Win a Pentax Limited Lens: Raffle Now Live!

robert52 · 03-15-2017, 04:31 AM

Hi I was thinking of buying 1 of those cheap ring flashes on ebay the type that are basically a led ring light to try on macro & maybe portraiture work with a K3.
Any 1 ever used 1 or a waste of money & no I dont have the money yet to buy a real ring flash like the Pentax or Sigma flash .
Or any1 know of a manual ring flash ie old school type thats not just LED ring?
Another reason why I dont want to fork out great sum of money ( other than the other 1/2 ) is I find out some times I have bought stuff & use it 1 or 2 & then in to the cupboard & eventually sold on places like here or ebay
Thanks

mohb · 03-15-2017, 04:41 AM - **1 Like**

You can get Cobra/Vivitar et al older ring flashes cheap on ebay the only drwback to them is the whole unit is attached to the lens, the cheap LED are ok especially if you just use them as a light rather than a flash. The white balance with the LED can be a bit tricky to get right but nothing too difficult. For what you pay for either of the two types it's worth having a go with one.

Not sure either type would work for portraits

**TER-OR** · 03-15-2017, 05:18 AM - **1 Like**

I have one, it works OK. It's not powerful enough to use for portrait work, unless you're really close. Plus, portraits benefit from off-axis lighting. A better option are the led banks you can place on your hotshoe. They're much more powerful. Don't think these will be a replacement for a ring flash, though, they're not at all the same.

robert52 · 03-15-2017, 05:27 AM

Hi thanks for that I was only thinking about using it for portraiture as I have here some people say there great for that.
Trouble with ebay is I am in Oz when I usually find stuff I like its either they wont send to Australia OR cost too much. I have used a Myus before but min shipping is something like $70 .
Anyway I am in hurry

SpecialK · 03-15-2017, 05:42 AM - **1 Like**

I have a cheap Bower ringlight. It is for macro work as the range is essentially about 1- 2 feet. I've never used it :-) I have 3 lens adaptors - all the wrong size - but I do have 2 adaptors in the mail to me, so I plan to try it out in a week or two.

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=&sku=515452=REG&A=details

B&H gives GN as 59 :-( Manual says 18, which is seems about right.

NYNOIR · 03-15-2017, 06:20 AM - **1 Like**

I bought an Aputure LED "flash" ringlight. They are useless for portrait work unless you want to get super close distorted faces. As a macro the LED continuous light works just OK, with the flash for macro also just OK. Mine was relatively cheap US$47.00.
It lets me play around left, right lighting, shadowing. I'm glad I got it to play with. Supposedly there are now some other inexpensive LED flash continuous light units which have more power. Can't locate right now. Hope this helps.
George

Blacknight659 · 03-15-2017, 06:23 AM - **1 Like**

I made my own...

I own a Yongnuo 560 IV and the TX transmitter. I made a cardboard ring lined with reflective duck tape. My flash is in the bottom of the ring and when I pop a flash, it gives off plenty of light. I am happy with the results and it was a cheap solution.

robert52 · 03-15-2017, 06:31 AM

Originally posted by Blacknight659

I made my own...

I own a Yongnuo 560 IV and the TX transmitter. I made a cardboard ring lined with reflective duck tape. My flash is in the bottom of the ring and when I pop a flash, it gives off plenty of light. I am happy with the results and it was a cheap solution.

Any pictures or links to such idea? thanks something I could look into thanks

Blacknight659 · 03-15-2017, 07:06 AM - **2 Likes**

Originally posted by robert52

Any pictures or links to such idea? thanks something I could look into thanks

Yes, forgive the crudeness of the photos. I just ran down and took these in my basement. Also, I had a spare FroKnowsPhoto sticker so it naturally found a home here. The sticker doesn't enhance the image quality

.

**TER-OR** · 03-15-2017, 07:07 AM - **1 Like**

Even the pop-up flash, if diffused nicely can yield good results.
For macro you have options - home-made focusers are pretty common. I'm using an inexpensive older Sunpak ring flash in manual mode, and it's been great. You have to adjust output yourself, but that doesn't take too long to learn the conditions and required output.

Unregistered User 8 · 03-15-2017, 11:13 PM - **1 Like**

Hi Robert. I have just bought a Sigma EM 140 DG ring FLASH after wrestling with this very question. Below is a portion of a review of the Pentax AF160CF ring flash. Good luck.

