On 11-10-30 6:42 PM, Joseph McAllister wrote:
On Oct 30, 2011, at 03:31 , Bruce Walker wrote:
This may appeal to the extreme DIYers and/or the super-cheap. :-) A macro
ring-flash for five bucks. Author builds this over Pentax kit.
http://www.northumberlandphoto.ca/assets/downloads/fring.pdf
Biggest problem I have with this rig is that illuminates a ring of light, with
the center of the images substantially darker. More so the closer the subject
is to the lens.
I've had several ring-lights, Pentax, and they are designed to light a fairly near
frame evenly. I had trouble in Costa Rica photographing insects and frogs at night
with the ring-light. Little modeling of the subjects as the light was too even.
Ended up using two small flashes on flexible arms, which allowed me to control the
direction light came from, and differentiate between Main& Fill. Downside to
that was having to use my headlamp for focusing as well as finding subjects in the
first place.
I'd love to see a shot of you down on the ground with your headlamp on
and holding this crazy arrangement of lights! :-)
Most ring-lights have modeling lights built in. After I got home, I re-rigged
the flash on arms to be triggered by the flash of the ring-light using one of
those little triggering sensors (can't think of the name - duh) which gave me
the best of both worlds. Never got back to CR, or anywhere else tropical,
unless you count Cabo. It's better for sunrises and sunsets, no flash needed.
The Pentax AF160FC gives you the ability to control the balance between
two halves of the ring: 50/50, 66/33 or 100% one side or the other so
you can get some more definition in the subject. The ring also rotates
so you can place your light ratio in any radial orientation. *And*
there's a modeling light.
The AF540 and AF360 flashes (most likely other Pentax flashes?) can be
programmed to slave flash off of any other flash including, of course, a
ring light.
I like my AF160, but they're wickedly expensive so not for everybody.
-bmw
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