Rod Clabaugh Loc: Red Bluff, Northern California

Which light is best for macro photography? Ring light is made specifically for it but rgb light can be taken off and set near front and use color manipulation for interesting effects. Anybody have any experience with this type of light?

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rmalarz Loc: Tempe, Arizona

You might inquire about lighting from UHH member sippyjug104. That person is a master at lighting macros.
--Bob

PixelStan77 Loc: Vermont/Chicago

Rod, I have both and use both depending what I am trying to accomplish. What I like about the RGB light is how I can position it in relationship to the subject.

Quixdraw Loc: x

The Sun, mister golden Sun - plan and think about it as you would studio lights. I absolutely agree with consulting sippyjug as a high master of macro lighting.

sippyjug104 Loc: Missouri

Rod, by the nature of macro the distance between the end of the lens and the subject is much closer than conventional photography so unless the lighting is diffused it tends to be quite harsh. For example a 60mm macro lens has a minimum focus distance of 8.5-inches and a 105mm macro lens has a minimum focus distance of 12-inches. These are lenses that will focus at infinity where many others do not so they are strictly for macro use only. Matching the lighting and diffusion technique with the lens of course produces the best results.

A ring light is a good solution for macro photography in the field although it tend to create a rather flat looking image for it is illuminated from all directions. Constant LED lighting panels work great when doing macro cinematography although not so much so for single shot macro images. Diffusion of light creates the best lighting much like shooting early morning or when cloudy creates more pleasing images than the harsh midday sun when doing conventional photography.

An enjoyable part of macro photography is experimenting with methods of diffusion and they are almost always no cost items including cutting a hole in a styrofoam plate and placing it on the lens and letting the camera flash shoot into it. They make flexible cloth diffusers that have a wire rim that do the same thing. Others use packing foam, paper towels, mylar paper, translucent plastic milk jugs or bottles and the list is only limited by one's imagination. Google search macro light diffusion for endless examples.

Attached is a picture of one that is a Do-It-Yourself flash diffuser for macro photography that I made and it is my favorite for taking into the field for insects and wildflowers. It's made from a translucent plastic sheet protector that you would use in a three-ring binder. A piece of paper, paper towel or packing foam goes into it and you cut a circle out to make what looks like a 'baby's bib' and when you place it on the lens it makes a cone that diffuses the light for when the subject is only a few inches away from the end of the lens.

Here's the YouTube link should you care to know more:

https://youtu.be/_p_RnYBs9mI

For my tabletop macro studio setup I use constant LED lighting diffused with packing foam that I stage as close to the subject as I can without it showing in the frame. I illuminate from the left, right and from above creating a softened 'light tunnel'. It is my most often used technique although I have many others depending upon what I am using for the camera's lens and how much magnification I am trying to achieve.

I enjoy sharing information as much as I do creating images so feel free to contact me if I can be of any assistance in anyway.

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rgrenaderphoto Loc: Hollywood, CA

The first light panel is too "broad" of a light and will overwhelm your subject. Ring lights are great but pricy.

This is the setup I've used for macro, even mounting the Platypod on a tripod to get a better position.

THe only difference from the picture is I use Lume Cubes as light sources.

sb Loc: Florida's East Coast

There are various types of ring lights now, but I found the classic ring flashtube light was very heavy and was a challenge to use hand-held.

billnikon Loc: Pennsylvania/Ohio/Florida/Maui/Oregon/Vermont

This is the one I use. It is excellent and works the best.
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1213356-REG/bolt_vm_210_flexible_macro_light.html?sts=pi&pim=Y

JRiepe Loc: Southern Illinois

For several years I used a macro flash bracket with two speedlights, heavy and bulky. Last year I bought a Nissin ring light. Quite expensive but much more convenient, lighter and maneuverable. One year while on vacation I left both speedlights in Colorado so until I got them back I rigged a lighting system using a Pringles potato chip tube attached to my built in flash and it worked quite well.😁

BobBobThompson

I'm hoping somebody can help me by supplying the name & source for what I believe is a recently announced close-up/macro lighting item that is shaped like a globe. It has a rotating pedestal base inside. The lighting provides a shadowless white background. As I recall it cost ~$350. I saw an advertisement for it, but failed to save info about it. Thanks in advance.

agillot

i use AMARAN HN100 HALO .inexpensive , could be brighter .do a google on it .

fetzler Loc: North West PA

1. The choice of light depends on the subject and magnification.

2. I think ring lights are generally a poor choice although they might be fine for photographing stamps and other flat objects. Ring lights produce boring lighting much like on camera flash.

3. Speed lights in various configurations are useful. At high magnifications the use of flash can help reduce motion due to vibrations.

4. RGB lights (the type that can display any color) are not great unless used for an accent colored light. Color reproduction is poor. A high CRI source is preferable.

5. For outdoor subjects like flowers and insects, I prefer natural night. It can be supplemented with flash if lighting is poor.

6. You can use reflectors, white boxes to fill shadows as needed.

one_eyed_pete Loc: Colonie NY

A few years ago I bought a "Neewer" macro led ring light for about $20 just to have one. I recently used it to shoot some small jewlery (focus bracketing) and it worked very well. The distance between front element made it difficult to light from the sides. As others have said macro photography can require different lighting depending on the subject and may require creative trial and error.

sippyjug104 Loc: Missouri

Much the same happened to me. We took a trip in the RV and stayed in a very primitive state park camping under the tall trees. I was without my macro flash so I took a red Solo plastic drink cup that has a white inner surface, cut a slit in it near the bottom and taped two layers of white paper towel over the open end of the cup.

I placed the slit over the pop-up flash and wrapped a piece of tape around it to hold it in place and it took some of my most favored shots of critters I found in the woods on-the-hoof.

Josephakraig

Yes, the sun does it best. I took a Morning Glory picture a few minutes ago with my little 35-105 in macro mode. I couldn't get close enough with the 105 macro prime so I used the 35-105 zoom, I was pleased with the results.

I've never been much of a macro shooter but I'm into it more recently, you just have to learn how to think macro creatively.