Macro Macro Guide

photolady95 · 09-01-2016, 04:45 AM

Originally posted by TER-OR

The addition of a ring flash this year has made a huge difference

I'm seriously thinking of getting a ring flash too. Which one do you have, Terry?

**TER-OR** · 09-01-2016, 05:31 AM

I bought the Sunpak DX-8R used, then tracked down the Pentax module - ebay Japan, I think. While you don't absolutely need the module to use it in manual mode, it fits the hotshoe better and if you want to use it in "automatic" mode, it does communicate with the camera. It's not a TTL flash but I've found manual fire in P mode is really, really good. You'll probably need a step-up or step-down ring for the lens, too. That's easy enough to figure out.

photolady95 · 09-01-2016, 05:37 AM

Originally posted by TER-OR

I bought the Sunpak DX-8R used, then tracked down the Pentax module - ebay Japan, I think. While you don't absolutely need the module to use it in manual mode, it fits the hotshoe better and if you want to use it in "automatic" mode, it does communicate with the camera. It's not a TTL flash but I've found manual fire in P mode is really, really good. You'll probably need a step-up or step-down ring for the lens, too. That's easy enough to figure out.

I found several different brands on ebay, though I don't normally buy on the bay, one I was looking at is the FC-100 Meike brand. They are fairly cheap and propose to work on Pentax. I shoot in manual mode, no P mode, TAV or TV or SV just M mode. So far results I'm getting are good even with onboard flash. The reason for buying a ring flash was to save battery life.
Standard hot shoe flashes make the camera too heavy for me to handle comfortably.

**TER-OR** · 09-01-2016, 05:44 AM

Originally posted by photolady95

I found several different brands on ebay, though I don't normally buy on the bay, one I was looking at is the FC-100 Meike brand. They are fairly cheap and propose to work on Pentax. I shoot in manual mode, no P mode, TAV or TV or SV just M mode. So far results I'm getting are good even with onboard flash. The reason for buying a ring flash was to save battery life.
Standard hot shoe flashes make the camera too heavy for me to handle comfortably.

Well, the Sunpak is no lighter than a standard hotshoe flash. It's pretty big. It makes a pretty heavy rig. The little AF201 flash isn't bad either, and it's tiny. It doesn't cycle as quickly though I haven't used it in manual mode. I should try it that way, shooting at 1/4 power or something. Maybe it would cycle pretty quickly that way. You could also craft a light guide for macro.

I use the Sunpak at 1/8 or 1/4 flash power depending on conditions.

The Meike is an LED flash, while the Sunpak is a strobe.

old4570 · 09-01-2016, 06:47 AM

Originally posted by photolady95

I found several different brands on ebay, though I don't normally buy on the bay, one I was looking at is the FC-100 Meike brand. They are fairly cheap and propose to work on Pentax. I shoot in manual mode, no P mode, TAV or TV or SV just M mode. So far results I'm getting are good even with onboard flash. The reason for buying a ring flash was to save battery life.
Standard hot shoe flashes make the camera too heavy for me to handle comfortably.

Its rubbish , a toy even ... Meike FC-100 ... Try and find the shutter sync speed for the flash ...
I sold mine ..... But the flash sync speed is very low ... I cant remember if it was rated @ 1/60 sec
And try and find a review thats more than a unboxing , or just seeing if the ring flash flashes ...

My FC only worked with my K100D and was sold with the camera ...
Those cheap ring flashes really are a mine field ...

photolady95 · 09-01-2016, 07:45 AM

Originally posted by TER-OR

Well, the Sunpak is no lighter than a standard hotshoe flash. It's pretty big. It makes a pretty heavy rig. The little AF201 flash isn't bad either, and it's tiny. It doesn't cycle as quickly though I haven't used it in manual mode. I should try it that way, shooting at 1/4 power or something. Maybe it would cycle pretty quickly that way. You could also craft a light guide for macro.

Does the AF201 swivel? Not that it matters for macro, just wondering.

