Ring flash

I need a ring flash for occasional macro photography, not the best or the worst

but something in between.

 

Have Nikon D50, D80, 60MM Nikkor Macro lense

 

Suggestions

 

Thanking you in advance.

 

Bob

there is no best or worst in ring flash for iTTL

 

R1,

or you can just buy two SB-r200 and use them with the commander of the D80..

 

I have 3 of them, they are awesome, easy and super fun to use.

I have a NIKON SB-21 from the *bay that works fine in manual mode. It looks like a ring flash, but it has 2 strobes which you can swith left, right, or both. Typically it fits a 62mm threads, but a 72mm attachment is available. I don't think it works in iTTL, but the newer version is a lot more money.

The SB21 will work fine in manual mode. No iTTL with DSLR. You do limited to 3 power setting (Full, 1/4, 1/16). I suppose technically you get 6 if you include turning off the left or right blank as a power control.

 

Your other alternative is get a old used ring flash that support the thyristor auto mode. Which is a liitle bit of a pain to use with Macro. But instant checking with digital helps.

If you check the back of a Popular Photography magazine, there is one company that makes a LED 'macro' ring flash that runs off a 9V battery. [i think it was in the B+H Photo ad, so it may be on their web site as well.]

<P>The Sigma EM-140 DG is an iTTL compatible ring flash.</P>

<P>According to the Sigma web site it is suited to the D50 and D80.</P>

<P>See <A href="http://www.sigma-imaging-uk.com/flash/140ringflash.htm">Sigma UK web site</A></P>

<P>I have one of these and can recommend it.</P>

There are after market (not Sigma) i-TTL ring flashes sold on German eBay. I use one. It works. It is cheap. I can't post any links. Search there (ebay.de).

Do consider the R1 kit or even better the R1C1 kit, if you can afford it - you won't regret it.

 

Even though you don't absolutely need the SU800 (which comes with the R1C1 kit) it does make it all so much easier/quicker to use and is far cheaper than getting the SU800 as a stand alone item later on.

 

Failing that I would just get an SB600, which you can use either with a cord or cordless off camera, and will also of course cover all the 'standard' flash usage as well.

I think that the LED ring light referred to from B&H is the Digislave model. Be sure to get the one that is large enough for the lens on a dSLR.

 

Be aware that the ring LED units have much lower power than flash ones. I tried to start a thread on this some time ago and got only a few responses, but those were not very positive about the usefulness of some of the cheaper LED units.

If you are going to use it occasionally then, like Geoff, id suggest the Sigma ring flash, its less than half the price of the R1c1 kit and is i-TTL compatable with the D80, I have one and it suits my needs.

At least some LED ring lights provide continuous light, not flash, with well-known implications. If others do provide flash output, it would be good to check the flash duration at full power. One of the benefits of ring lights (non-LED) for macro use is the ability to stop motion dead.

<p>Please could someone tell me how to use SB21 with D80 usig a macr lens<br>

im getting too much flash<br>

Raj</p>