Reading mode: Light Dark

macro photography: one flash or two?

Go to last post
D

Dennis Spaan

Member
Messages
15
Reaction score
0
Location
NL
Hi,

As I'm just starting at photography (at least with decent equipment) I'm running into some questions regarding macro photography. This field of photography turned out to be the most interesting for me. I really like the beautiful close-ups of flowers and insects. I've been reading a lot about flash units used for macro photography and have also read some books - "close-up on insects" by Robert Thompson and "macrophotography : learning from a master" by gillis martin & ronan loaec are some of those books - and after reading those and looking at loads of websites, I'm confused. The oppinions are just contradicting.

Some will tell that most macro photographers will use just one flash unit mounted on the camera hot-shoe. Others will say most photographers use 2 flash units positioned to the side of the camera.

I've already decided that I won't be using a ring-flash but can't decide on whether to use just one or two flash units.

The flash unit(s) will be used in combination with a Canon EOS 300d in combination with a Sigma 180 Macro lens. When using a lens with such a focal length, will I get sufficient light from two smaller flash units like the Canon Speedlite 220EX? Or could I just use one Speedlite 550EX? Or do I perhaps need two powerfull flash units? (2 550's?) Before spending a lot of money on equipment that won't fit my needs I must be certain on this matter.

Any ideas?

Thanks in advance,

Dennis
 
Dennis Spaan said:
Hi,

As I'm just starting at photography (at least with decent
equipment) I'm running into some questions regarding macro
photography. This field of photography turned out to be the most
interesting for me. I really like the beautiful close-ups of
flowers and insects. I've been reading a lot about flash units used
for macro photography and have also read some books - "close-up on
insects" by Robert Thompson and "macrophotography : learning from a
master" by gillis martin & ronan loaec are some of those books -
and after reading those and looking at loads of websites, I'm
confused. The oppinions are just contradicting.

Some will tell that most macro photographers will use just one
flash unit mounted on the camera hot-shoe. Others will say most
photographers use 2 flash units positioned to the side of the
camera.

I've already decided that I won't be using a ring-flash but can't
decide on whether to use just one or two flash units.

The flash unit(s) will be used in combination with a Canon EOS 300d
in combination with a Sigma 180 Macro lens. When using a lens with
such a focal length, will I get sufficient light from two smaller
flash units like the Canon Speedlite 220EX? Or could I just use one
Speedlite 550EX? Or do I perhaps need two powerfull flash units? (2
550's?) Before spending a lot of money on equipment that won't fit
my needs I must be certain on this matter.
Click to expand...
Note, I don't have your camera or your flashes, so take this with a grain of salt. I find on my Olympus C-2100UZ and Promaster 5750DX flash, that normally the flash is too powerful (minimum range for the flash is 4 feet, and maximum range is around 50-60 feet). What I usually do is bounce the flash off of the ceiling to diffuse the light (I might try the umbrella I just got for the next shot). Sometimes I hand hold the flash to get a particular angle of the light, but that usually takes a few shots until I get one I like. Sometimes I turn down flash compensation, but I usually forget about it.

Note, there is the usual problem of flash compensation on the 300D not being provided on the camera, so you might consider whether you need something like the 550EX so you can do it on the flash.

Another thought is to not do flash, but get a regular light (usually called a hot light in photo circles because the light is always on, and for portraits and such the lights are really hot, but for macros you don't need as much light). You might want to think about something that is light balanced for daylight. Using reflectors for sunlight is another option.
 
Thanks for the info Michael,

Most of the macrophotography I plan on doing, will be in the outdoors, so portability is a key factor. Your experience with the Olympus and Promaster is just what I'm afraid of myself, overexposure at small distances. I still haven't decided on the make or model for the flash units, it could be anything as long as it works well with my 300d and isn't even more expensive than the canon flash units. Two speedlites 220EX will cost me (here in the Netherlands) 360 euros ($460), 2 550EX will cost 820 euros ($1050) and since the camera costs 970 euros ($1240) I find the latter option a bit expensive with regard to the price of the camera. Maybe it's something I still have to get used to, since I don't seem to mind spending 1000 euros on a 100-300 telezoom lens...

