I followed Mr.Cheapo RING FLASH instruction

[stanycjw]

Hope you peeps dun mind me posting some of my picts up here...

Was massively inspired by stanycjw and his DIY ring flash, so decided to try making one too..
Did a first prototype.. was completed at 12 midnight, pardon my silly tests and sloppy worksmanship...

First 2 pictures were taken at the closest possible distance for my 18-135 kit lens, of my laptop.

Taken with SB-600 flash diffuser cap (@ TTL-BL, +2.7) Note the shadows underneath, cast by the connectors.

Taken with the first prototype of the ring flash with SB-600 ( @ 1/4 M ). Note the shadows are gone, and details under the connectors are pretty visible. light is quite well spread. Pardon the orangy cast, i believe its the result of the material i used...

pardon the black tapes. i cant find scotch tape...

Will be going to get harder, black, plasticky materials tomorrow after work, and start on my prototype 2. feel free to comment on this prototype, and how i can improve...

Hi... You see. Making one that near perfection is 'FUN' and not that we can't afford !!

You have done a great job which is so much better than mine (good handicraft) even my secong version dosen't look as good as yours.

But I look closer at your 'Aluminum foil' , Remember to (crumple the foil first - not flat flat and smooth !!!) - Don't ask why as instructed by Mr. Cheapoo.

Hope to see your next version.. then after hopefully we shall out together for a live firing test on Bugs'.

Hard work appreciated.
Regards,
stanycjw ROM

 

[luntut]

Hi... You see. Making one that near perfection is 'FUN' and not that we can't afford !!

You have done a great job which is so much better than mine (good handicraft) even my secong version dosen't look as good as yours.

But I look closer at your 'Aluminum foil' , Remember to (crumple the foil first - not flat flat and smooth !!!) - Don't ask why as instructed by Mr. Cheapoo.

Hope to see your next version.. then after hopefully we shall out together for a live firing test on Bugs'.

Hard work appreciated.
Regards,
stanycjw ROM

Thanks for the compliments, but I felt it was still pretty slipshot work on my side.. anyhow cut, nvr really measure. end up my 70-300 VR cannot go thru. on my 18-135 can.. haha. need to make another one.

anyway, i was thinking the "walls" of the ring flash should be smooth, so that more light can be bounced downwards to the bottom of the ring. If its too crumpled, the light's gonna be surely bounced everywhere else but down... I shall try out, which is actually beetter. smooth walls or rough walls. But definitely the bottom of the ring, has to be rough. Need to catch light and bounce them forward... Think i am going to get those silver surface duct tapes from home fix to create a perfectly smooth, mirror like surface. but super ex, i saw yesterday. 10 bucks. :sweat:

haha i dun mind going out to test fire on buggs!

 

[stanycjw]

i did consider that... but i was intending to break it up into

1. ring

2. the rest.

cos i realised, SB-600 and SB800 and SB-900, they have different heights, which kinda means that the straight connector will vary in length to accomodate the different speedlights to be used.. i dont know, haven gone into much thought there. still trying to figure out how to better spread the light downwards to the bottom of the ring..

I've though of that 'breaking to two section' the issue is different height.
Example my: 580Ex and my cheapo Sunpak PZ42x are not able to use the same Ring Adpt.cos height are different.

 

[stanycjw]

these are my suggestions

to increase the light output,

1) zoom the flash head all the way to the max

2) stick the reflective side of the alu-foil through out the tunnel connecting to the ring. try to smoothen the foil. crumpled foil will case the lights to reflect all over inside the tunnel, especially the 45 deg turn. from what i can see, you didnt cover the tunnel with the foil, hence the orange cast

to even out the light through out the ring, expt by covering the full ring with translucent plastic sheet. bit by bit, using sand paper, roughen the top of the ring and reduce the roughing as you go lower.

also, since you are using orange cardboard here, best is the hood can sit inside the ring to avoid color cast and flare. i am using suntax ring flash on my camera, without inserting the hood, it will flare very badly (btw, i using straight metal hood).

http://www.suntax.com.sg/MacroRingRF18AF.html

Hi Dennis.

I am about to buy the Suntax too, what is the 'straight metal hood' where and how much it cost? Please

I am getting the 'http://www.suntax.com.sg/DRF14.html' at S$180.00

By the way, for this price tag. How is the quality? I know it connat comapre to canon(S$650) and Sunpak (S$400+)

Thanks and hope to can let me know if convenience 'this morning' b4 11.30am as I am going to pick it up by 12.30pm.

Thanks a million

 

[stanycjw]

Hi Dennis.

I am about to buy the Suntax too, what is the 'straight metal hood' where and how much it cost? Please

I am getting the 'http://www.suntax.com.sg/DRF14.html' at S$180.00

By the way, for this price tag. How is the quality? I know it connat comapre to canon(S$650) and Sunpak (S$400+)

Thanks and hope to can let me know if convenience 'this morning' b4 11.30am as I am going to pick it up by 12.30pm.

