cosmo54 Loc: Easton, PA but will travel for photos

I'm trying to figure out the difference between various ring 'light/flash' es. I want to be better at macro but it looks like the right type of unit can also be hand held? Can anyone share their experience/knowledge? Thru my own luck, I have a Canon 5D II and a 7D...plus lots of lenses. Thanks for any guidance & specifics.

notnoBuddha

My understanding is that a ring flash is meant to give a more uniform light by actully having the light sorce that goes around the lens as opposed to a flash that is either camera mounted or stand alone which will give a directional light. I use little of either.

JimH Loc: Western South Jersey, USA

Ring Lights stay lit all the time. Ring flashes 'flash' like any other flash unit. They are often used with macro photography for a couple of reasons - 1) the subject is sometimes VERY close to the front of the lens, making standard hot-shoe mounted flash units useless
, and B) standard flashes don't produce all around light that is needed to highlight very small objects.

NIKONIAN72 will chime in here with expert opinion, trust what he says.

Nikonian72 Loc: Chico CA

I use the term "ringlight attachment" because the attachment I use does not have its own power source nor flash generator (strobe tube). My O-Flash unit attaches to a standard hotshoe-mounted Speedlight, re-distributing the light through a 3/4-ring of Fresnel-shaped lenses.

I like a 3/4-ring pattern, because the uneven light pattern preserves roundness in cylinders (insect bodies) & spheres (eyes). True 100% circular ringflashes provide flat lighting which does not enhance roundness.

My O-Flash Field Set-Up


O-Flash Ringlight Attachment

Adubin Loc: Indialantic, Florida

I recently purchased a Sigma Ring flash Model EM-140 DG and is very satisfied with it. It has iTTL auto exposure system. Previously I used my Nikon SB800, but found when I got very close to my subject the lens cast a shadow on it. You can click on this link http://bit.ly/oVoVaP to view the photos I took using the Sigma Ring Flash. I tried to use one similar to O-Flash and wasn't happy with it because I couldn't attach it to my SB800 flash very well. Arnold

Igore Loc: Wisconsin

Wow that O flash is great. We have the Sigma ring macro flash at work for dentistry and it works very good and the color comes out near shade perfect. I just ordered the cheap Chinese knock off ring flash that you can use full or half on or TTL II because I am just shooting little creatures for fun and needed a little more light. The camera flash or my 320EX unit are useless for macro and are worse than no flash at all.

cosmo54 Loc: Easton, PA but will travel for photos

Thanks so much everyone! Now I get the difference. A little more research on my part needed so I get the right one for my Canon.

I really appreciate all the help from everyone. I love this forum

dpullum Loc: Tampa Florida

To quote Mr. Nikonian72: "I like a 3/4-ring pattern, because the uneven light pattern preserves roundness in cylinders (insect bodies) & spheres (eyes). True 100% circular ringflashes provide flat lighting which does not enhance roundness." :thumbup:
****** VERY GOOD POINT SIR, BETTER A BALL BE A SPHERE THAN A LIFELESS CIRCLE. I WILL DO SOME EXPERIMENTING WITH MY FC-100 RING FLASH BY COVERING UP 1/4 PORTIONS. THANK YOU MR NIKON.. SOURCE OF WISDOM. :thumbup:

Again: Consider the newer stand alone LED flash and Video lite MeiKe Flashgun FC100 ring flash that is low cost and works well. I like mine. I do not use a ring flash often, and while not a strong flash, the purpose does not require a strong flash because it is used close. The FC-100 can be seen on you tube at : www.youtube.com/watch?v=1FvqGHudF-0

Videos of other ring flashes are provided in links that come up with the FC100 video.

Runs $37 free shipping !!!! 1/10 the price of the Sigma? :
FC-100 www.ebay.com/itm/230682557920

While I respect the TTL system on the sigma unit, I do not use the ring often enough to justify another $340, so a simple chart (old school guy here) and simple calculations will give me the needed settings. Like 1-12 feet with two f's wide and tight at a set iso and speed.

As a bonus, once you fit your camera, there are enough rings left over that you can earn money on the street corner juggling rings in a clown suit like in Mar del Plata Argentina. ( a common site,,, these people do not beg like in the USA they entertain for donations,,, :thumbup: )

Enjoy photography and still feed the family.
d/p Don

FC-100 Package

cosmo54 Loc: Easton, PA but will travel for photos

LOL. :-D. Well I have plenty to think about & time to do so because a very early snow storm is heading my way today. Just in time for Halloween in New Jersey
Thanks for your help

dpullum Loc: Tampa Florida

Snow, you can not Juggle in the snow,
No Juggle only shovel! (my god, poetic)
:lol:

Armadillo Loc: Ventura, CA

A true Ring Flash attached to the end of your lens will provide even lighting on your subject, this will eliminate shading and soft shadows creating depth and shape on your subject.

Using a duel Macro Flash (two small flash heads) attached to the lens will provide the options of decreasing the light intensity of one flash head by /F-2. This gives depth and shading to your subject.

You can add filters to each head to soften the light intensity, color of the light, and ND-2 light reduction.

cosmo54 Loc: Easton, PA but will travel for photos

Dpullem....I'm going to Melbourne FL next week to visit mom...wish it was today. LOL.

Armadillo thank you for the info. Lots to think about.

nice-diver Loc: oregon

my nikon ring flash i can chooose left or right, or top or bottom if i rotate it, and obviously full. i use it on my pb6 bellows mostly, but its good for handheld macro too. nice even lighting without the shadow caused by the lens from a hotshoe mount

FOTOSTAN Loc: Ca..NYC..Fla.

are you a dentist?? they use "ring strobes"

marcomarks Loc: Ft. Myers, FL

A ring light can be a ring of LED bulbs that run on a battery continually. Since LEDs don't draw much power, the batteries last a long time.

A ring flash would be a series of flash head bulbs that don't do anything until a flash signal comes from the camera and then flash once.

I'm sure the words are used interchangeable and incorrectly though.