Originally posted by old4570

Its rubbish , a toy even ... Meike FC-100 ... Try and find the shutter sync speed for the flash ... I sold mine ..... But the flash sync speed is very low ... I cant remember if it was rated @ 1/60 sec And try and find a review thats more than a unboxing , or just seeing if the ring flash flashes ...

Ok, thanks! I'll bypass that one.

You know I had two of these a year or two ago, not the Meike brand but two ring flashes and I could not get either to work on my K-30 I had at the time, so I sold both.

Guess I'll check into Sunpak. I know there is another member who uses Sunpak as well. I think it's Bluestringer, IIRC.

**TER-OR** · 09-01-2016, 07:51 AM

Originally posted by photolady95

Does the AF201 swivel? Not that it matters for macro, just wondering.

Ok, thanks! I'll bypass that one.

You know I had two of these a year or two ago, not the Meike brand but two ring flashes and I could not get either to work on my K-30 I had at the time, so I sold both.

Guess I'll check into Sunpak. I know there is another member who uses Sunpak as well. I think it's Bluestringer, IIRC.

Yes, the 201 even swivels backward to bounce behind! It's a convenient little flash. Not the most sophisticated, but weathersealed and flexible. With just 2 AAA powering it, bring spares.

There are a bunch of people using the Sunpak.

Alternately, you could just get a bright LED ring for the lens, a flood of constant light will let you keep your shutter speed down and aperture small. The strobe really seems to do better, though.

photolady95 · 09-01-2016, 08:18 AM

I found a Sunpak same model as yours for cheaper than I thought it would be, so it's in my watch list. I'll have to wait and see how much funds I'll have in a day or two. I just had to buy a new washing machine.

Looked up the Pentax 201FG and the price on that was more than I wanted to pay.

**TER-OR** · 09-01-2016, 08:40 AM

Yeah, I bought the 201 when I got the K3II, since it has no onboard flash. It's definitely a luxury item, but it is small and handy. Does the Sunpak you found have the Pentax module?

photolady95 · 09-01-2016, 10:18 AM

It comes with 2 modules, one is a PT-2D, and the other is STD-1D. And according to my research the PT-2D is for the Pentax. Adorama and B&H list this module as for the Pentax but are no longer available on those two sites.

**TER-OR** · 09-01-2016, 12:53 PM

Great, that's the one you want. Mine came with an old Minolta module. Minolta! At least I think it was Minolta, it's in a box now.

photolady95 · 09-01-2016, 02:59 PM

I'm going to buy it tomorrow. If it's still there that is. My little onboard is causing shadows with even my little 18-55mm at minimum focus.

I have a home built extender/diffuser but I've wanted a good ring flash for about two years now.

photolady95 · 09-01-2016, 03:13 PM

Well, I thought I'd check some other places to see if they had the same. I found one for less than the one I'm watching on the bay and it says comes with appropriate module. I'll call later to see if the have the one for Pentax. I hope they do have one.

They didn't have the module.

Btw, Terry, they told me it wouldn't work on my digital camera anyway. LOL I explained that it would.

photolady95 · 09-02-2016, 07:00 AM

I didn't get the Sunpak. It would have ended up costing more than I could afford this month. I bought a rebadged Neewar, instead. Bought from a reputable store so if it doesn't work, I can return it for a full refund.

photolady95 · 09-11-2016, 08:33 PM

I sent the rebadged neewar back and bought a used AF201FG from B&H for $99. It will be here tomorrow.

09-01-2016, 06:47 AM	#20
old4570 Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: Melbourne Photos: Albums Posts: 2,551 Original Poster	Wow Originally posted by photolady95 I found several different brands on ebay, though I don't normally buy on the bay, one I was looking at is the FC-100 Meike brand. They are fairly cheap and propose to work on Pentax. I shoot in manual mode, no P mode, TAV or TV or SV just M mode. So far results I'm getting are good even with onboard flash. The reason for buying a ring flash was to save battery life. Standard hot shoe flashes make the camera too heavy for me to handle comfortably. Its rubbish , a toy even ... Meike FC-100 ... Try and find the shutter sync speed for the flash ... I sold mine ..... But the flash sync speed is very low ... I cant remember if it was rated @ 1/60 sec And try and find a review thats more than a unboxing , or just seeing if the ring flash flashes ... My FC only worked with my K100D and was sold with the camera ... Those cheap ring flashes really are a mine field ...

