What causes super low contrast when using a ringflash?

I'm taking pictures of people with a ringflash and the negs end up

being very low in contrast. So low that I get a considerable amount

of grain aliasing when making scans of the negatives.<br>

I'm using a Pentax SMC 75mm 2.8 lens on a 645 with the Vivitar

6000AF.<br>

The instructions that came with the flash mentioned not to use a

lens that was wider than 50mm and since 80mm is the same as 50mm in

MF then I'm thinking that I'm getting lens flare from the flash and

it's causing the low contrast.<br><br>

Could it be a result of the lens/ringflash combo I'm using or is it

pretty normal?

Kevin

Shadows are what makes contrast.When you use a ring light it pretty much eliminates shadows by the use of very soft even lighting. You can kind of help this by using contrasty film ,and high key lighting subjects,but theis only help a little. It's the shadowless light that makes skin look soft in portraits. I do not think it's flair.I hope this helps.

I've also had some very low contrast negs using the Vivitar 6000AF on my Nikon FM3a. It's true that ringflashes generally flatten the contrast but this seemed to be an underexposure problem. I changed the batteries in the flash and started rating the film a stop slower in the camera and the problem was solved but I don't know which of the two actions solved the problem. </P>

Holding the flash close the subject and to one side, with the camera on a tripod, gives better results IMO so I mostly just use the ringflash when I don't want to carry a tripod around. </P>

Best wishes

With all due respects, isnt low contrast the purpose of using a ring light? How much modeling, or depth producing shading will a lens axis light provide?

Lens flare, from any source of light hitting the lens, will certainly lower contrast as well.