Am I wasting my money?

A

anto

Suspended / Banned
Messages
56
Name
Anthony
Edit My Images
Yes
Just after opinions please. I have a canon 350d and the stock IS lens(18-55) and a better canon macro efs 60mm 1:2.8.

I want to get a ring flash for simple shadow free macro. Prefer not to spend too much at present as I'd like to get a 50d eventually. I was wondering if this ring flash http://www.jessops.com/online.store/products/74323/show.html
will do the job for a year or two.

It would be mainly for work in a medical/dental setting but potentially for simple macro around home.

There are some very nice looking units out there but the cost is significant. I am not very experienced and only experience of flash is the inbuilt pop up one.

Cheers


Anthony
 
I looked at that flash for dental photography with my 350d/sigma 50mm macro. From all the reviews, it seems to do pretty much the same a the more expensive ones. I ended up with the sigma ring flash purely because I got a good deal. If I hadn't I would have definitely got the one in the link.

It's amazing the difference in the pictures you can get with a ring flash I find it great for sending pics to the lab for crowns / veneers etc.

Only thing to note that with 60mm macro you probably have to be pretty close to get true 1:1 which may cause a shadow to be cast. I usually shoot maximum 1:2 anyway so doesn't affect me.
 
Hi,

I have no personal experience of this particular ring flash, only the two Canon models. It seems OK for the price, the Canon Macrolites fit onto a special adapter that screws into the filter thread of their Macro lenses, although the 100mm & MP-E65 have a built in adapter ring. I cannot see from the link how this model fits and indeed if it will fit at all onto the lenses you have.

I believe Sigma also do a ring flash, it may be worth looking at that also.

If you do not plan on getting a true Macro lens (1:1) in the near future you would probably be able to experiment using the normal Canon flash if you have one. There is a very knowledgeable Macro shooter on several of the forums called LordV who has written tutorials and describes his set up using an ordinary flashgun with coke tins and gaffer tape.

here is a link to his turorial: http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=807056

I see you intend to mainly use this set up for dental work, I have to say the gaffer taped Coke tin may not be entirely appropiate to pull out in front of a patient :)

To be honest, with your lens I would think it would not be money well spent at this stage. If you intend to buy a true Macro lens then yes it probably would be. The Macrolites have been used for dental photography for many years and give an even illumination, not always required in other forms of photography where some shadows add to the attractiveness of the picture.

I hope this is some help.

Paul.
 
I'm pretty sure the 60mm canon macro lens does do 1:1 but you would be better off with a 100mm ish lens to shoot true 1:1 as you'd be uncomfortably close (for you and patient!) with the 60mm at 1:1!

As I say though, 1:2 is more than adequate and for full mouth retracted shots I end up at 1:3 or less sometimes. I find it easiest to stick the lens on mf then choose the magnification factor I want (if your lens has it on the barrel) then move the camera back and forth until in focus.

You definitely won't regret getting a macro flash of any sort. Pm me if you want to see any taken with my ring flash on which will give similar results so you can compare with shots taken without one.

The only thing that the more expensive flashes do that I'm not sure if the one above will that may be of some use, is they allow you to fire the 2 sides of the flash indepenently with different powers if needed which can be good for illuminating laterally to get surface texture to show up.

Cheers

Andy
 
anto said:
Thanks again for the info. I have not had a chance yet but I will look at the tutorial link.

Anthony
Click to expand...

If you find you get too close with a 60mmmacro get some extension tubes rather than a new 100mm macro lens as a cheaper option.

Matt
 
MatBin said:
If you find you get too close with a 60mmmacro get some extension tubes rather than a new 100mm macro lens as a cheaper option.

Matt
Click to expand...

Extension tubes wouldn't help with the working distance, what you need for that is a teleconvertor. I don't believe there are many (If any) that fit EF-S.
 
That ring flash has recently been commended in one of the camera mags as performing far better than expected for the money :)

If you do get it, please post some examples :D
 
Marumi has a good rep :thumbs:

On the lens thing, I'm thinking that for dentistry you want to get as close as possible to see anything inside the mouth. In which case, the 60mm lens you have is probably the best choice.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top