Ring Flash - DIY?

arsondesign · May 27, 2008

So in the next few days I'd really like to make a ring flash, but there are so many ways to go about this, I thought I would ask which way any of you went and which way NOT to go. I'd prefer to make a lamp (I saw a photo on flickr once that I cannot for the life of me track down.. but someone had used a circular knitting lamp) since my speedlite won't be here for a week or so and I've got some shooting I'd like to do with a ring flash/lamp this week.

usayit · May 27, 2008

Unless you are doing this for the sake of the DIY experience (which is fine.. I enjoy those project too), you are probably better off getting a dated (or used) ring flash. Many will work in manual mode.... some can be had for way south of $100 USD brand new.

Just make sure the trigger voltage is not too high.

Big Mike · May 28, 2008

http://strobist.blogspot.com/search?q=DIY+ringflash

I didn't see it with my search, but the most basic (and clever) ring light I have seen was when a guy too a large piece (3 foot) of board (maybe foam core etc) and cut it into a donut shape. He would then place the light off to the side and use the board to reflect the light onto the subject, then shoot through the hole.

arsondesign · May 28, 2008

I found an interesting DIY Ring Flash... my 24" iMac! I took this with just a point and shoot (Canon SD900 if you want to know) that I had set on top of an upside down clear glass vase with a 2 second self timer (should have allowed more time, the camera was still rocking slightly)... bad focus and plenty of shake. And not to mention some interesting distortion; my head really isn't that large on top....

Got the idea from this
http://www.flickr.com/photos/10470809@N08/sets/72157600975056927/

I didn't think it would work very well, especially in just an auto mode on a point and shoot... but it turned out fairly decent (well, for my spur of the moment experiment [a completely dark room would have been better]... no where near the quality I want from an actual ring flash). Just a fun thing I thought someone else might get a kick out of doing.