Flash for Canon 100mm 2.8 macro lens

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sjh2008

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Simon
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Just bought a Canon 100mm 2.8 usm lens for macro work on a 50D.

Can anyone recommmend a decent flash at a reasonable price upto £200

I see in Jessop they do one for £79 are they any good or are there better alternatives ?
 
The Jessops ones aren't particularly good; average build quality and I don't think they have ETTL and many manual controls..

A Canon 430EX II would be good, where the head can be tilted, with -1 stop of flash exposure compensation, with something like a Stofen diffuser. This should give the subject some fill flash
 
Macro work is going to be tricky with a standard hotshoe flash as the lens will shade your subject when your working close up, what you really want is a ring flash or failing that you need to get the flash off camera with a lead at minimum.

the 430EX is a good recomendation allthough for the same money you could get a flash from Sigma or one of the other decent 3rd party makes that has specs roughly equivalent to the Canon 580. Don't rule out second hand either as there are plenty of bargains out there!
 
A used Canon 550EX around £150 with a lambency type diffuser - the jessops ones (Canon Fit) that are fully auto and Manual work, but there pretty slow on recharge time.
 
Have a look here and you can see the innovative way people deal with macro and flash.

I use my 430EX velcroed onto the hood of the 100/2.8 - This has worked a treat for macro stuff.
 
Having admired Pauls (dogfish magnet) Flickr macro shots for some time, I'd certainly accept his advice on a flash for macro work, but Paul, is a ring flash really that bad for bugs and stuff? Or is it just more difficult to get right as a beginner?

Tara
 
turbotoes said:
Having admired Pauls (dogfish magnet) Flickr macro shots for some time, I'd certainly accept his advice on a flash for macro work, but Paul, is a ring flash really that bad for bugs and stuff? Or is it just more difficult to get right as a beginner?

Tara
Click to expand...

:nuts: Thanks Tara - Personally i found it frustrating and could achieve better results with a normal flash with a lambency type diffuser, they have too little control and are difficult to diffuse - the images in this Thread were with a standard flash (and there are lots more on TP from lots of different people). For the price of a ring flash you can get a good camera specific flash that will also be useful for normal photography, if you need something specifically for macro or bigger that 2:1, personally i think you'd be better saveing the extra and getting a R1 kit for Nikon or a MT-24EX for Canon.
 
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