What I'm basically looking for I guess is a solution that gives me the opportunity to get good flash results when I use the 180 macro lens and at the same time also get good results when I'm shooting people at 150 feet away.
Michael Meissner said:
Note, I don't have your camera or your flashes, so take this with a
grain of salt. I find on my Olympus C-2100UZ and Promaster 5750DX
flash, that normally the flash is too powerful (minimum range for
the flash is 4 feet, and maximum range is around 50-60 feet). What
I usually do is bounce the flash off of the ceiling to diffuse the
light (I might try the umbrella I just got for the next shot).
Sometimes I hand hold the flash to get a particular angle of the
light, but that usually takes a few shots until I get one I like.
Sometimes I turn down flash compensation, but I usually forget
about it.

Note, there is the usual problem of flash compensation on the 300D
not being provided on the camera, so you might consider whether you
need something like the 550EX so you can do it on the flash.

Another thought is to not do flash, but get a regular light
(usually called a hot light in photo circles because the light is
always on, and for portraits and such the lights are really hot,
but for macros you don't need as much light). You might want to
think about something that is light balanced for daylight. Using
reflectors for sunlight is another option.
Click to expand...
 
Dennis,

I fully respect your decision, on the topic of not using a ring flash, but at the same time don't wanna make it too easy for you. :-)

After years of hassle with 2 flashes, i finally decided to go for a ring flash (Nikon SB-29s). My system is Nikon based, I don't know about the Canon part numbers, I'm sure it's available from Canon as well.

price range is roughly similar to the top of the line conventional flashes.

Just my 2 cents,
Andy
Dennis Spaan said:
Most of the macrophotography I plan on doing, will be in the
outdoors, so portability is a key factor. Your experience with the
Olympus and Promaster is just what I'm afraid of myself,
overexposure at small distances. I still haven't decided on the
make or model for the flash units, it could be anything as long as
it works well with my 300d and isn't even more expensive than the
canon flash units. Two speedlites 220EX will cost me (here in the
Netherlands) 360 euros ($460), 2 550EX will cost 820 euros ($1050)
and since the camera costs 970 euros ($1240) I find the latter
option a bit expensive with regard to the price of the camera.
Maybe it's something I still have to get used to, since I don't
seem to mind spending 1000 euros on a 100-300 telezoom lens...

What I'm basically looking for I guess is a solution that gives me
the opportunity to get good flash results when I use the 180 macro
lens and at the same time also get good results when I'm shooting
people at 150 feet away.
Michael Meissner said:
Note, I don't have your camera or your flashes, so take this with a
grain of salt. I find on my Olympus C-2100UZ and Promaster 5750DX
flash, that normally the flash is too powerful (minimum range for
the flash is 4 feet, and maximum range is around 50-60 feet). What
I usually do is bounce the flash off of the ceiling to diffuse the
light (I might try the umbrella I just got for the next shot).
Sometimes I hand hold the flash to get a particular angle of the
light, but that usually takes a few shots until I get one I like.
Sometimes I turn down flash compensation, but I usually forget
about it.

Note, there is the usual problem of flash compensation on the 300D
not being provided on the camera, so you might consider whether you
need something like the 550EX so you can do it on the flash.

Another thought is to not do flash, but get a regular light
(usually called a hot light in photo circles because the light is
always on, and for portraits and such the lights are really hot,
but for macros you don't need as much light). You might want to
think about something that is light balanced for daylight. Using
reflectors for sunlight is another option.
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
Dennis,

A ring flash is a good option for macrophotography. I wouldn't rule it out. If you're determined to use conventional hotshoe flashes instead, I'd recommend 2 flashes. If you only use one, you need some way to get light into the shadow side of your subjects. You might be able to rig a reflector setup, but for a reliable and repeatable setup, 2 flashes is probably the way to go.

I've had good luck using a Bogen/Manfrotto macro flash bracket with my 2 Nikon speedlights. You should also be able to use Canon gear with this bracket. If you get one of the Canon wireless controllers (STE-2?) you can even do wireless TTL.

There's apparently also a Wimberly macro bracket that offers slightly better positioning of the flashes. I'd suggest doing a search with "wimberly macro" to find it.

You should not have a problem with a TTL or auto flash overexposing your photos. These types of flashes measure the light output and switch themselves off when they decide that enough light has shined on the subject. They have almost unlimited power control. My Nikon speedlights also have manual power control down to 1/64th power (5 stops from full power.) I tend to use very small apertures for extreme closeups so I can maximize the DOF, and thus need a fair amount of power even at short flash-to-subject distances.

Here is a picture of a rig I've used to good effect:



Lately I've been using one flash bare, and the other through a mini softbox or bounce attachment. (both mine are made by Lumiquest, although other companies make similar attachments.)