09-01-2016, 03:13 PM	#28
photolady95 Otis Memorial Pentaxian Join Date: May 2009 Location: Cruising the forum watching his back Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 12,712	Well, I thought I'd check some other places to see if they had the same. I found one for less than the one I'm watching on the bay and it says comes with appropriate module. I'll call later to see if the have the one for Pentax. I hope they do have one. They didn't have the module. Btw, Terry, they told me it wouldn't work on my digital camera anyway. LOL I explained that it would. Last edited by photolady95; 09-01-2016 at 03:26 PM.

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09-01-2016, 04:45 AM	#16
photolady95 Otis Memorial Pentaxian Join Date: May 2009 Location: Cruising the forum watching his back Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 12,712	Originally posted by TER-OR The addition of a ring flash this year has made a huge difference I'm seriously thinking of getting a ring flash too. Which one do you have, Terry?

09-01-2016, 05:31 AM	#17
TER-OR Site Supporter Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Dundee, IL Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 6,699	I bought the Sunpak DX-8R used, then tracked down the Pentax module - ebay Japan, I think. While you don't absolutely need the module to use it in manual mode, it fits the hotshoe better and if you want to use it in "automatic" mode, it does communicate with the camera. It's not a TTL flash but I've found manual fire in P mode is really, really good. You'll probably need a step-up or step-down ring for the lens, too. That's easy enough to figure out.

09-01-2016, 05:37 AM	#18
photolady95 Otis Memorial Pentaxian Join Date: May 2009 Location: Cruising the forum watching his back Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 12,712	Originally posted by TER-OR I bought the Sunpak DX-8R used, then tracked down the Pentax module - ebay Japan, I think. While you don't absolutely need the module to use it in manual mode, it fits the hotshoe better and if you want to use it in "automatic" mode, it does communicate with the camera. It's not a TTL flash but I've found manual fire in P mode is really, really good. You'll probably need a step-up or step-down ring for the lens, too. That's easy enough to figure out. I found several different brands on ebay, though I don't normally buy on the bay, one I was looking at is the FC-100 Meike brand. They are fairly cheap and propose to work on Pentax. I shoot in manual mode, no P mode, TAV or TV or SV just M mode. So far results I'm getting are good even with onboard flash. The reason for buying a ring flash was to save battery life. Standard hot shoe flashes make the camera too heavy for me to handle comfortably.

09-01-2016, 05:44 AM	#19
TER-OR Site Supporter Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Dundee, IL Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 6,699	Originally posted by photolady95 I found several different brands on ebay, though I don't normally buy on the bay, one I was looking at is the FC-100 Meike brand. They are fairly cheap and propose to work on Pentax. I shoot in manual mode, no P mode, TAV or TV or SV just M mode. So far results I'm getting are good even with onboard flash. The reason for buying a ring flash was to save battery life. Standard hot shoe flashes make the camera too heavy for me to handle comfortably. Well, the Sunpak is no lighter than a standard hotshoe flash. It's pretty big. It makes a pretty heavy rig. The little AF201 flash isn't bad either, and it's tiny. It doesn't cycle as quickly though I haven't used it in manual mode. I should try it that way, shooting at 1/4 power or something. Maybe it would cycle pretty quickly that way. You could also craft a light guide for macro. I use the Sunpak at 1/8 or 1/4 flash power depending on conditions. The Meike is an LED flash, while the Sunpak is a strobe.