03-15-2017, 04:31 AM	#1
robert52 Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2014 Location: At the pimple of bum of life Posts: 264	Cheap ring flashes Hi I was thinking of buying 1 of those cheap ring flashes on ebay the type that are basically a led ring light to try on macro & maybe portraiture work with a K3. Any 1 ever used 1 or a waste of money & no I dont have the money yet to buy a real ring flash like the Pentax or Sigma flash . Or any1 know of a manual ring flash ie old school type thats not just LED ring? Another reason why I dont want to fork out great sum of money ( other than the other 1/2 ) is I find out some times I have bought stuff & use it 1 or 2 & then in to the cupboard & eventually sold on places like here or ebay Thanks

03-15-2017, 05:42 AM - 1 Like	#5
SpecialK Pentaxian Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: So California Photos: Gallery Posts: 16,482	I have a cheap Bower ringlight. It is for macro work as the range is essentially about 1- 2 feet. I've never used it :-) I have 3 lens adaptors - all the wrong size - but I do have 2 adaptors in the mail to me, so I plan to try it out in a week or two. https://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=&sku=515452=REG&A=details B&H gives GN as 59 :-( Manual says 18, which is seems about right. Last edited by SpecialK; 03-15-2017 at 02:49 PM.

03-15-2017, 06:20 AM - 1 Like	#6
NYNOIR Forum Member Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: NY Posts: 56	Just OK for macro, not for portrait work I bought an Aputure LED "flash" ringlight. They are useless for portrait work unless you want to get super close distorted faces. As a macro the LED continuous light works just OK, with the flash for macro also just OK. Mine was relatively cheap US$47.00. It lets me play around left, right lighting, shadowing. I'm glad I got it to play with. Supposedly there are now some other inexpensive LED flash continuous light units which have more power. Can't locate right now. Hope this helps. George

03-15-2017, 11:13 PM - 1 Like	#11
Unregistered User 8 Closed Account Join Date: Mar 2015 Photos: Gallery Posts: 8,694	Hi Robert. I have just bought a Sigma EM 140 DG ring FLASH after wrestling with this very question. Below is a portion of a review of the Pentax AF160CF ring flash. Good luck. Attached Images

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
controlling 2 (or 3) flashes on the cheap	slip	Flashes, Lighting, and Studio	22	02-06-2011 12:39 PM
Cheap ring flash problem - Hotshoe adapter to accept other flashes?	davidstone	Flashes, Lighting, and Studio	0	11-05-2009 02:54 AM
Cheap manual lens on cheap extension tube with cheap flash! Also cats.	pasipasi	Post Your Photos!	12	08-28-2008 04:43 PM
What other camera co's flashes can use the same addons as my Pentax flashes?	Grimlock	Flashes, Lighting, and Studio	3	08-22-2008 05:39 PM

03-15-2017, 04:41 AM - 1 Like	#2
mohb Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2010 Photos: Albums Posts: 1,912	You can get Cobra/Vivitar et al older ring flashes cheap on ebay the only drwback to them is the whole unit is attached to the lens, the cheap LED are ok especially if you just use them as a light rather than a flash. The white balance with the LED can be a bit tricky to get right but nothing too difficult. For what you pay for either of the two types it's worth having a go with one. Not sure either type would work for portraits

03-15-2017, 05:18 AM - 1 Like	#3
TER-OR Site Supporter Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Dundee, IL Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 6,699	I have one, it works OK. It's not powerful enough to use for portrait work, unless you're really close. Plus, portraits benefit from off-axis lighting. A better option are the led banks you can place on your hotshoe. They're much more powerful. Don't think these will be a replacement for a ring flash, though, they're not at all the same.

03-15-2017, 05:27 AM	#4
robert52 Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2014 Location: At the pimple of bum of life Posts: 264 Original Poster	Hi thanks for that I was only thinking about using it for portraiture as I have here some people say there great for that. Trouble with ebay is I am in Oz when I usually find stuff I like its either they wont send to Australia OR cost too much. I have used a Myus before but min shipping is something like $70 . Anyway I am in hurry

03-15-2017, 06:23 AM - 1 Like	#7
Blacknight659 Veteran Member Join Date: Aug 2013 Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 731	I made my own... I own a Yongnuo 560 IV and the TX transmitter. I made a cardboard ring lined with reflective duck tape. My flash is in the bottom of the ring and when I pop a flash, it gives off plenty of light. I am happy with the results and it was a cheap solution.

03-15-2017, 06:31 AM	#8
robert52 Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2014 Location: At the pimple of bum of life Posts: 264 Original Poster	Originally posted by Blacknight659 I made my own... I own a Yongnuo 560 IV and the TX transmitter. I made a cardboard ring lined with reflective duck tape. My flash is in the bottom of the ring and when I pop a flash, it gives off plenty of light. I am happy with the results and it was a cheap solution. Any pictures or links to such idea? thanks something I could look into thanks

03-15-2017, 07:07 AM - 1 Like	#10
TER-OR Site Supporter Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Dundee, IL Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 6,699	Even the pop-up flash, if diffused nicely can yield good results. For macro you have options - home-made focusers are pretty common. I'm using an inexpensive older Sunpak ring flash in manual mode, and it's been great. You have to adjust output yourself, but that doesn't take too long to learn the conditions and required output.

Cheap ring flashes

Win a Pentax Limited Lens: Raffle Now Live!