And a link to my macro gallery, which is mostly insect shots:

http://www.pbase.com/duncanc/macro_pictures

Duncan C
----
--
dpreview and PBase supporter.



http://www.pbase.com/duncanc
 
Dennis,

Make your own custom bounce from foam-board or card-stock. May take some experimenting, but you should be able to get great results.

Paul S. R.
Dennis Spaan said:
Hi,

As I'm just starting at photography (at least with decent
equipment) I'm running into some questions regarding macro
photography. This field of photography turned out to be the most
interesting for me. I really like the beautiful close-ups of
flowers and insects. I've been reading a lot about flash units used
for macro photography and have also read some books - "close-up on
insects" by Robert Thompson and "macrophotography : learning from a
master" by gillis martin & ronan loaec are some of those books -
and after reading those and looking at loads of websites, I'm
confused. The oppinions are just contradicting.

Some will tell that most macro photographers will use just one
flash unit mounted on the camera hot-shoe. Others will say most
photographers use 2 flash units positioned to the side of the
camera.

I've already decided that I won't be using a ring-flash but can't
decide on whether to use just one or two flash units.

The flash unit(s) will be used in combination with a Canon EOS 300d
in combination with a Sigma 180 Macro lens. When using a lens with
such a focal length, will I get sufficient light from two smaller
flash units like the Canon Speedlite 220EX? Or could I just use one
Speedlite 550EX? Or do I perhaps need two powerfull flash units? (2
550's?) Before spending a lot of money on equipment that won't fit
my needs I must be certain on this matter.

Any ideas?

Thanks in advance,

Dennis
Click to expand...
 
Thanks for all the info!

The reason why I decided not to go for the ringflash, is basically because of the results I have seen on various websites. I know it's not just the equipment that makes a good photo, the photographer has a great deal of influence on the final result. However, the photos I've seen up until now, all seemed a bit flat to me. With some results, it even seemed as if the subject (a butterfly, bumblebee) was 'floating'. It could just be the wrong websites where I've been looking, but they are the basis for my choice at the moment. If someone can show me otherwise, I'm always interested!

I will look into the various brackets for building my own setup, see what's possible. Building my own is a lot cheaper than using a build setup like the MT-24EX from canon (dual flash mounted on the filterring with a control unit on the hotshoe). I don't really like the idea of putting extra weight on the filterring and thus also on the lens mount (don't know the exact english word for it). So a setup like the one in your picture seems better to me. Building a 2-flash setup with a control unit like the ST-E2 is about 200 euros cheaper than the macro flash MT-24EX. The MT-24EX also has a GN of 'just' 24, whereas a homebuild setup (2 Canon 420EX flashes) would have a GN of 42, which makes it also possible to make photos from greater distances.

Hmm :-) If I have to spend 800 euros for a setup...the last one seems the most reasonable to me :-)

Time to do some more research!
Duncan C said:
Dennis,

A ring flash is a good option for macrophotography. I wouldn't rule
it out. If you're determined to use conventional hotshoe flashes
instead, I'd recommend 2 flashes. If you only use one, you need
some way to get light into the shadow side of your subjects. You
might be able to rig a reflector setup, but for a reliable and
repeatable setup, 2 flashes is probably the way to go.

I've had good luck using a Bogen/Manfrotto macro flash bracket with
my 2 Nikon speedlights. You should also be able to use Canon gear
with this bracket. If you get one of the Canon wireless controllers
(STE-2?) you can even do wireless TTL.

There's apparently also a Wimberly macro bracket that offers
slightly better positioning of the flashes. I'd suggest doing a
search with "wimberly macro" to find it.

You should not have a problem with a TTL or auto flash overexposing
your photos. These types of flashes measure the light output and
switch themselves off when they decide that enough light has shined
on the subject. They have almost unlimited power control. My Nikon
speedlights also have manual power control down to 1/64th power (5
stops from full power.) I tend to use very small apertures for
extreme closeups so I can maximize the DOF, and thus need a fair
amount of power even at short flash-to-subject distances.

Here is a picture of a rig I've used to good effect:



Lately I've been using one flash bare, and the other through a mini
softbox or bounce attachment. (both mine are made by Lumiquest,
although other companies make similar attachments.)

And a link to my macro gallery, which is mostly insect shots:

http://www.pbase.com/duncanc/macro_pictures

Duncan C
----
--
dpreview and PBase supporter.



http://www.pbase.com/duncanc
Click to expand...
 
