markwilliam1

I Love old Minolta AF lenses from the mid 80’s! I just purchased a Minolta 1200 AF Ring Light to go with my Beautiful Minolta 100mm f2.8 macro and Minolta 70-210mm f4 macro lenses. I use this setup with my Sony a77ii. I’ve never used a ring light setup before. Any suggestions or techniques y’all could share would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!

pesfls Loc: Oregon, USA

Is it a regular ring light or ring flash? Assuming it is the non flash type the output will be less than a flash version. I’d start by expeimenting with various reflectors and closely watch the results of different materials/products. Also, in some circumstances throwowing your light source to a reflector above the subject with a reflector underneath can sort of “fill” your subject with a nice even, soft cast without unwanted shadows. I am coming at these thoughts from the perspective of stiill life shots. Fiddle around, it’s a fun enterprise.

markwilliam1

It’s a ring light. Not a flash I believe. Going to be fun in the deep woods! I don’t use reflectors or background props.

RWR Loc: La Mesa, CA

It’s a ring flash:
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/490274-DEMO/Konica_Minolta_8823637_1200_AF_N_Macro_Ring.html

markwilliam1

👌 Mine isn’t the N version.

RWR Loc: La Mesa, CA

Ohay. https://www.ephotozine.com/article/minolta-macro-flash-1200af--review-4186

markwilliam1

Thank You!

zzzynick Loc: Colorado

I was thinking of buying a ring light or flash.
I am OCD and I have to research anything I buy.
When I say research, I mean, every youtube video ever made. Every printed article about it on the net. I am not kidding.
My conclusions were, they are junk. Watch the Angry Photoprapher's take on them.
Okay, now what?
I can't stand light reflections in the closeup macro shots I take. Drives me crazier than I already am.
Google is my friend, I googled macro lighting. Read every damn thing there.
I ended up buying 3 soft box lights and stands. One is a boom stand. I got them from Amazon for around 60 dollars.
They are not professinal grade, buy they work. I did buy different led bulbs, I got some 5,200 k ones. The ones that look like bubls, the curly ones have poisionious gases in them. I found that out trying to figure out the right bulbs to use.
What works for me, may not for you, but it something to think about.
For outside work, I use a Canon 580 EX flash with a diffuser.

2666loco

I bought a ring LIGHT on Amazon. It is not a flash; it is a ring light. It won't meter with your camera. It took me a while to think of the solution: turn on the light, take your photo and it can meter the exposure, then turn the light off. Ring LIGHTS are about $32 and ring FLASHES are about $80 and TTL. I use a Sigma 50mm macro and a Neewer ringlight. Beware they call it a ring flash, and it isn't. I use small f stops because I need depth of field.

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napabob Loc: Napa CA

wander over to the macro section and check out the rigs they use, as a macro photographer I am not aware of any top flight shooters using ring lights, I use the Canon MT24 twin flash (mounted on the RRS macro rig) with diffusers to manage the hot spots

Mark Sturtevant Loc: Grand Blanc, MI

All choices bring some sort of solution, and some issues will also arise. A ring flash will leave a ring-shaped highlight on very shiny surfaces, and the effect is generally seen to not be desirable. The illumination can be excellent, but then there is that ring highlight. It can be removed in post, however.
I assume a ring light would do the same.

markwilliam1

My main reason for buying the Minolta ring flash was easy portability to remote wooded areas. I don’t like using the camera flash with diffuser. I don’t have it yet coming from Japan. Twin flashes, light boxes, etc won’t work for me out in the wilds.