Canon macro ring flash

markta

markta

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Hi all.


I'm thinking of taking my macro photography to the next level with a ring flash to go with my 100mm f2.8L IS lens.

Will be primarily shooting butterflies, hover flies etc and getting the set up right ready for early summer.

Does anyone here have experience of the MT24 EX twin ring flash? Any viable alternatives?

Cheers
 
I've had a couple of Marumi ringflashes for my 100 L macro and I've been reasonably happy with the performance. However, late last year I went to the next step in terms of quality and ability by getting a Sigma EM-140 DG twin flash. It's built as a ringflash but it has 2 bulbs, 1 in each side, that you can fire independently or simultainiously. As you can move the whole head round you can effectivly shoot from anywhere. Build quality is excellent and it's fully packed feature wise. It's not cheap, comes in around £300-330, but it's cheaper than the MT24 twin.
 
I used a single 270 ex flash on a bracket with oc lead with small reflector on other side for fill in. Worked fine for my level of macro work. Much more modelling than with a ringflash.

Wonder if 2 x 270 ex IIs, the wireless ones, on a home brew bracket would be a cheaper acceptable alternative to the M24 ex?
 
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I have an MT24-ex and while it's great in many ways you'll need to sort out diffusers as the light can be very harsh.

Many top notch macro shooters just use a regular flash (possibly on a bracket) but build a soft box around it to give a nice soft light.

There are hundred and one different ways to do it and you don't necessarily need to splash out on the MT24-ex :)
 
fulwood said:
Wonder if 2 x 270 ex IIs, the wireless ones, on a home brew bracket would be a cheaper acceptable alternative to the M24 ex?
Click to expand...
I looked into this but ruled it out due to the limited angle of the wireless receiver (+/-45 degrees from front of flash)
 
I agree with dibbly dobbler , as I also have an MT24-EX , they are best used with some kind of diffusions and care needs to be taken with the angle of the heads otherwise you can get hotspots .
I often just use a 430exii or 580exii with a diffusion cap on an off camera cord either mounted on a bracket , stand or hand held , or 2 430exii's as slaves on stands using a
580Exii as a master ,
 
Another vote for off camera 580EXII - works well on an RRS plate, an OC cord and a mini ball head.
 
Thanks for all the replies. I already have a 580EX II with Stofen diffuser.

So OC cord with tripod, ball head and RRS plate (I guess a universal head) and one flashgun should do the trick? If not, I am open minded about getting a 600Ex RS as a master to the 580 EX II

Cheers in advance.
 
I use a mt24-ex with my MP-E complete with blue Peter diffusers , but tend to use a std flash on a manfrotto flash bracket when using a std macro lens.
 
How about one of these ring flash adapters for your 580? I have a pretty big one and mine is fine for everything except the very smallest creatures. If you get smaller it may be better.

Obviously you could also stick 580 out of camera in a small softbox and go that way.
 
Thanks for all the replies. Definite food for thought!

If I get a 600 EX will it work wirelessly on a 5D II or do I need an off camera cord?
 
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