I think you mean that I could use one flash for the main subject and then fill in the shadows with bounced normal light? If that's what you mean, it makes quite some sense to me :-) After all, if it shouldn't work out for me, I could always buy a second equal flash to go for a 2-flash setup.
Paul S. R. said:
Make your own custom bounce from foam-board or card-stock. May take
some experimenting, but you should be able to get great results.

Paul S. R.
Dennis Spaan said:
Hi,

As I'm just starting at photography (at least with decent
equipment) I'm running into some questions regarding macro
photography. This field of photography turned out to be the most
interesting for me. I really like the beautiful close-ups of
flowers and insects. I've been reading a lot about flash units used
for macro photography and have also read some books - "close-up on
insects" by Robert Thompson and "macrophotography : learning from a
master" by gillis martin & ronan loaec are some of those books -
and after reading those and looking at loads of websites, I'm
confused. The oppinions are just contradicting.

Some will tell that most macro photographers will use just one
flash unit mounted on the camera hot-shoe. Others will say most
photographers use 2 flash units positioned to the side of the
camera.

I've already decided that I won't be using a ring-flash but can't
decide on whether to use just one or two flash units.

The flash unit(s) will be used in combination with a Canon EOS 300d
in combination with a Sigma 180 Macro lens. When using a lens with
such a focal length, will I get sufficient light from two smaller
flash units like the Canon Speedlite 220EX? Or could I just use one
Speedlite 550EX? Or do I perhaps need two powerfull flash units? (2
550's?) Before spending a lot of money on equipment that won't fit
my needs I must be certain on this matter.

Any ideas?

Thanks in advance,

Dennis
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
I understand the possible extra hassle it could cause to go 'walkabout' with a 2-flash setup. After all, it is quite some extra weight one has to carry. Since I'm not very experienced yet in the field of photography my choices are mainly based on the results of equipment. I know this is not a foolproof way of determining quality, since a photograph can always be retouched, postprocessed, taken with a different camera, lens etc. But it's all I've got at the moment. So basically, if you or anyone else knows some websites with macrophotography, taken with just a ringflash, my oppinion might just change :-)

Thanks!
AndreasE said:
After years of hassle with 2 flashes, i finally decided to go for a
ring flash (Nikon SB-29s). My system is Nikon based, I don't know
about the Canon part numbers, I'm sure it's available from Canon as
well.

price range is roughly similar to the top of the line conventional
flashes.

Just my 2 cents,
Andy
Dennis Spaan said:
Most of the macrophotography I plan on doing, will be in the
outdoors, so portability is a key factor. Your experience with the
Olympus and Promaster is just what I'm afraid of myself,
overexposure at small distances. I still haven't decided on the
make or model for the flash units, it could be anything as long as
it works well with my 300d and isn't even more expensive than the
canon flash units. Two speedlites 220EX will cost me (here in the
Netherlands) 360 euros ($460), 2 550EX will cost 820 euros ($1050)
and since the camera costs 970 euros ($1240) I find the latter
option a bit expensive with regard to the price of the camera.
Maybe it's something I still have to get used to, since I don't
seem to mind spending 1000 euros on a 100-300 telezoom lens...

What I'm basically looking for I guess is a solution that gives me
the opportunity to get good flash results when I use the 180 macro
lens and at the same time also get good results when I'm shooting
people at 150 feet away.
Michael Meissner said:
Note, I don't have your camera or your flashes, so take this with a
grain of salt. I find on my Olympus C-2100UZ and Promaster 5750DX
flash, that normally the flash is too powerful (minimum range for
the flash is 4 feet, and maximum range is around 50-60 feet). What
I usually do is bounce the flash off of the ceiling to diffuse the
light (I might try the umbrella I just got for the next shot).
Sometimes I hand hold the flash to get a particular angle of the
light, but that usually takes a few shots until I get one I like.
Sometimes I turn down flash compensation, but I usually forget
about it.

Note, there is the usual problem of flash compensation on the 300D
not being provided on the camera, so you might consider whether you
need something like the 550EX so you can do it on the flash.

