Ring flash for macro
Jan 22, 2013 00:39:57 #
I have recently bought a 90mm Tamron macro & I think that some extra lighting may be beneficial on opportunistic occasions. I had a ring flash back in the '70s but it is long lost.
I see that there are basically two types of ring lights, an LED set up with continuous lighting, & a 'proper' flash that fires like a standard flash. I may be completely wrong, but I can't see the cheaper LED rings as being much use. The 'proper' flash units are not cheap, I notice.
Can any of you macro shooters advise me, please. Most of my work would be outdoors--insects etc. Thanks.
I see that there are basically two types of ring lights, an LED set up with continuous lighting, & a 'proper' flash that fires like a standard flash. I may be completely wrong, but I can't see the cheaper LED rings as being much use. The 'proper' flash units are not cheap, I notice.
Can any of you macro shooters advise me, please. Most of my work would be outdoors--insects etc. Thanks.
Jan 22, 2013 00:43:00 #
This forum has a Macro Equipment Set-Ups thread at http://www.uglyhedgehog.com/t-32754-1.html .
Take a look at the several different methods of successful macro illumination. Feel free to ask questions to any macro-photographer on the forum.
You are correct in realizing that most, if not all, LED macro lights are woefully under-powered for anything but static, table-top macro work.
Are you planing to purchase a standard speedlight for general photography illumination?
Take a look at the several different methods of successful macro illumination. Feel free to ask questions to any macro-photographer on the forum.
You are correct in realizing that most, if not all, LED macro lights are woefully under-powered for anything but static, table-top macro work.
Are you planing to purchase a standard speedlight for general photography illumination?
Jan 22, 2013 01:33:18 #
Nikonian72,I have a Yongnuo Speedlite (YN560) which I use a fair bit for general photography, often off camera. It won't TTL so I have to use it manually, but that's no problem.
I discovered something strange today on my D3100. If I use force flash on P,S,A, or M, it shoots at ISO100, regardless of my ISO setting. I was playing around using fill in flash (built in flash) on Aperture Priority, using ISOs from 100 to 800.
When I reviewed them, some were grossly under exposed, & the data told me that they were all shot at ISO100. This sound normal?
I discovered something strange today on my D3100. If I use force flash on P,S,A, or M, it shoots at ISO100, regardless of my ISO setting. I was playing around using fill in flash (built in flash) on Aperture Priority, using ISOs from 100 to 800.
When I reviewed them, some were grossly under exposed, & the data told me that they were all shot at ISO100. This sound normal?
Jan 22, 2013 02:48:07 #
DOOK wrote:
I have no idea if your YN560 is compatible with Nikon hotshoe connections. My speedlight is used strictly Manual, so I can adjust flash output for repeatable, accurate exposure. My exposure settings are also Manual: ISO 400, 1/200-sec at f/16.Nikonian72,I have a Yongnuo Speedlite (YN560) whic... (show quote)
For my macro-photography, I use a $30 O-Flash attachment on my speedlight. The correct model will fit your camera/speedlight combination.
O-Flash Attachment
O-Flash Field Set-Up
Jan 22, 2013 03:44:04 #
Yeah, the YN560 mounts on the hotshoe & is fired by the camera trigger. It is not TTL & has to be set manually. It will also fire off camera, triggered by the pop up flash. It has a GN of 58 at max output.
I've been checking out your detailed thread re. this set up. What do you actually call the ring attachment so that I know what to search for on ebay eg.?
I've been checking out your detailed thread re. this set up. What do you actually call the ring attachment so that I know what to search for on ebay eg.?
Jan 22, 2013 03:59:13 #
DOOK wrote:
Yeah, the YN560 mounts on the hotshoe & is fired by the camera trigger. It is not TTL & has to be set manually. It will also fire off camera, triggered by the pop up flash. It has a GN of 58 at max output.
I've been checking out your detailed thread re. this set up. What do you actually call the ring attachment so that I know what to search for on ebay eg.?
I've been checking out your detailed thread re. this set up. What do you actually call the ring attachment so that I know what to search for on ebay eg.?
As Nikonian72 suggested, refer to the Macro Equipment Set-Ups thread at http://www.uglyhedgehog.com/t-32754-1.html .
That GN seems a little low from my perspective. (Using manual flash output and adjusting the outputs helps freeze moving insects.)
Others produce excellent results with a hot-shoe mounted flash with an attached softbox. Many are DIY. Certainly can't argue with the results produced by the O-Flash.
I prefer moving the flash off the shoe and using a sync cord. I use an SB400 and set the flash output through the camera menu. Check your menu to make sure it will do this because not all speedlites allow manual flash control from the flash unit.
Jan 22, 2013 04:00:57 #
DOOK wrote:
My Nikon SB-600 Guide Number is 98, at ISO 100; and GN 138 at ISO 200. A Guide Number of 58 sounds under-powered to be able to shoot at f/16 for decent DoF.the YN560 . . . has a GN of 58 at max output. What do you actually call the ring attachment so that I know what to search for on ebay eg.?