09-01-2016, 07:45 AM	#21
photolady95 Otis Memorial Pentaxian Join Date: May 2009 Location: Cruising the forum watching his back Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 12,712	Originally posted by TER-OR Well, the Sunpak is no lighter than a standard hotshoe flash. It's pretty big. It makes a pretty heavy rig. The little AF201 flash isn't bad either, and it's tiny. It doesn't cycle as quickly though I haven't used it in manual mode. I should try it that way, shooting at 1/4 power or something. Maybe it would cycle pretty quickly that way. You could also craft a light guide for macro. Does the AF201 swivel? Not that it matters for macro, just wondering. Originally posted by old4570 Its rubbish , a toy even ... Meike FC-100 ... Try and find the shutter sync speed for the flash ... I sold mine ..... But the flash sync speed is very low ... I cant remember if it was rated @ 1/60 sec And try and find a review thats more than a unboxing , or just seeing if the ring flash flashes ... Ok, thanks! I'll bypass that one. You know I had two of these a year or two ago, not the Meike brand but two ring flashes and I could not get either to work on my K-30 I had at the time, so I sold both. Guess I'll check into Sunpak. I know there is another member who uses Sunpak as well. I think it's Bluestringer, IIRC.

09-01-2016, 07:51 AM	#22
TER-OR Site Supporter Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Dundee, IL Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 6,699	Originally posted by photolady95 Does the AF201 swivel? Not that it matters for macro, just wondering. Ok, thanks! I'll bypass that one. You know I had two of these a year or two ago, not the Meike brand but two ring flashes and I could not get either to work on my K-30 I had at the time, so I sold both. Guess I'll check into Sunpak. I know there is another member who uses Sunpak as well. I think it's Bluestringer, IIRC. Yes, the 201 even swivels backward to bounce behind! It's a convenient little flash. Not the most sophisticated, but weathersealed and flexible. With just 2 AAA powering it, bring spares. There are a bunch of people using the Sunpak. Alternately, you could just get a bright LED ring for the lens, a flood of constant light will let you keep your shutter speed down and aperture small. The strobe really seems to do better, though.

09-01-2016, 08:18 AM	#23
photolady95 Otis Memorial Pentaxian Join Date: May 2009 Location: Cruising the forum watching his back Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 12,712	I found a Sunpak same model as yours for cheaper than I thought it would be, so it's in my watch list. I'll have to wait and see how much funds I'll have in a day or two. I just had to buy a new washing machine. Looked up the Pentax 201FG and the price on that was more than I wanted to pay.

09-01-2016, 08:40 AM	#24
TER-OR Site Supporter Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Dundee, IL Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 6,699	Yeah, I bought the 201 when I got the K3II, since it has no onboard flash. It's definitely a luxury item, but it is small and handy. Does the Sunpak you found have the Pentax module?

09-01-2016, 10:18 AM	#25
photolady95 Otis Memorial Pentaxian Join Date: May 2009 Location: Cruising the forum watching his back Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 12,712	It comes with 2 modules, one is a PT-2D, and the other is STD-1D. And according to my research the PT-2D is for the Pentax. Adorama and B&H list this module as for the Pentax but are no longer available on those two sites.

09-01-2016, 12:53 PM	#26
TER-OR Site Supporter Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Dundee, IL Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 6,699	Great, that's the one you want. Mine came with an old Minolta module. Minolta! At least I think it was Minolta, it's in a box now.

09-01-2016, 02:59 PM	#27
photolady95 Otis Memorial Pentaxian Join Date: May 2009 Location: Cruising the forum watching his back Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 12,712	I'm going to buy it tomorrow. If it's still there that is. My little onboard is causing shadows with even my little 18-55mm at minimum focus. I have a home built extender/diffuser but I've wanted a good ring flash for about two years now.

09-02-2016, 07:00 AM	#29
photolady95 Otis Memorial Pentaxian Join Date: May 2009 Location: Cruising the forum watching his back Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 12,712	I didn't get the Sunpak. It would have ended up costing more than I could afford this month. I bought a rebadged Neewar, instead. Bought from a reputable store so if it doesn't work, I can return it for a full refund.

09-11-2016, 08:33 PM	#30
photolady95 Otis Memorial Pentaxian Join Date: May 2009 Location: Cruising the forum watching his back Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 12,712	I sent the rebadged neewar back and bought a used AF201FG from B&H for $99. It will be here tomorrow.