Another thought is to not do flash, but get a regular light
(usually called a hot light in photo circles because the light is
always on, and for portraits and such the lights are really hot,
but for macros you don't need as much light). You might want to
think about something that is light balanced for daylight. Using
reflectors for sunlight is another option.
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
Dennis,

I'd agree that ringflashes tend to produce flat, shadowless light. Some of them have 2 separate flash tubes and let you adjust the amount of power going to each tube in order to create highlight and shadow areas. I haven't spent the money on a ringflash myself, so I don't know how much that feature helps. I would want TTL support if I was going to buy a ringflash, and there is not currently a ringflash that supports DTTL with Nikon's DSLRs. (much like E-TTL on Canon gear, it requires special flashes that meter with preflashes.)

I am able to get good results with my 2 flash setup. It is heavy and somewhat cumbersome, but I can use it handheld.

Here are a few samples I've shot with this setup:



limited EXIF data at http://www.pbase.com/image/4997198



EXIF data at http://www.pbase.com/image/17925285

and



More at http://www.pbase.com/duncanc/macro_pictures

Some of the shots in my macro gallery were shot with studio flashes (yes, I set up my studio flashes in my garden!) The ones shot with a shutterspeed of 1/1000 were the ones shot with the studio lights.

Duncan C
--
Dennis Spaan said:
I understand the possible extra hassle it could cause to go
'walkabout' with a 2-flash setup. After all, it is quite some extra
weight one has to carry. Since I'm not very experienced yet in the
field of photography my choices are mainly based on the results of
equipment. I know this is not a foolproof way of determining
quality, since a photograph can always be retouched, postprocessed,
taken with a different camera, lens etc. But it's all I've got at
the moment. So basically, if you or anyone else knows some websites
with macrophotography, taken with just a ringflash, my oppinion
might just change :-)

Thanks!
Click to expand...
--
dpreview and PBase supporter.



http://www.pbase.com/duncanc
 
Dennis,

Actually, you'll want to bounce the flash. If you are shooting macros of moving subjects handheld, you will need fairly high shutterspeeds and small apertures. I frequently use 1/500th of a second and f/32. At those settings, even direct sunlight is quite dark. If you rig a reflector on an arm to be just on the other side of your subject, though, you should reflect enough of the flash "spill" to fill your shadows.

With Canon equipment, the only camera that will sync at such high shutterspeeds is the 1D. It has a hybrid mechanical and electronic shutter like my D1X, and can flash sync at almost any shutterspeed. The 10D and the 300D are limited to, as I recall, 1/250th for flash sync, unless you use a high speed sync mode on the flash (which lengthens the duration of the flash, and reduces the output power.) On the other hand, 1/250th is plenty fast for almost any macro shooting you might want to do other than trying to freeze the motion of a bee's wings.

Duncan C
---
Dennis Spaan said:
Paul S. R. said:
Make your own custom bounce from foam-board or card-stock. May take
some experimenting, but you should be able to get great results.

Paul S. R.
Dennis Spaan said:
Hi,

As I'm just starting at photography (at least with decent
equipment) I'm running into some questions regarding macro
photography. This field of photography turned out to be the most
interesting for me. I really like the beautiful close-ups of
flowers and insects. I've been reading a lot about flash units used
for macro photography and have also read some books - "close-up on
insects" by Robert Thompson and "macrophotography : learning from a
master" by gillis martin & ronan loaec are some of those books -
and after reading those and looking at loads of websites, I'm
confused. The oppinions are just contradicting.

Some will tell that most macro photographers will use just one
flash unit mounted on the camera hot-shoe. Others will say most
photographers use 2 flash units positioned to the side of the
camera.

I've already decided that I won't be using a ring-flash but can't
decide on whether to use just one or two flash units.

The flash unit(s) will be used in combination with a Canon EOS 300d
in combination with a Sigma 180 Macro lens. When using a lens with
such a focal length, will I get sufficient light from two smaller
flash units like the Canon Speedlite 220EX? Or could I just use one
Speedlite 550EX? Or do I perhaps need two powerfull flash units? (2
550's?) Before spending a lot of money on equipment that won't fit
my needs I must be certain on this matter.

Any ideas?

Thanks in advance,

Dennis
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
--
dpreview and PBase supporter.



http://www.pbase.com/duncanc
 
Another thought. If you are able to get good results with a single flash, you won't need to buy a flash controller (STE-2?) either. You should be able to use the Canon off-camera flash cable. (It plugs into your camera's hotshoe, and passes all of the pin connections to the flash so all the features like TTL still work when the flash is off-camera.)

