DIY Ringflash

[ollieholmes]

Reading this thread has made me wonder how many other photographers are there out there trying to come up with something like this. I wonder if there is a market out there for these things.

[Don Hoey]

Originally Posted by Saphire

I will be having another play tomorrow to see whether it will work with my ext tubes and my macro rails. It will be great if it does work.

I will hold off on Part 2, in case futher mods required. I have not tried tubes yet and need to check out lens to subject distances. Too close and the subject may well fall into a central shadow area caused by the hood. The test image I put in the gallery is full frame and subject 1 inch long, but without further mods I may have reached the limit.

Don

[Saphire]

Don, I have set up and used the ext tubes on the 50mm lens, I used all three to give a good close up. Both photos' were taken at F14, I thought I had set it at f16 but never mind its close.
The first photo the diffuser was set halfway down, Like in the photo with the 300mm lens so the lens was sticking out about 4". You can see how much light has been lost in the bottom half. The 2nd Photo I put it just so as the lens poked out about a 1/4" at the same f stop and it lit up the subject much better, it has still lost a little light underneath but not much.

Both photo are un-retouched, they are straight out of the camera only cropped.

I will carry on playing to see if I can get a more even lighting but I think if it done to much it will lose any modeling effect.

[Don Hoey]

Originally Posted by Saphire

Don, I have set up and used the ext tubes on the 50mm lens, I used all three to give a good close up. Both photos' were taken at F14, ....................................
.................................................. .................
Both photo are un-retouched, they are straight out of the camera only cropped.

I will carry on playing to see if I can get a more even lighting but I think if it done to much it will lose any modeling effect.

Christine,

Good result, and f14 from a pop-up and with that much extension is pretty impressive.

When I have done my jobs I will also have a go. Afraid I do not have any flowers other than the still flowering fuchsia, so may do a trip to town and buy some. I'll put it down to development costs.

Don

[Saphire]

I have just had a thought taken from one of your earlier post of using some sort of tube inside the the diffuser, it would have to be much bigger to allow the lens to slide in and not be obstructed, I will wrap the outside of the tube in foil or the alluminion tape and see if that gives a more even light and help it to continue bouncing the light around. It is going to mean I have to remove the front filter though

[Don Hoey]

Christine,

Can you post a pic 3/4 view so I can see your current set up.

In my earlier experiments the tube bouncing light round increased the amount reaching round the bowl. You can test for yourself if you can aim the set up at a reflective surface. I used the glass of the workshop door to take pics of the light flow round the bowl. That was how I came up with the idea.

Don

[Saphire]

To late Don I have already took it apart and added the tube in the middle..

[Don Hoey]

Originally Posted by Saphire

To late Don I have already took it apart and added the tube in the middle..

Now that should work Christine.

don

[Don Hoey]

Originally Posted by ollieholmes

Reading this thread has made me wonder how many other photographers are there out there trying to come up with something like this. I wonder if there is a market out there for these things.

While waiting for Christine's pic I have Googled ' ringflash ' and we are not alone. Link http://www.dennisonbertram.com/hackm...ring-flash.htm.

So taking the DIYers out of the equation, I would guess market becomes quite limited. If you have the cash, you can buy an all singing and dancing unit, so what we are doing here will be of little interest.

Don

[Don Hoey]

Just read through the link, and from the pic at the bottom it does work. Not sure I want to cut up one of my polystyrene reflectors though.

Just goes to show Ollie, that with a bit of imagination you can survive cash limitation.

Don