Thanks a million

Wah!!!
Sorry so many typo errors!!!

1. I know it cannot .....
2. You can let me know......
My eyes and fingers don't tally.. Heheee

Cheers!!

 

[denniskee]

Hi Dennis.

I am about to buy the Suntax too, what is the 'straight metal hood' where and how much it cost? Please

I am getting the 'http://www.suntax.com.sg/DRF14.html' at S$180.00

By the way, for this price tag. How is the quality? I know it connat comapre to canon(S$650) and Sunpak (S$400+)

Thanks and hope to can let me know if convenience 'this morning' b4 11.30am as I am going to pick it up by 12.30pm.

Thanks a million

hi stancy

cant pm you , so reply here. the link doesnt work.

i not sure about the flash you are interested, but the one i use has a native mount for 52mm, which is small for most AF lens. i got this cause i have a 150mm lens manual focus thats on 49mm filter thread.

also, like i mentioned, i have to tape a 49mm metal haliopan hood into the ring to prevent internal flare.

built quality is not very good, one of the contact spring plate came off after 1 yr, so may have contact once in a while.

mine doesnt work with ettl, so there is 2 options:

1) tape up the 4 small contact pins.
2) use pc cord. (i using this).

the lighting is even, but that also means contrast on the subject is flat. so i stick a frosted plastic sheet on half the ring to reduce the native "defect".

hope these info can help you.

 

[stanycjw]

hi stancy

cant pm you , so reply here. the link doesnt work.

i not sure about the flash you are interested, but the one i use has a native mount for 52mm, which is small for most AF lens. i got this cause i have a 150mm lens manual focus thats on 49mm filter thread.

also, like i mentioned, i have to tape a 49mm metal haliopan hood into the ring to prevent internal flare.

built quality is not very good, one of the contact spring plate came off after 1 yr, so may have contact once in a while.

mine doesnt work with ettl, so there is 2 options:

1) tape up the 4 small contact pins.
2) use pc cord. (i using this).

the lighting is even, but that also means contrast on the subject is flat. so i stick a frosted plastic sheet on half the ring to reduce the native "defect".

hope these info can help you.

Thanks very much
Cheers!!!

 

[JT-Fied]

Hey all! I was really interested by this post and decided to make a ring flash of my own. I did a first prototype like the other 2 that were posted in this thread but like the 2, i had problems getting the flash to go one round.... second prototype, i kinda solved the problem! U need a mirror, at the tunnel where the flash first shoots in, the intersection part that sends the light down should have a small mirror ( those u find at those girl shops like chamelon) the mirror helps to "power" the light beam further out thus pushing the light all the way around the ring. I'll try to post pics of my 2 prototype soon.

 

[JT-Fied]

Hey all! I was really interested by this post and decided to make a ring flash of my own. I did a first prototype like the other 2 that were posted in this thread but like the 2, i had problems getting the flash to go one round.... second prototype, i kinda solved the problem! U need a mirror, at the tunnel where the flash first shoots in, the intersection part that sends the light down should have a small mirror ( those u find at those girl shops like chamelon) the mirror helps to "power" the light beam further out thus pushing the light all the way around the ring. I'll try to post pics of my 2 prototype soon.

Hi all as promised my 2 prototypes! The first one is the lower one ( Which i'm sure you all can tell... the second one is the all black one)

I used a mirror on the inside as i indicated... Not sure if you guys can see it though... the mirror actually does help to spread the light downwards further but like what one of the other members mentioned, set yr flash to the max output and you should be able to get that result. I tried it with my prototype one and i could get a full round flash sometimes.

Here are the outcomes

1st pic direct flash with no DIY ring flash

2nd pic direct flash tilted upwards bouncing off ceiling

3rd Pic with DIY Ring Flash

Just to let you all know, my first prototype i used a shoe box just like the website instructed. But for the second one i used black corrugated plastic which costs like 3 bucks and the black really matches the cam. Also it's much easier to bend compared to cardboard. Well hope this information helps you guys abit...

 

[stanycjw]

Hi all as promised my 2 prototypes! The first one is the lower one ( Which i'm sure you all can tell... the second one is the all black one)

I used a mirror on the inside as i indicated... Not sure if you guys can see it though... the mirror actually does help to spread the light downwards further but like what one of the other members mentioned, set yr flash to the max output and you should be able to get that result. I tried it with my prototype one and i could get a full round flash sometimes.

Just to let you all know, my first prototype i used a shoe box just like the website instructed. But for the second one i used black corrugated plastic which costs like 3 bucks and the black really matches the cam. Also it's much easier to bend compared to cardboard. Well hope this information helps you guys abit...

Hi Fied,
Congra, you did it by putting much afford and finally suceeded.