Ringflash! What sort of light does it give?

Lucian

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8 Apr 2011 - 9:14 AM

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I have just got a ringflash but have not had the chance to use it yet. There seems to be some conflicting opinions on what sort of light this type of modifier gives. Some say it gives a harsh high fashion style type of lighting and some say it gives a shadowless background with soft edges to the subject. the reasons i have bought it is because i want to use it in the studio and at weddings. At weddings i am fed up getting a shadow to one side of my subject when taking shots vertically so thought that because the ringflash is parallel to the plain of focus it will not cast a shadow but would like some advice on what sort of light i will get from it.

Thanks
Lucian

randomrubble

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8 Apr 2011 - 10:06 AM

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Ringlflash video tutorial via epz, here

And for general wedding lighting advice: Try this book... or this... or this

Pete (ePHOTOzine Staff)

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8 Apr 2011 - 10:22 AM

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I love ringflash light. But I like big circles so you get a larger shadow around the subject and an enlarged doughnut catchlight in the eye.
I've built my own ring lights to achieve this using fluorescent tubes. I have a 12in circle.
Those small ones that fit on the filter thread of the lens can be used but they're not intended for portraits (they were originally designed for dental work) which is why many are called macroflash.

Lucian

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8 Apr 2011 - 1:31 PM

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Thanks for the links e.t.c. I have had a go with it and the flash needs to be about 2 stops overexposed to get good light out of it. The ringflash i have bought is the coco ringflash. I just wish they could make a diffuser the same shape as it but made out of the same stuff stoffens are made of. Anyone know where i can get one of them?

miked70

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9 Apr 2011 - 6:38 AM

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A few thing about ring flash as the distance to subject changes so does the power,so you need to remember you can gust move in and out with out changing the
power setting or aperture or something to keep it balanced.
in low light you will get the best red eye ever,need to be used in bright light conditions for best result.
you get a shadowless result but can produce a ring shadow on the b/g
i use mine off camera too.
i find a 80-200 lens better for a ring flash.
used correctly there is no better flash,wrong and it goes really wrong
i perfer mine without defuser cleaner and sharper edge.
BTW ring flash was first invented for dental photography.

Fishnet (e2 Member)

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10 Apr 2011 - 9:45 AM

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I was thinking of getting a ringflash (modifier) a little while ago, after a lot of research I found the Coco ones were considered the worst ones, whilst Ray Flash was the better one with O-Flash in the middle.