DIY light ring?

Robbo said:
.....If so would it be white LED?
Click to expand...

I've got a ring light (LED) that I use on a macro rig. It's not ideal for for ultra high magnification as I can't get the light close enough to front light the subject.

It uses white LEDS and the temperature is between 6200 and 6400k (dependant on the intensity I set)...you can see it in this shot in front of one of my rigs
http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/aa20/CanonBob/Macro_rig.jpg

I doubt it will provide enough light to be used as a studio ring light but there are versions with more LEDS.

Bob
 
It will just be used for my own pleasure, close up macro shots, I use a 60mm macro.... Will the light be ok for this size lens?
 
That is a serious number of LEDs to solder, and in very close proximity.
Bright white LED is probably what you need, I would recommend testing all of them before soldering too, I did a flashing LED display once, it was a real pain that two of the LEDs I put in were not working.

Also, LEDs are not as cheap as you might think. 140 of them might set you back a bit anyway.
To be honest, you might be better off with version 4.0 or 4.1, as these would still allow TTL
 
Robbo said:
It will just be used for my own pleasure, close up macro shots, I use a 60mm macro.... Will the light be ok for this size lens?
Click to expand...

I've just powered-up mine ...you get good subject coverage from 70-140mm (subject to ring light distance). Outside these limits, the light becomes unlinear as a halo develops. The internal diameter is 62mm so make sure that it will fit around the EF-S60.

Bob
 
coldpenguin said:
That is a serious number of LEDs to solder, and in very close proximity.
Bright white LED is probably what you need, I would recommend testing all of them before soldering too, I did a flashing LED display once, it was a real pain that two of the LEDs I put in were not working.

Also, LEDs are not as cheap as you might think. 140 of them might set you back a bit anyway.
To be honest, you might be better off with version 4.0 or 4.1, as these would still allow TTL
Click to expand...

you can get the LED in strips you can cut to length....or are these rubbish?
 
Canon Bob said:
I've just powered-up mine ...you get good subject coverage from 70-140mm (subject to ring light distance). Outside these limits, the light becomes unlinear as a halo develops. The internal diameter is 62mm so make sure that it will fit around the EF-S60.

Bob
Click to expand...

that sounds about rights for what al be using it for :-)
 
I looked into it but found that insufficient power would be available, but I was thinking in terms of portraiture not macro
 
Looks really interesting. It's the sort of thing I'd love to have a go at doing as spending
£££'s on a specific macro ring flash isn't much of an option. I assume the led's are either all on or off and would have to be powered from a power pack? What sort of power would the linked set up require?
 
Karlosfandango said:
Looks really interesting. It's the sort of thing I'd love to have a go at doing as spending
£££'s on a specific macro ring flash isn't much of an option. I assume the led's are either all on or off and would have to be powered from a power pack? What sort of power would the linked set up require?
Click to expand...

I know you can buy them in strips, so you could make it to have one strip lighting, or both, or even three if you wanted to go that far. But they would be on during the shoot manually controlled by a separate on off switch.

as far as i have read its powered from a 12v battery or two, them square ones.
 
TBH with a 60mm macro lens you may be better just using a normal diffused flash off camera on a flash bracket , you can pickup the Jessops Canon fit 360AFD for about £40.00 used.
 
Robbo said:
you can get the LED in strips you can cut to length....or are these rubbish?
Click to expand...

Do you have a link to that? The only strips of LED in that style (bulbous top) I have ever seen, are paper strips, which do not have any electrical connections.
The small square ones are going to be visible to you, but I don't think they are going to illuminate too far.

Having a quick search, some of the LED strips I can see, are only cutable at certain points, 8cm for the best one I found.

Edit:
Don't get me wrong, I would like to get a macro ring, but can't afford it. It is just I am not sure how well this is going to work.
 
Hmmmm, 12v battery might be a bit cumbersome for out and about, even if it is the small ones.

What lighting source do proper ring flashes use? Could you buy a cheap flash unit and canabalise it to make something more controllable portable?
 
I have no idea lol all i know is the darn things **** be cheaper!! lol

im going to give it more research before i start buying bits though
 
Dogfish_magnet said:
TBH with a 60mm macro lens you may be better just using a normal diffused flash off camera on a flash bracket , you can pickup the Jessops Canon fit 360AFD for about £40.00 used.
Click to expand...

ahhhhh, diffused? lol

that sounds like a cheaper better option...

do the rings have a benefit over the above?? or is the ring like the as the built in flash is blocked at the close ranges?
 
I was thinking of trying to convert something like THIS. I also can't justify £70+ for a light ring. This may be able to be converted for a cheap light ring for macro. I may have to take the plunge, if you don't try you will never know I guess. This has adjustable brightness too.
 
Robbo said:
ahhhhh, diffused? lol

that sounds like a cheaper better option...

do the rings have a benefit over the above?? or is the ring like the as the built in flash is blocked at the close ranges?
Click to expand...

at 1:1 with a macro lens you can use a off camera flash without problems have a look in this thread theres loads of homemade macro diffusers, the problem i have had with ring flash is the light is very harsh and difficult to diffuse.
 
Dogfish_magnet said:
at 1:1 with a macro lens you can use a off camera flash without problems have a look in this thread theres loads of homemade macro diffusers, the problem i have had with ring flash is the light is very harsh and difficult to diffuse.
Click to expand...

some great ideas in that thread!!

i just assumed a ring light was what you used

i think i may re think my ideas now

thanks for all the advice given...better check my bank balance:)
 
Canon Bob said:
I've got a ring light (LED) that I use on a macro rig. It's not ideal for for ultra high magnification as I can't get the light close enough to front light the subject.

It uses white LEDS and the temperature is between 6200 and 6400k (dependant on the intensity I set)...you can see it in this shot in front of one of my rigs
http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/aa20/CanonBob/Macro_rig.jpg

I doubt it will provide enough light to be used as a studio ring light but there are versions with more LEDS.

Bob
Click to expand...
I like your bellows where did you get it from what sort of money?
 
its ok im sorted now, took a bit of advice on a speedlite ask a diff set up :-)

thanks for all the help though its sorted me out :-)
 
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