Ring Flash anyone?

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Archive 2009 · Ring Flash anyone?

Tony Hoffer
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p.1 #1 · Ring Flash anyone?

Anyone used the new Ray Flash or Orbis ring flashes? I'm interested and curious to know your thoughts particularly outside and in reception/party settings.... samples would be nice

Mar 02, 2009 at 10:23 PM

RedWhiteandRed
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p.1 #2 · Ring Flash anyone?

Profoto makes a nice ring flash. The Elinchrom ones are too small.

Mar 02, 2009 at 10:26 PM

Tony Hoffer
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p.1 #3 · Ring Flash anyone?

The ones I mentioned attach to hotshoe flashes, so there's no power source needed, which is why I'm interested. Know anything of them?

Mar 02, 2009 at 10:28 PM

RedWhiteandRed
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p.1 #4 · Ring Flash anyone?

Tony Hoffer wrote:
The ones I mentioned attach to hotshoe flashes, so there's no power source needed, which is why I'm interested. Know anything of them?

The local camera store has those in stock but the sales staff mock them. But mocking is for people who fear not the final chuckle.

Mar 02, 2009 at 10:29 PM

adcphotography
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p.1 #5 · Ring Flash anyone?

i would be interested too, tony.
i asked this question a while back in the lighting forum about preferred ring flashes but the answers didn't really pertain to the wedding atmosphere or use.

Mar 02, 2009 at 10:32 PM

RedWhiteandRed
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p.1 #6 · Ring Flash anyone?

I use the profoto ones and have tried the elinchrom ones - the profoto ones are great and the other ones basically suck. The ones that stick on the little flash look silly and appear to be the kind of thing that would merely wind up breaking the flash.

It is not very expensive at all to rent the stuff - rent a profoto ring and the B2 battery. This can be had for abot $70 a day or weekend.

I suspect that the do it yourself gizmos made from tape and pans work better than the cheap attachments that you buy.

Mar 02, 2009 at 10:36 PM

Tony Hoffer
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p.1 #7 · Ring Flash anyone?

I'm not worried about the expense of the studio units, I just don't/won't a carry studio battery pack with me at weddings, so I'd only get one if it was pretty portable.

Mar 02, 2009 at 10:39 PM

cycleson
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p.1 #8 · Ring Flash anyone?

I bought the ray flash at wppi...haven't really got it out since I got back, but the reason I was sold was they had a live demo rockin one right in the booth. Don't see why it won't work, that's why I bought one.

+Traig

Mar 02, 2009 at 10:46 PM

Ken Vigil
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p.1 #9 · Ring Flash anyone?

We've got one (the ray flash I think...). Here are my thoughts...

1) The light is nice, but not as nice as a studio ring flash. In the context of a wedding or engagement it works pretty well however as you also don't have the weight and set up time problems that a full studio ring would bring you.

2) It can put some unwelcome pressure on the flash. It's pretty light but still stresses the flash head some...

3) You have to like the effect it produces. Of course, you don't have to use it directly on the flash. I use it as an off camera slave sometimes because it can produce a different quality of light that way.

4) it takes a lot of practice. Not the easiest accessory to use and get good results from. I like it overall but it's not something you can just pop on an expect to have great success every time.

examples...

On camera ring flash in the shade

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On camera ring flash, in the shade against a white wall

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off camera ring flash (slightly to the right) at night

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On camera ring flash in the reception hall

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off camera right flash

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on camera ring flash

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there you go...

ken

Edited on Mar 02, 2009 at 10:51 PM · View previous versions

Mar 02, 2009 at 10:47 PM

Tony Hoffer
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p.1 #10 · Ring Flash anyone?

Thanks Ken!

I dig these two.... Anyone else?

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Mar 02, 2009 at 10:50 PM

FH Images
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p.1 #11 · Ring Flash anyone?

Hoff

I hope this helps.

this is from the Strobist.com blog

http://strobist.blogspot.com/2008/12/ring-lights-pro-vs-speedlight.html

FH

Mar 02, 2009 at 11:25 PM

Tony Hoffer
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p.1 #12 · Ring Flash anyone?

Yeah, I saw that... I was just hoping for some real-world, non-studio samples... like what Ken did. Thanks!

Mar 02, 2009 at 11:33 PM

squeaky_clean
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p.1 #13 · Ring Flash anyone?

That was a great little vid... Very helpful!

Mar 02, 2009 at 11:37 PM

davenfl
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p.1 #14 · Ring Flash anyone?

Tony I had the opportunity to borrow a Ray Flash for a few shots (I am now trying to find them). My opinion was the unit worked extremely well and the light was softer and less prone to shadows than a normal ring flash. It would appear to be a very useful tool and great value for the money. I watched a friend you the Orbis unit and it also would appear to work quite well from looking at his photos. The Orbis unit is designed to be hand held either over (around) the lense or adjacent to the camera. That would appear to be it's bonue and problem since holding the camera and a fairly large flash unit with the other hand can be a bit of an issue depending on the camera and lense.

