lextalionis
TPF Noob!
- Joined
- Oct 26, 2007
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- 234
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- Location
- Austin, TX
- Website
- www.motleypixel.com
- Can others edit my Photos
- Photos OK to edit
If you enjoy shooting macro like I do and if you use a hot-shoe mounted flash such as a Canon Speedlite 430/580EX or Nikon Speedlite SB800 and find yourself wishing you had a ring-light or twin macro flash unit, but just can’t spring the several hundred dollars, then maybe this DIY Ring-Flash will work for you. The total material costs run around $50. You will need some power tools and a workbench with a vise.
Before reading further, please reference my Favorite shots of the summer with the DIY Ring Flash and see for yourself the lighting quality of this device.
I can't say exactly how many emails and PM's I've received asking me if I would consider building a DIY Ring-Flash for them, but I know it has been a lot. It's just not that simple of a build...it would take me 50 builds to even begin to become consistent. Not to mention, there are just too many variances with camera/lens/flash combos. Don't let this scare you though; it's a relatively easy build, especially if you watch the two videos below.
But when Kenj8246 (Kenny) sprung the question, I returned the offer if he would come up and visit me (about a 2 hour drive for him). Well it worked...I spent a few nights building the ring-flash part and then when Kenny arrived this morning with his Nikon D200, Sigma 150mm f/2.8 Macro, and SB 800 Flash, we finished the bracket-stay and completed a DIY Ring-Flash for him.
I took this opportunity to try my best to create two 10-min videos detailing the build process. I really want to help those out there interested to understand how it's built.
A few last points, this was never my original idea, I would like to thank this flickr user for publishing his photo tutorial. Also, it's important to understand that you can not use manual focus with this DIY Ring-Flash...even so, all of my past 2 months of summer macro photos were taken in AF with my Canon 30D and Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 Macro lens.
My favorite shot this summer using this DIY Ring-Flash:
Here are the build videos:
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5b-Jozf7CAA"]Video Build 1 of 2[/ame]
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gfvKH68NVnc"]Video Build 2 of 2[/ame]
Any questions, help, experiences, then please let us know.
Hope this helps!
Roy
Before reading further, please reference my Favorite shots of the summer with the DIY Ring Flash and see for yourself the lighting quality of this device.
I can't say exactly how many emails and PM's I've received asking me if I would consider building a DIY Ring-Flash for them, but I know it has been a lot. It's just not that simple of a build...it would take me 50 builds to even begin to become consistent. Not to mention, there are just too many variances with camera/lens/flash combos. Don't let this scare you though; it's a relatively easy build, especially if you watch the two videos below.
But when Kenj8246 (Kenny) sprung the question, I returned the offer if he would come up and visit me (about a 2 hour drive for him). Well it worked...I spent a few nights building the ring-flash part and then when Kenny arrived this morning with his Nikon D200, Sigma 150mm f/2.8 Macro, and SB 800 Flash, we finished the bracket-stay and completed a DIY Ring-Flash for him.
I took this opportunity to try my best to create two 10-min videos detailing the build process. I really want to help those out there interested to understand how it's built.
A few last points, this was never my original idea, I would like to thank this flickr user for publishing his photo tutorial. Also, it's important to understand that you can not use manual focus with this DIY Ring-Flash...even so, all of my past 2 months of summer macro photos were taken in AF with my Canon 30D and Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 Macro lens.
My favorite shot this summer using this DIY Ring-Flash:
Here are the build videos:
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5b-Jozf7CAA"]Video Build 1 of 2[/ame]
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gfvKH68NVnc"]Video Build 2 of 2[/ame]
Any questions, help, experiences, then please let us know.
Hope this helps!
Roy
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