x20mm, Steuerungseinheit: 65x65x90mm • Weight: Ring lightning: 90g, Steuerungseinheit: 150g (without batteries)

[Blue]

The price of that thing puts you in the range of the Sigma EM-140 DG.

Sigma EM-140 DG TTL Macro Ringlight Flash for Pentax AF with P-TTL Operation (309109)

[mattdm]

I think China is a copyright free zone.

Copyright only covers expressive, creative works (like, say, photographs). Something like this is probably patentable, but for something so simple, maybe not. The patent system may be a little broken, but it should be hard to patent this in a way that'd cover all similar ideas.

(IANAL, etc.)

[Matjazz]

Ringflash - ringflash,flash,photography,ringblitz,kruhový blesk,flash annulaire,flashes,blitze,blesky
This was available six months ago. I can't find the price on their page but I'm sure it's less than 100€ (to be on a safe side, but I think it's actually less than 50€).

[falconeye]

The write up was pretty thin on details when translated with Babel Fish:

Which was why I posted an ebay auction id selling the same thing, rebadged US:
EBay #110263382221 (the previous id has expired)

So, it seems to work with Pentax.

I agree, it is somewhat difficult to see how exactly it works. It seems that it sports a fully manual mode, and a f/5.6 auto mode (I guess they mean at ISO100). I can only speculate that the flash has its own meter because its auto mode is camera-independent. BTW, the flash supports flashing with only one of the two lamps, too.

Dörr's more expensive combi macro flash (guide number 8.4 for macro) was Pentax P-TTL. It's list price is 299€, so judging from the other unit, maybe 290 USD street price. But you get a full feature guide number 34 flash for free
BTW, the Dörr combi flash for Pentax is a new product (March 2008).

@Blue: Is the Sigma 140 available for Pentax at all? It isn't listed on the Sigma website.

[rparmar]

Besides the Ray Flash there is also the Ringflash Adapter which looks the same and says it has the patent. The price is notably absent however, so I'm not sure they exist to buy.

The Starblitz 1000 seems a common item on eBay. Though it says it's for Nikon & Canon I can't see why it wouldn't work in manual mode on a Pentax. It's $100 shipped and more compact than some, without the big doodad on top of the hotshoe.

If you want to make a ring light out of cardboard and tin foil you can. Or go whole hog and solder up some LEDs.

I think that some of these designs are more for macro photography, and others for that model flash look, but I couldn't tell you which are best for which application. Likely the former needs to fit around the lens, which for the latter they are best off-camera completely.

I started looking into these recently to augment my ability to do Garden Macros -- Creepy Crawlies and such. Though I have read that such a flash will flatten the image and make it look sterile, I think that if it was used judiciously as a fill, a ring flash could gain DOF without a detrimental effect.

[rparmar]

Ah, I see now that Matjazz already posted on the Czech option.