Search for O-Flash on eBay. The model number is determined by the distance between camera lens center to flash lens center, measured in millimeters, per last column of this chart.
O-Flash size chart
Jan 22, 2013 04:25:51 #
Thank y'all for your great help. I shouldn't have to annoy you any more. I was checking prices on the 0-flash on ebay, when I stumbled across a JY-670 for $120. It is fully self contained-no adaption needed-just mount it on the hot shoe & away ya go.
I checked out reviews on Google & Youtube & it looks OK. Thanks again guys.
I checked out reviews on Google & Youtube & it looks OK. Thanks again guys.
Jan 22, 2013 07:24:11 #
Nikonian72 wrote:
quote=DOOK the YN560 . . . has a GN of 58 at max ... (show quote)
Each Manufacture has its own way of figuring GN the YN560 has more power than the Nikon SB900 and more powerful than the Canon 580EX . The GN for the SB600 is 98 but that is feet at ISO100 the YN560 is GN of 58 but is figured in meters.
Here are the GN specs from Nikon on the 900
Guide Number
34 m/111.5 ft. (at ISO 100, 35mm zoom head position, in FX format, standard illumination pattern, 20°C/68°F) to 48 m/157.5 ft. (at ISO 200, 35mm zoom head position, in FX format, standard illumination pattern, 20°C/68°F)
GN is very confusing because there is no standards used by every one some list theirs using ISO200 to make them look more powerful than they really are.
Jan 22, 2013 07:26:36 #
Nikonian72 wrote:
quote=DOOK Nikonian72,I have a Yongnuo Speedlite ... (show quote)
The YN560 is a manual only flash only has one pin so no i-ttl or ttl will only work properly on M mode.
Jan 22, 2013 07:28:45 #
DOOK wrote:
Thank y'all for your great help. I shouldn't have to annoy you any more. I was checking prices on the 0-flash on ebay, when I stumbled across a JY-670 for $120. It is fully self contained-no adaption needed-just mount it on the hot shoe & away ya go.
I checked out reviews on Google & Youtube & it looks OK. Thanks again guys.
I checked out reviews on Google & Youtube & it looks OK. Thanks again guys.
The YN560 is a very good flash if you do not mind manual I actually just bought one last week awaiting delivery now seems the post office decided to send it around the US before it gets to me.
Jan 22, 2013 12:59:20 #
hangman45 wrote:
This is an incorrect statement. Correct Guide Number is calculated with an international formula, in either feet or meters, and often both. Each Manufacture has its own way of figuring GN . . .
For variable angle speedlights, a 35-mm angle is used to calculate true GN.
"The Guide Number is the product of the maximum flash-to-subject distance and the f-number of the aperture that will correctly expose film or a digital sensor with the specified sensitivity. GN = distance × f-number
Guide numbers can be given in feet or metres, and are usually given for ISO 100 sensitivity." per http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guide_number
Jan 22, 2013 13:05:30 #
hangman45 wrote:
YN-560 . . . with official GN of 39 (true GN is 34) per http://speedlights.net/2010/07/14/yongnuo-yn-560-speedlite-review the YN560 has more power than the Nikon SB900 and more powerful than the Canon 580EX . The GN for the SB600 is 98 but that is feet at ISO100 the YN560 is GN of 58 but is figured in meters.
"Nikon still sticks to the 35mm (speedlight flash angle) and ISO 100 rule. At these settings, the SB-600 is specified as GN 30 (measured at GN 31)" per http://speedlights.net/2010/11/24/nikon-sb-600-speedlight-review/#Guide-Number-Testing
"Main Advantages SB-900 over SB-700 = more powerful (GN 34 versus 28)" per http://speedlights.net/2010/09/16/nikon-sb-700-flash-specs-vs-sb-600-and-sb-900
YN-560 is equivalent to SB-900, and both are more powerful than SB-600 per independent testing.
Guide Numbers in meters
Jan 22, 2013 13:36:05 #
Nikonian72 wrote:
After going through all your links Nikon is the only one of the manufacturers out of Canon and YongNuo and Nikon that list a GN using ISO200 quote=hangman45 the YN560 has more power than th... (show quote)
Straight off the Nikon Spec sheet for the SB600
Guide Number
30 m/98 ft. (at ISO 100, 35mm zoom-head position, 20°C/68°F) to 42 m/138 ft. (at ISO 200, 35mm zoom-head position, at 20°C/68°F
Jan 22, 2013 13:45:27 #
Nikonian72 wrote:
quote=hangman45 the YN560 has more power than th... (show quote)
Douglas: I think i would be great if you added this guide number graph (or the link) to the Macro FAQs. These are critical to know (well for me they are!).
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