DIY Ring-Flash with build imgs and sample shots...

[motleypixel]

Auto focus assist beam.

I guess that would not be real important but would it help to have it put front?  Thanks

Not really needed, but what is needed is for the head to rotate such that the flash controls face upward for easy viewing and adjusting.

-Roy

[motleypixel]

More samples:

ISO 125, 1/125th, f/9, DIY Ring-Flash/580EX on Manual 1/8th pwr

#1 Queen


#2 Queen


#3 Yet another Queen


#4 Gulf Fritillary


#5 Gulf Fritillary

[mstal]

I am almost done with my ringflash and thanks to the OP for posting this tutorial.  I just have a couple questions.  How did you attach the partial extra difuser material to the inside of the whole difuser?  Also, I noticed the hot shoe connection and the base of my 558ex flash seem really week and move a bit.  Anyone have problems with this breaking from the weight.  With the flash setting horizontal, it seems to be putting a lot of pressure on the base, where the hotshoe mount is.

Again awesome tutorial and thanks.

Mike

[motleypixel]

Mike,

Thanks for posting and welcome.  I hope to see some product shots and sample shoots soon.  In my particular situation I put a female hotshoe with both a 1/4 threaded hole and a locking key so it doesn't rotate, then the male section of my sync cord slides on/off easier this way.  Most people may just screw a 1/4" thumb screw into the 1/4" treaded hole in the female sync cord which will work perfectly fine.

I've had no issues over the past 1.5 years shooting with mine regarding my 580EX shoe and any breakage.  I do know when I insert the flash head into the hole slot it's a tight fit and the foam I pop-riveted into place seems to support the flash some too.

The extra diffusing material on the lower part of the front of the Ring-Flash is simply applied to the outside and held in place with general 3M wrapping paper tape.

*UPDATE* I've found on the 580EXs with the built-in bounce card that extending it before inserting the flash head into the ring flash actually helps cut down on the lower hot-spot so with this practice and adding additional diffusing material to the lower portion of the ring flash works great.

Cheers,
Roy

[mstal]

Thanks for the info.  I think I am just going to screw the flash extention cord directly to the bracket, then as a safty measure I think I"ll add velcro strap from the flash to the outside of the ring, this might help my OCD :-)  I hope to have it all done by tomarrow.  I added the vacume tubbing instead of foam, not sure if I need to add glue to make it stay, so far it seems to fit ok.  My next question is, why such a big hole in the bracket for where the flash attaches?    Your diagram states 3/8 inch but my bracket takes a 1/4 inch screw.

[motleypixel]

You know, that 3/8" in the diagram here:  DIY_ringflash_diagram  may be a typo.  I would use 1/4", in fact if you use a captive 1/4" screw you can tap it.

-Roy

[mstal]

LOL, I am craft challenged, I do have 1/4 inch bolts to secure the camera and flash, but I have no idea what a captive 1/4" screw is.  I am just now painting the bracket, have the difuser cutout and waiting for my flex ties to come.  My son is picking them up.  Hopefully I will be able to play with it tonight :-)  I think I read somewhere that someone figured out how to mount the camera so they could use a zoom an manually focus, any idea what distance from the back of the ring flash the camera would have to be mounted for that to work?  I would love to be able to use my 28-135 lens with this.  I have a 50 mm and a 100mm macro.

[motleypixel]

Oh, well a captive screw is where part of the screw shank is lathed down where there are no threads and it's skinny.  Just the tip of the screw has some threads.  You see these a lot on panel doors or tripod screws...this is so when you un-screw the camera or panel the screws just wobble and hang in the hold and don't fall out.  this is how I did the camera captive screw...so when I unscrew the camera from the bracket the thumb screw (mine has a black round head) doesn't fall out of the bracket.  Do do this you need a captive screw and a tapped hole i.e. in our case a 1/4" 20 threads per inch threaded hole so the the tip of the captive screw screws into the hole.

Any way, for you other questions...it's all about fitting...first fit for the lens you will use most...dry fit i.e. place the camera and lens where you want it and mark to drill the hole.  Then put other lenses on and fit and drill another hole.

Good luck!

-Roy

[mstal]

Thanks, I'll post some pictures when I am done!  Awesome tutorial and thanks so much for sharing your knowledge!

Mike
www.MikeStalnaker.Smugmug.com

[mstal]

Scott, what is that rubber piece whe the camera body makes contact with the metal frame.  I just finished my ringflash and lined it with foam from a craft store.  I find my camera still turns on me.  I was thinking of usine corkboard, but yours look so much more professional.  I'll have my test shots up in a few min, from todays shoot.

[mstal]

Here are a few shots from today.  First time using the ringflash.





The lizard I put in just to show how evenly the light is, let me know if anyone can see a hot spot.

[DigitalScape]

Nice even lighting, Mike.

[motleypixel]

Mike,

The black stuff is called hobby foam that I picked up at Hobby Lobby.  If you can find something that's more rubber-like that might work better.  I used foam/plastic safe contact cement to adhere the material to the bracket.

Well, like John said...nice even lighting.  I love the catch light in the bees eye esp. when it show the circle of light.  So what do you think...do you like it?

Can you post your camera settings and flash settings in you last post with the images?

-Roy

[mstal]

Ok, I have to tell on myself.  I did a real rooky thing.  Some of those shote were shot at iso 800, because I forgot to check it when I started shooting.  The last time I used my camera it was in very low light.  When I was shooting I kept having to lowere the flash and was thinking DAMN this thing works amazing!!!  Extrememly low flash setting to get these shots, then my bubble was burst and realized I was shooting at iso 800.  I was hoping someone could comment on the noise in the shots.  The rest I think I used 200 and 400 iso.  I don't remember the flash settings, but I think it was full power.  I was too excited to try this thing out, I didn't write anything down.

This one was f16 at iso 400, flash was probably full power.


The rest can be found on my gallery and just click the info button for the settings.
http://mikestalnaker.smugmug.com/Other/DIY-ringflash-examples/10076695_4QFWk#691313521_zzw7K

[motleypixel]

Which lens are you shooting with?  Are you using Flash white balance?

Try ISO 200, f/11, and 1/2pwr on your flash and chirp to try to keep shutter between 1/160th and 1/250th.  I personally think f/16 is a bit extreme in general, but definitely for a shot that is less than 1:1 such as the one you just posted.

update...ah you are shooting with a 30D too...so I gotta ask, what noise removal are you using?   I use NoiseWare Pro...anyway, I also try to stay at ISO 100-160 to keep noise down.

-Roy