Duncan C
--
dpreview and PBase supporter.



http://www.pbase.com/duncanc
 
Canon's macro ringflash (MR-14EX) has ETTL support. Unfortunately, the GN of this flash is limited to 13. Which of course is nice for just macro photography, but would mean that I had to buy another flash for other photos. The ringflash alone would cost 617 euros, with another master flash I would have spend more than 2 Speedlite 420EX's and a ST-E2.

It seems I will have to get to grips with spending 700 euros for a 2-flash setup. This is starting to look like all other hobbies I have had in the past...getting more expensive every day :-) But then again, better spend it on this than getting drunk in the pub ;-)
Duncan C said:
I'd agree that ringflashes tend to produce flat, shadowless light.
Some of them have 2 separate flash tubes and let you adjust the
amount of power going to each tube in order to create highlight and
shadow areas. I haven't spent the money on a ringflash myself, so I
don't know how much that feature helps. I would want TTL support if
I was going to buy a ringflash, and there is not currently a
ringflash that supports DTTL with Nikon's DSLRs. (much like E-TTL
on Canon gear, it requires special flashes that meter with
preflashes.)

I am able to get good results with my 2 flash setup. It is heavy
and somewhat cumbersome, but I can use it handheld.

Here are a few samples I've shot with this setup:



limited EXIF data at http://www.pbase.com/image/4997198



EXIF data at http://www.pbase.com/image/17925285

and



More at http://www.pbase.com/duncanc/macro_pictures

Some of the shots in my macro gallery were shot with studio flashes
(yes, I set up my studio flashes in my garden!) The ones shot with
a shutterspeed of 1/1000 were the ones shot with the studio lights.

Duncan C
--
Dennis Spaan said:
I understand the possible extra hassle it could cause to go
'walkabout' with a 2-flash setup. After all, it is quite some extra
weight one has to carry. Since I'm not very experienced yet in the
field of photography my choices are mainly based on the results of
equipment. I know this is not a foolproof way of determining
quality, since a photograph can always be retouched, postprocessed,
taken with a different camera, lens etc. But it's all I've got at
the moment. So basically, if you or anyone else knows some websites
with macrophotography, taken with just a ringflash, my oppinion
might just change :-)

Thanks!
Click to expand...
--
dpreview and PBase supporter.



http://www.pbase.com/duncanc
Click to expand...
 
By the way, you have some really nice shots on your website! I especially like the closeup of the grasshoppers' eye and the two lovebugs :-) Small chances to see this happen, you were ust at the right time at the right place I guess :-)
Dennis Spaan said:
Canon's macro ringflash (MR-14EX) has ETTL support. Unfortunately,
the GN of this flash is limited to 13. Which of course is nice for
just macro photography, but would mean that I had to buy another
flash for other photos. The ringflash alone would cost 617 euros,
with another master flash I would have spend more than 2 Speedlite
420EX's and a ST-E2.
It seems I will have to get to grips with spending 700 euros for a
2-flash setup. This is starting to look like all other hobbies I
have had in the past...getting more expensive every day :-) But
then again, better spend it on this than getting drunk in the pub
;-)
Click to expand...
 
Dennis Spaan said:
Hi,

As I'm just starting at photography (at least with decent
equipment) I'm running into some questions regarding macro
photography. This field of photography turned out to be the most
interesting for me. I really like the beautiful close-ups of
flowers and insects. I've been reading a lot about flash units used
for macro photography and have also read some books - "close-up on
insects" by Robert Thompson and "macrophotography : learning from a
master" by gillis martin & ronan loaec are some of those books -
and after reading those and looking at loads of websites, I'm
confused. The oppinions are just contradicting.

Some will tell that most macro photographers will use just one
flash unit mounted on the camera hot-shoe. Others will say most
photographers use 2 flash units positioned to the side of the
camera.

I've already decided that I won't be using a ring-flash but can't
decide on whether to use just one or two flash units.

The flash unit(s) will be used in combination with a Canon EOS 300d
in combination with a Sigma 180 Macro lens. When using a lens with
such a focal length, will I get sufficient light from two smaller
flash units like the Canon Speedlite 220EX? Or could I just use one
Speedlite 550EX? Or do I perhaps need two powerfull flash units? (2
550's?) Before spending a lot of money on equipment that won't fit
my needs I must be certain on this matter.

Any ideas?

