LED for macro?

yakim_peled1 · May 5, 2009

Hi folks, In recent years I've been interested in a lightweight macro flash. The current offerings from Canon and Sigma are way heavier and more expensive than I want to spend and carry. Then I came across <a href="http://cgi.ebay.com/LED-Ring-Light-for-MACRO-Photography-Canon-Nikon-dSLR_W0QQitemZ370189867788QQcmdZViewItemQQptZContinuous_Lighting?hash=item5631091b0c&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A570%7C66%3A2%7C65%3A12%7C39%3A1%7C240%3A1318%7C301%3A0%7C293%3A1%7C294%3A50" target="_blank">an interesting product</a> which seems to me as the exact thing I was looking for. Any of you tried it or something similar? If so, I'd love to hear your thoughts. TIA. Happy shooting, Yakim.

tim_mulholland · May 5, 2009

Yakim,

First, I hope that you'll notice that the color temp is 3000K, which you'll likely have to correct with software or white balance settings to get a decent photo.

Second, this is a light, not a flash. You might be able to achieve better and cheaper lighting with a flashlight or mirrors.

Frankly, it doesn't look to me like it's worth the price... But, that's my $0.02 worth... ;)

Tim!

ed_lusthoff · May 5, 2009

Yakim,

I have come across "digital" items usually in kits. Don't bother with them. They seem good at the time but you WILL be disappointed when you get them. I do not want to knock them, but, I have found that they are not even up to a beginners standard. Let me just put it that way. 3000 K? and what is the wattage? 5?15? Is it as bright as a darkroom safelight? ed

yakim_peled1 · May 6, 2009

I understand. Can anyone offer something else?

Happy shooting,

Yakim.

joshroot · May 6, 2009

I've got a Litepanel LED unit here for review that is supposed to be for video. But the Bogen guy who sent it to me said that it's great for macro as well. I haven't had time to try it yet though. i really need to get on that.

yakim_peled1 · May 6, 2009

They have several products. Which do you have? I looked at Ringlite Mini and it weighs 3.5 pounds. :-( The Micro looks nice at 4 oz.

Happy shooting,

Yakim.

joshroot · May 6, 2009

The Micro is the one that I've got here.

seismiccwave · May 6, 2009

The concept of using super bright LEDs to light macro images is a viable option in today's technology. However the ones that we can buy seems to be made from inferior materials and technology. I have been meaning to try and make one myself using some high quality LEDs and high quality batteries as power source. I am sure the LED technology is perfectly capable of lighting a macro subject.

OTOH did any one try the fiber optic ring ling that transmit the light from a standard Canon or Nikon flash?

yakim_peled1 · May 6, 2009

I'll be looking forward to hear your experience with the Micro. When do you think you will post it?

Happy shooting,

Yakim.

yakim_peled1 · May 6, 2009

Most reviewers <a href="http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/542007-REG/Litepanels_LP_MICRO_LPMICRO_Micro_LED_on.html#reviews">here</a> agree that it is great WRT performance but are less enthusiastic about BQ.

Happy shooting,

Yakim.

g._armour_van_horn · May 6, 2009

Somewhere I read about a guy that shoots jewelry using Ikea multi-gooseneck lamps. These apparently are sold with small halogen bulbs at the end of each of five goosenecks that rise up from one base. What this shooter did was cut the cord off and then mount a small mirror on the end of each gooseneck instead of the original lamps. Then he made sure one of his strobes was hitting the mirrors and used the mirrors to get the light he wanted on individual facets.

Power and flexibility are good things.

Van

seismiccwave · May 6, 2009

Unfortunately the project will require me to acquire all the proper LEDs and wire them together. It may take me a couple of weeks to collect all the parts to build one. I will build one though. So stay tuned.

yakim_peled1 · May 7, 2009

As I understand, the big advantages of the Micro is that it is 5600K and dimmable. Most LED products don't have it.

Happy shooting,

Yakim.

erwin_schaefer · November 30, 2015

I do not understand the fascination with using flash with macro subjects. For any subject smaller than a matchbox I much prefer twin fiber light wands with LED or incandescent power supply. The wands can be an inch or closer to the subject without transmitting any heat and positioned for any shadows required. A ring light will not provide that. Notice that I did not use the term fiber optics which refers to a coherent bundle of fibers which transmit an image without any lenses. The fibers are matrixed identically at each end like pixels on a screen.

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