Heather Brady Cameras and Photography

Florescent Tube or LED for Macro Ring Light?

I’m looking to get a ring light. Two options: florescent tube or leds?

Tube models use more battery.. or have to be plugged in to power.

LED models use less battery power..

However, neither are as bright as a electronic flash ring light, but they ARE cheaper.

The electronic flash ring light will usually allow for more DOF (depth of field) control and the ability to shoot much with out the use of a tripod or other supports, including being tethered to power. The electron flash is going off VERY fast, Regardless of the shutter speed, sometimes in the 1/10,000 of a second (some more, some a lil less) but still fast enuf to freeze a bee at a flower, humming bird at a feeder and such. But, if the shutter is too slow, you could include blur or motion, not to mention background light that may degrade the idea of the image.

Trouble with most electronic flash ring lights is the fact their light is like surround sound… It’s everywhere, but as a light, it’s flat and offers no depth or 3D EFX to make the subject stand out a bit.. Some have the ability to dim or turn off sections of the ring (LED’s, tubes if segmented, and such) allowing for “side light” to give that 3D EFX.

For the $$ tho your looking at a fun accessories that would give you hours of fun and enjoyment, assuming you have a macro lens to use it on. If you find your really getting into the concept of close up photography you can expand by getting extension tubes and / or bellows.

Have fun..

Bob – Tucson

Sony’s Ring Light

Nikon WC-E63 Wide-Angle Converter Lens for Nikon 4300 & 4500 Digital Cameras $29.99 One of the most frustrating problems facing any digital photographer is the inability to fit an entire group of people or breathtaking landscape scene in the picture. While you can’t remove the standard Coolpix lens and replace it as you can on an interchangeable lens SLR camera, you can quickly and easily attach this accessory wide-angle lens onto the camera’s built-in lens to get the resul…

Wallmonkeys Peel and Stick Wall Decals – Water – Removable Graphic WallMonkeys wall graphics are printed on the highest quality re-positionable, self-adhesive fabric paper. Each order is printed in-house and on-demand. WallMonkeys uses premium materials & state-of-the-art production technologies. Our white fabric material is superior to vinyl decals. You can literally see and feel the difference. Our wall graphics apply in minutes and won’t damage your paint or l…

Wallmonkeys Peel and Stick Wall Decals – Wassertropfen – Removable Graphic WallMonkeys wall graphics are printed on the highest quality re-positionable, self-adhesive fabric paper. Each order is printed in-house and on-demand. WallMonkeys uses premium materials & state-of-the-art production technologies. Our white fabric material is superior to vinyl decals. You can literally see and feel the difference. Our wall graphics apply in minutes and won’t damage your paint or l…

Razer Mamba Wireless Gaming Laser Mouse 5600 DPI $99.00 Razer Mamba Wireless Laser Gaming Mouse RZ01-00120100-R3U1 Mice…

Logitech G15 Gaming Keyboard (Black) $99.99 Keyboard – Type A – USB…

Canon Macrolite Adapter 58C for Canon G2, G3, G5, G6 & Pro1 Digital Cameras $13.50 Ring to attach MT-24EX, MR-14EX, or ML-3 to most lenses w/58mm filter size…

Macro Ring Flash LED Light! Works with Canon/Sony/Nikon/Sigma lenses! $31.97 This LED Macro Ring Light is specifically designed for close shots. It will constantly emit light and provide permanent lighting for subjects. With the LED lamp mode controller, you can adjust the three modes: all light, half left light, and half right light; With the power mode controller, you can choose two different power input modes to offers you continuous light: 2 AA batteries that is conven…

Canon VIXIA HF G10 Full HD Camcorder with HD CMOS Pro and 32GB Internal Flash Memory $1,499.00 Packing in every feature a video enthusiast could ask for%2C the VIXIA HF G10 Flash Memory camcorder is Canon%27s new flagship consumer camcorder%2C providing the ultimate in HD video performance and quality%2E Incorporating a 32GB internal flash drive%2C as well as dual SDXC%2Dcompatible card slots%2C it delivers exceptional storage capacity%2E%0D%0A%0D%0ARecording Full HD 1920 x 1080 video%2C th…

Canon EF-S 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6 IS Standard Zoom Lens for Canon DSLR Cameras $1,100.00 Compact, lightweight and a wide magnification range – this standard zoom lens features a wide focal length range from normal to telephoto equivalent to 29-320mm in the 35mm format. It features an Optical Image Stabilizer for up to 4-stops of effective correction even at full zoom. Since Canon’s optical image stabilization system is in the lens, not in the camera, you can see the stabilized, steadi…

Understanding Flash Photography: How to Shoot Great Photographs Using Electronic Flash $16.42 This guide to on- and off-camera flash picks up where Understanding Exposure leaves off, helping free photographers from the limitations of “auto” to get the images they want when natural light isn’t enough. For the many amateur photographers afraid to venture past natural lighting, here is the book that will finally help them explore the exciting possibilities of artificial light. In his trademar…

Canon Speedlite MR-14EX Macro Ring Lite $589.99 Canon Speedlite MR-14EX Macro Ring Lite