Thanks in advance,

Dennis
Click to expand...
I've been a serious photographer for over thirty years, first film and now digital. For the most part, if you are desirious of doing macrophotography in the field, especially with insects, use a one flash rig. A two-flash set up is too cumbersome and unwieldly for quick work and it often takes too long to determine proper exposure. An exception would be in a controlled envirnement such as a studio, where a two flash set up might be a better choice. Also, the best macro flash bracket I have ever used is the one from Kirk Photo http://www.kirkphoto.com/brackets.html

As for the type of light source to employ, I do not know of a single serious amateur or professional macro photographer of insects or flowers that shoots with a ring light. These lights are excellent for certain applications, such as coins, stamps and other flat objects, dental, etc., but are poor and unsuitable light sources for most animate subjects, such as insects and flowers because they produce a very unnatural, flat, shadowless light. I would suggest that a Canon 420EX would be sufficient for your needs. In addition, you might consider purchasing a Lumiquest Mini-Softbox, which will both soften and create a larger "light source" from your flash.

Sky
 
Sky Walker said:
Dennis Spaan said:
Hi,

As I'm just starting at photography (at least with decent
equipment) I'm running into some questions regarding macro
photography. This field of photography turned out to be the most
interesting for me. I really like the beautiful close-ups of
flowers and insects. I've been reading a lot about flash units used
for macro photography and have also read some books - "close-up on
insects" by Robert Thompson and "macrophotography : learning from a
master" by gillis martin & ronan loaec are some of those books -
and after reading those and looking at loads of websites, I'm
confused. The oppinions are just contradicting.

Some will tell that most macro photographers will use just one
flash unit mounted on the camera hot-shoe. Others will say most
photographers use 2 flash units positioned to the side of the
camera.

I've already decided that I won't be using a ring-flash but can't
decide on whether to use just one or two flash units.

The flash unit(s) will be used in combination with a Canon EOS 300d
in combination with a Sigma 180 Macro lens. When using a lens with
such a focal length, will I get sufficient light from two smaller
flash units like the Canon Speedlite 220EX? Or could I just use one
Speedlite 550EX? Or do I perhaps need two powerfull flash units? (2
550's?) Before spending a lot of money on equipment that won't fit
my needs I must be certain on this matter.

Any ideas?

Thanks in advance,

Dennis
Click to expand...
I've been a serious photographer for over thirty years, first film
and now digital. For the most part, if you are desirious of doing
macrophotography in the field, especially with insects, use a one
flash rig. A two-flash set up is too cumbersome and unwieldly for
quick work and it often takes too long to determine proper
exposure. An exception would be in a controlled envirnement such as
a studio, where a two flash set up might be a better choice. Also,
the best macro flash bracket I have ever used is the one from Kirk
Photo http://www.kirkphoto.com/brackets.html

As for the type of light source to employ, I do not know of a
single serious amateur or professional macro photographer of
insects or flowers that shoots with a ring light. These lights are
excellent for certain applications, such as coins, stamps and other
flat objects, dental, etc., but are poor and unsuitable light
sources for most animate subjects, such as insects and flowers
because they produce a very unnatural, flat, shadowless light. I
would suggest that a Canon 420EX would be sufficient for your
needs. In addition, you might consider purchasing a Lumiquest
Mini-Softbox, which will both soften and create a larger "light
source" from your flash.

Sky
Click to expand...
I should add that, although most of your in-the-field insect work will be hand-held, you should consider a steady tripod for flower photography. In addition, a macro focusing rail is invaluable for this type of macrophotography. I have found the Bogen 3419 to be an excellent, reasonably priced unit.

Sky
 
I tend to agree. When needed, I have only ever used a single (low-power, manually adjustable) flash on the side of the camera, with a reflector on the other side as required.

The following link has some of my recent shots.

http://www.wyndhambusiness.com/PhotoGallery/index.htm

All bar two shots, from memory, were without any flash and the ones with, were only filling in where the sunlight was not reaching. Not to say that you can always shoot without flash, but it should preferably be done in a minimalistic manner when needed.

My apologies if there are some dead links. I'm having server problems and I can't get the problems resolved until Monday (it's Saturday over here in Australia).
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Keyboard shortcuts

f
Forum
m
My threads
Mobile site
About
Editorial content
Cameras & Lenses
Community
All content, design, and layout are Copyright © 1998–2025 Digital Photography Review All Rights Reserved.
Reproduction in whole or part in any form or medium without specific written permission is prohibited.
When you use DPReview links to buy products, the site may earn a commission.
©GPS Media - Guides, Products, Services.
Back
Top