Expo Imaging Ring flash

[linda carlson]

I've seen ads recently for a new product from Expo Imaging - it's a "ring" flash that attaches to the camera via the

hotshoe. Does anyone have any experience using this product?

[nathan_stiles]

It was reviewed in, I think, Photoshop magazine a month or two ago (it's the only magazine I was reading then, so it's got to be that one).

 

First, it doesn't attach to the hotshoe-- it attaches to your hot shoe flash. So, it's $299 + your flash's price. They said the light was extremely evenly spread, and that was impressive. It also had a snug fit on the flashes they tried it on. However, you will be losing power as your flash has to rap around to the ring.

 

Actually, while google'ing, I may have been reading this review: http://strobist.blogspot.com/2008/03/full-review-ray-flash-ring-flash.html

 

In which case, I'm sure someone posted it in here, b/c my 'net romping is fairly limited.

[b_christopher]

It's not a ring flash. It's a ring flash adapter. You will mount this adapter to your flash, flash fires into the adapter, adapter redirects light in a ring pattern. Around $300? Too expensive for a mere few pieces of plastic. I'd suggest getting the real thing.

[linda carlson]

Wow, I'm impressed with the quick reponses to my question. Thank you Nathan and B Christopher. I already have a flash and probably will go ahead and purchase one. I agree that the price tag is a little on the high side though. What would you suggest if I purchase "the real thing"?

[frank_skomial]

There was another ring adapter manufactured in England sold at about 120 British Pounds. That piece of hard

plastic and reflective foil inside was, that is what it really was, was also considered to expensive.

[ellis_vener_photography]

The advantage this device brings t othe table is that if you are usign a speedlight that works with your camera's TTL system is that it is controlled by your camera's TTl (through the lens) flash metering system. it is useful for head and shoulders shots but nowhere near s versatile or as powerful as something like the Alien Bees ABR-800 ring flash which is not TTL controlled and doesn't use internal AAbatteries. If there is a place for it in your lighting kit and you can work with it's limitations ( relatively low maximum power, puts strain on your speedlight's tilt mechanism, has a hot spot at the top, doesn't work well with the camera turned vertically (portrait orientation)) then have fun.

[nathan_stiles]

I personally don't think that such a small, and in size, not just power, ringlight offers much. Even in their demo pictures, you don't get that "ring light" look-- all it does is change the background shadows pattern, but the actual unique contrasty look that a full size ring light gives you is not there.

 

I've heard mixed reviews about the AB ring light-- and evidently there is two? Everyone that I've heard that has used the Profoto (and I haven't) ring light sings it's praises-- however... price will keep it out of my reach for a long (forever?) time.

[ellis_vener_photography]

 

I agree with Nathan that the speedlight modifier doesn't take the palce of any full power ring light. Hotshoe mounted Speedlights like the Nikon SB-800 / Canon 580 EX II / Vivitar 283 top out at 75 watt-seconds at full power, The adapter you asked about "eats" a stop of light so even at full power you are working atthe bottom end of the power range for the power powerful ring lights from Broncolor, Buff, Dyna-Light and profoto, et. al. I forgot to add earlier that not does that modifier seem likely to stress the tilt locking mechanism of the flash head of these speedliights , it also would seem to put a lot of stress on the hot shoe mount itself. If you use Canon I'd much rather steer you towards Canon's MR 14EX Macro ring light and if you shoot Nikon towards their R1C1system. Neither are as powerful as this modifier but they work well.

 

 

There are two versions of the ring light from Alien Bees /Pau lC Buff that I know of. the ABR-800 monolight and the 'ring master" for the Zeus pack & head system. .

 

I have worked fairly extensively with both the Profoto Acute and both of the Buff ringlights. I've made more comments about the Buff gear as I have reviewed it for Professional Photographer Magazine (http;//www.ppmag.com ) whereas I've only used the profoto Acute and pro ringlights and just briefly handled and informally tested the Broncolor and Elinchrom lights.

 

Pluses of the Profoto, Elinchrom, Dyna-Lite and Broncolor systems:

 

Great light.

 

Part of an extensive system of packs heads and modifiers.

 

Sleek design.

 

Downsides of the Profoto, Elinchrom, Dyna-Lite and Broncolor ring flash systems:

 

Expense.

 

 

Conclusions: The Profoto, Elinchrom, Dyna-Lite and Broncolor are extremely nice, they look great and are very professional looking. It is hard to wrong with any of these systems. But the Profoto, Elinchrom, Broncolor and Dyna-Lite ringlights are very expensive.

 

Pluses of the Buff lights:

 

Light quality from both is fine.

 

The Zeus ringmaster has s significantly shallower profile than the ABR-800 Monolight -- put you need a flash generator (same story with the Profoto, Elinchrom, Dyna-Lite and Broncolor ring lights .)

 

Terrific and (if you are in the USA) customer service, support and repair.

 

From a functional point of view, from a working photographers point of view, what I like about the ABR-800 and the Zeus lights is that they hold up over time -I've been using mine for quite a while both in the studio and on location , that they are fan cooled and that both have 200 watts ( 10 x 20 watt bulbs) of dimmable modeling light s oyou can see what your light is doing. You have to go to the higher end Broncolor and Pro 7 Ring light 2 aand the new $2000 Dyna-light ring lightsd to find these features. The Buff ring lights also have attachment points for 2 different sized optional softboxes , a 20 degree grid spot (also optional), and an umbrella adapter.

 

The larger (54" diameter) of the two octagonal Moon Unit softboxes has really nice light quality. It is easily the shallowest head/large softbox combination I've ever encountered. You can control the center to edge fall off with different internal baffles but in the end analysis it is not as even from center to edge as say the Elinchrom 72" Octalight or Plume Water softboxes (but it does cost hundreds of dollars less). .

 

Minuses:

 

I don't like the external looks and names Buff uses. If sleek design matters to you, the silly names and logo designs Paul C Buff uses will turn you off. Frankly I've never had an advertising agency, graphic designer, editorial art director or corporate client take note of that -- But I don't work for fashion magazines or clothing designers.

 

If you like metal instead of Lexan ( that's the high impact strength plastic that pro football helmets are made from) .

 

I wish they made a Lexan flash tube assembly (fta) cover to protect the fta while traveling.

 

The camera mounting /tripod attachment /stand attachment rig . I can't say that I am a huge fan of it eith but I much prefer it to the camera mounting rig that Profoto and a couple of other similar European ring lights use: the Buff mount is just far eaasier to adjust camera height with. I customized my Buff camera/lightstand mount by using the tripod mount point to attach an Arca-Swiss compatible QR foot and by putting an Arca-Swiss compatible QR clamp on the camera "sled" on the top side. Not everybody uses the A-S QR system ( a pity) but these simple mods work well for me.

 

The octagonal softbox attachment feels a little flimsy and takes a little while to master quick assembly and set up.

 

Conclusions: After more than a year of working with the Zeus and ABR800: for the money you can't beat the Buff gear -- and no one else who offers the same features seems to be even trying -- but the system doesn't get any style points.