105mm f/2.8 EX DG Macro Lens for Sony $509 The Sigma 105mm f/2.8 EX DG Macro Lens has super Multi Coating that reduces flare and ghosting that tends to occur when using digital SLR cameras. The Sigma 105mm f/2.8 EX DG Macro Lens offers high performance medium telephoto macro lens optimized for digital cameras.The Sigma 105mm Macro 105mm f/2.8 EX DG allows greater working distance between the lens and subject. High contrast and excellent image quality are made possible in all shooting ranges. This macro lens is ideal for digital SLR cameras as well as film SLR cameras.Reduces flare and ghost – This new medium telephoto macro lens employs a new design concept for digital SLR cameras. Its new lens power layout produces an excellent optical performance and also reduces flare and ghost. This new lens is designed to reduce the influence of harmful light caused by reflections from the digital image sensor.An easy to use 105mm medium telephoto lens – MACRO 105mm f/2.8 EX DG lens is very suitable for taking pictures in nature and it enables to use of natural light conditions or flash. The greater working distance of this lens is very advantageous when taking the picture of a flower among the branches or an insect. You do not shake your subject when you want to take its precise details without blurring by using a tripod. The narrow angle of view is a great aid for simplifying backgrounds and shallow depth of field makes it easier to handle the composition. This lens would have an equivalent field of view of a 178mm telephoto macro lens on a digital SLR camera (when used with the SD10). Minimum aperture of f/45 – Depth of field of medium telephoto macro lenses is generally very shallow; however, Sigma, Canon and Konica Minolta mounts of this lens have a minimum aperture of f/45 (or f/32 for Nikon and Pentax mounts) for incredible depth of field.Screw-in lens hood – A screw-in hood is included, for convenient use of circular polarizing filters. It is possible to attach an 77mm filter in front of the lens hood.Dual Focus (DF) system – This lens also incorporates a Dual Focus (DF) system that is designed to make the lens easy to hold during auto focusing. The large focus ring offers smooth and positive action whilst focusing manually.

60mm EF-S f/2.8 Macro USM Lens $549.94 A thoroughly modern design that’s optimized for select Canon EOS digital SLRs. Its angle of view is equivalent to a 96mm lens on a 35mm camera, with a floating optical system that can focus down to full life-size (1:1) magnification. Inner focusing, driven by a silent and powerful ring-type USM, means the lens’ overall length never changes during focus. This lens is a wonderful multi-purpose lens that’s equally at home shooting macro shots, portraits or available-light photos. Like all Canon EF-S Lenses, its use is restricted to the EOS 20D, EOS Digital Rebel and EOS Digital Rebel XT cameras (as of February 2005).

Speedlite MR-14EX Macro Ring Lite $601.94 This new Ring Lite for close-up and macro shooting is loaded with features and capabilities. Now with Canon’s E-TTL, it takes full advantage of the flash performance of the EOS-1v, EOS-3, and other E-TTL cameras. Circular twin flash tubes can fire at even power, or varied between them over a six-stop range, and one or more 550EX Speedlites can be used as wireless slaves along with the MR-14EX. The controller unit now has an illuminated full-info LCD panel and its accepts optional hi-capacity battery packs. Main FeaturesManufacturer: CanonManufacturer Part Number: 2356A002Manufacturer Website Address: www.canonusa.comProduct Type: Flash LightFlash Modes: TTL – With CF 4-1, uniform one second burst at 70Hz, E-TTL – One-second burst at 70Hz (possible only with EOS-1v and EOS-3), Manual – One-second burst at 70Hz (possible only with EOS-1v and EOS-3)Guide Number: 14m/46ft at ISO 100Interfaces/Ports: Hot ShoeBatteries: 4 x AA Alkaline Supported, 4 x AA Lithium Supported, 4 x AA Nickel-Cadmium (NiCd) Supported, 4 x AA Nickel-Metal Hydride (NiMH) Supported, Supported, SupportedWeight: 4 lb Compatibility: Canon EOS CamerasStandard Warranty: 1 Year(s) Limited

70mm f/2.8 EX DG Macro Lens for Nikon $529 Sigma 70mm f/2.8 EX DG Macro Lens FeaturesDesigned for use with full frame digital SLR cameras. May also be used with smaller APS-c size sensors with a corresponding effective increase in focal length to about 105mm with most camerasFocuses down to 1:1 magnification ratio at its closest working distance of 10.1 inchesExtremely compact weighing only 18.5 ounces & measures only 3.7 inches long.A lens hood, front & rear lens caps and carrying case are included with the lens.Sigma’s Macro 70mm F2.8 EX DG is a large aperture medium macro lens suitable for shooting the smaller things in our world that exist virtually unseen. A macro lens is one which will focus on a subject close enough to render it “life-size” on the image plane in your camera. It also has a “flat” field” front lens element so that it can shoot images of flat objects such as artwork or postage stamps and be tack sharp all the way across the image. This Sigma Macro 70mm F2.8 is ideally suited for taking pictures of insects or other small creature where a closer approach to the subject would scare them away. This greater distance also allows the photographer more flexibility in lighting the subject with natural light reflectors. Three SLD (Special Low Dispersion) glass elements provide optimum color correction and sharpness throughout the entire zoom range and Super Multi-layer coating reduces flare & ghosting. A floating internal focus system enables a minimum shooting distance of 7.4 inches enabling ability to shoot with critical sharpness regardless of distance. So don’t miss the tiny insects, flowers of the world or the details in a stamp or coin collection or a piece of embroidery all of which are seldom noticed but offer a fascinating world if you look closely enough. Capture them with the Sigma Macro 70mm F2.8 EX DG.

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