Canon Macro ringlite MR-14EX, advice needed!

Hi Sheiky


A bellows is used to elongate the distance between the lens and the camera body. It looks like an accordeon, with the camera body on on side, and the lens on the other. That can give exceptional macro shots, but since the distance from the body is quite large when fully extended, a flash mounted on the body will not be sufficient. To increase the height of the flash, and soften the light, I tilted the flash and bounced on the built-in white "flap". The results on the first tests were quite OK.


I also plan to use this to digitalise my old slides.


I'd show you some pictures, but I can't get it to work right now [:(], perhaps some maintenance is going on.


Lars

Hey Lars,


thanks for explaining. It does make a lot of sense now you told me. I had search google and I saw pictures of bellows, but I didn't made a link [;)]

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Originally Posted by Lars

To increase the height of the flash, and soften the light, I tilted the flash and bounced on the built-in white "flap". The results on the first tests were quite OK.

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I have also done this trick, however it does not work with all types of lighting and results differed too much to really use it this way. At least for me [;)]

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Originally Posted by Lars

That can give exceptional macro shots, but since the distance from the body is quite large when fully extended, a flash mounted on the body will not be sufficient

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<div>I know this problem. Sometimes the flash power is not strong enough for these situations. You could use an E-TTL cord and somehow attach the flash closer to the lens(with a flash-bracket perhaps). The shot will probably also look better if the angle of the flash is different.</div>

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Originally Posted by Lars

I also plan to use this to digitalise my old slides.

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I hope you don't need to do too many slides [A]

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Originally Posted by Lars

I'd show you some pictures, but I can't get it to work right now [img]/emoticons/emotion-6.gif[/img], perhaps some maintenance is going on.

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Yes for some reason the posting of pictures doesn't work properly yet. At least by using the storage space here. I'll wait for the shots. I've got time [;)]


Jan

Since the storage problem is fixed, I try to show some pictures again.


Here is my bellows for those that are curious.


[img]/cfs-file.ashx/__key/CommunityServer.Components.UserFiles/00.00.00.39.80/Herfindal_2D00_05.jpg[/img]





Then a shot I took recently. The shallow DOF makes it a bit abstract, but I like it. I used a camera-mounted flash, but it turned out quite OK. I have enhanced the colours quite a bit, but otherwise no post-processing (sharpening etc).


[img]/cfs-file.ashx/__key/CommunityServer.Components.UserFiles/00.00.00.39.80/Herfindal_2D00_06.jpg[/img]


I am eager to test the system more, but with a new baby in the house (ten days ago), some things become more important than macro photography. On the plus side, I have now another person to practice portrait photography [:P].

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Originally Posted by Lars

but with a new baby in the house (ten days ago), some things become more important than macro photography.

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Wonderful.


But... can't you take macro pictures of the baby?

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Originally Posted by Jon Ruyle

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Originally Posted by Lars

but with a new baby in the house (ten days ago), some things become more important than macro photography.

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Wonderful.


But... can't you take macro pictures of the baby?

Maybe he's referring to sleep (when he can) as being more important than macro photography even of the baby!

Congrats on the new baby! Lookin' forward to seeing those baby pics!

Denise






<div style="CLEAR: both"]</div>

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Quote:

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Originally Posted by Lars

Here is my bellows for those that are curious.

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That looks pretty cool [Y]


Your shot is indeed quite abstract, but I like it.


Anyway congratulations with the baby! Hope you catch some sleep hehe [;)]


Well I finally had some time (and the weather was dry for once) to use my ringflash. At least I thought so...since when I came to the location it started raining pretty bad so I had to wait for like 30m under a tree until it got a little better. Here are some results, hope to shoot some more soon, since most of the bugs have already crawled back in their tunnels etc [:(] Unfortunately this wasn't the best summer for macro-photography...


http://www.actieinbeeld.nl/tdp/macro(1).jpg


100mm f5.6 ISO-400 1/100


http://www.actieinbeeld.nl/tdp/macro(2).jpg


100mm f10 ISO-800 1/100


http://www.actieinbeeld.nl/tdp/macro(3).jpg


100mm f5.6 ISO-800 1/100


Well it's still hard to determine the right settings, at least I think so. Also the ratio between the left and right is something I must learn better. The bright part: With just an on camera flash I would have never been able to do the last shot this way. The shielded part would have been flashed away by a single flash. I love how it looks now. There has been no post-processing, so I guess I can make something better out of them if I had some more time [;)]

Thanks for the kind words, I feel that I constantly get to little sleep. But I guess I will adapt, like I did with the first one.


As for macro photography, the autumn is getting quite close, and the bugs disappear. I guess I will have to wait until next summer before I can start bug hunting. I really like your first shot, Sheiky. The line from left to right that leads the eye to the sharp fly is a very nice composition (at least in my eyes), and the background and foreground blur is very soft and nice.


I consider getting a ring-flash, and see that there are some with two lamps, and some with only one. Sigma has one with two lamps, where you can choose to use only one. Has anyone experience with this? Any suggestions? I have to take the price into consideration, but quality is of course most important. My options would be Metz or Sigma if I cannot get my hands on a second-hand Canon.