Mar 02, 2009 at 11:50 PM

ContagiousIdea
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p.1 #15 · Ring Flash anyone?

Jim has one.

Mar 02, 2009 at 11:56 PM

jcolman
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p.1 #16 · Ring Flash anyone?

I picked one up a couple weeks ago and took it out for a shoot. One thing I noticed is that with shorter lenses, you'll often get "flash back" into the lens which shows up as a big circle of light on the edge of the frame. I had to line the inside edge of mine with black gaffers tape to hide the light a bit.

A couple of shots from my session.

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Used as fill light only
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and from another shoot. Dialed down and used as fill light.

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Mar 02, 2009 at 11:57 PM

RichardLavigne
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p.1 #17 · Ring Flash anyone?

Tony Hoffer wrote:
Thanks Ken!

I dig these two.... Anyone else?

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Tony,
I'm digging them... I sat through the Ray flash-ring flash demo at PhotoExpo in NYC and thought it was pretty cool. They had a model on site and were taking shots with and without... it looked pretty cool.

Mar 03, 2009 at 12:10 AM

jeremy_clay
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p.1 #18 · Ring Flash anyone?

I've got the AB-RF800, will be taking it for a spin this year...

Mar 03, 2009 at 02:24 AM

Ray Soemarsono
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p.1 #19 · Ring Flash anyone?

Tony Hoffer wrote:
Thanks Ken!

I dig these two.... Anyone else?

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Same here. Perfect use for ring flash.

Mar 03, 2009 at 03:00 AM

BrianO
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p.1 #20 · Ring Flash anyone?

I looked at the Ray Flash last year, but couldn't justify the expense.

Now that they're 1/3 cheaper I may revisit a purchase. I just need to wait until I decide on my next camera purchase.
(I'm torn between the Nikon D700 and Canon 5D Mark II.)

As a fill light (and sometimes master for a two-light setup), I can really imagine some good shots coming from them.

Mar 03, 2009 at 07:19 AM

Marcus Watts
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p.1 #21 · Ring Flash anyone?

What about the $99 ring flash at Gary Fong's store? Cheap, is it any good. I would only expect it would be used a handful of times at any wedding.

Mar 03, 2009 at 09:09 AM

BrianO
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p.1 #22 · Ring Flash anyone?

Marcus Watts wrote: What about the $99 ring flash at Gary Fong's store? Cheap, is it any good. I would only expect it would be used a handful of times at any wedding.

I see a $199 ring flash, marked down to $149. Not that much cheaper than the Ray Flash.

I think I'd rather have the Ray Flash, so I don't have to worry about learning the ins and outs of another flash unit.

Also, the Fong ring flash attaches to the lens, so it might require adapters for different lens sizes (I don't know that; I'm just guessing). The Ray Flash floats around the lens, so all common lenses will fit as is.

My main concern would be the output power. Is the Fong unit powerful enough to be more than just a macro light?

Mar 03, 2009 at 10:32 AM

Marcus Watts
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p.1 #23 · Ring Flash anyone?

BrianO wrote:
Marcus Watts wrote: What about the $99 ring flash at Gary Fong's store? Cheap, is it any good. I would only expect it would be used a handful of times at any wedding.

I see a $199 ring flash, marked down to $149. Not that much cheaper than the Ray Flash.

I think I'd rather have the Ray Flash, so I don't have to worry about learning the ins and outs of another flash unit.

Also, the Fong ring flash attaches to the lens, so it might require adapters for different lens sizes (I don't know that; I'm just guessing). The Ray Flash floats around the lens, so all common lenses will fit as is.

My main concern would be the output power. Is the Fong unit powerful enough to be more than just a macro light?

The output power is what i would be interested to know too. If it could put out enough light i think i would prefer an actual unit as long as it worked on more than one lens. Surely it would but who knows.

Mar 03, 2009 at 12:54 PM

BrianO
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p.1 #24 · Ring Flash anyone?

Marcus Watts wrote: The output power is what i would be interested to know too. If it could put out enough light i think i would prefer an actual unit as long as it worked on more than one lens. Surely it would but who knows.

I just went onto the Gary Fong Web site, and this is what it says about their ring flash:

"You'll get even, shadow-free lighting for your close-up macro shots. The ringflash is ideal for all kinds of macro photography including nature, medical, scientific and forensic photography whether you are a professional or hobbyist."

"Guide Number 46 ft ISO 100 @ 50mm"

"Adaptor rings 55mm, 58mm, 62mm and 67mm included"

So the guide number of 46 compares to the Canon 580EX's guide number of 190 feet at 105mm. (I wish they'd just give them in Watt/Seconds.) I can't find a reference for Canon's Macro Ringflash, but if I recall it's around 70 or 80 feet.

There's a little video where Gary talks about using ring flash in fashion photography, but he never really comes out and says that the example shot shown is made with his ringflash. Since the text talks only of macro photography, I'd be sure to check it out further before ordering one.

Mar 03, 2009 at 08:16 PM

Sergio Mottola
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p.1 #25 · Ring Flash anyone?

alienbees

Mar 03, 2009 at 08:34 PM


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