RIngflash :D

Well well,

I've been thinking of buying a ringflash since the new products have been made available from metz, sigma, pentax.....

The ideal use for me is portraiture and studio work (both of which are really slow at the moment...) therefore the P-ttl functions were not incredibly important.

Well, I decided to look for cheaper options, and today, after much thinking, I built my own ringflash - I am happy to report that it works a treat, its very stable, it works with every lens (apart from lenses that are too long and wide in diameter that wouldn't need it anyway!) - Cost - £9

This has been a really fun little project, so photos coming up!
Q & C welcome

Sorry I haven't been around for a while, my pc can't post on the forum, and the mac's not mine and very busy atm...

Nathan

Freestanding with Pttl wired trigger and clamp -

[IMG]http://i517.photobucket.com/albums/u332/nathanever82/Ringflash1.jpg[/IMG]

K10 with 16-50mm - the Flash is the Jessops 300afd

[IMG]http://i517.photobucket.com/albums/u332/nathanever82/Ringflash2.jpg[/IMG]

f22 1/4 sec. In action!
[IMG]http://i517.photobucket.com/albums/u332/nathanever82/Ringflash3.jpg[/IMG]


Photos coming up soon
For info on how to build one, just ask!!!

For info on how to build one, just ask!!![/quote]I'm Asking!!!

Me too Asking, that is.

Cheers, Kris.

Great idea, well done. I look forward to seeing some reults from it.

You could even carry your lunch in it.

Superb!!!! .... um, "how to build?"... "You askin'?".... "I'm askin'!"

lee

looks good, here's another request

Allright!!!

First of all, I took inspiration and some guidance from this guy’s guide, posted below.

I simplified the process and used

- ONly 1 hard plastic Tupperware – making sure the lid is transparent or at least opaque.
- Cardboard
- Tape
- Gloss printing paper
- A Cylinder of diameter bigger than 8.5 cm, made of hard plastic.

These were the initial ingredients!
I realised that it was going to be hard to buy a cylinder with those properties and I didn’t find any plumbing stores nearby, therefore I bought a toilet brush – and cylinder holder which was perfectly hard enough and long enough for my purpose. (obviously about 9 cm in diameter)

The Tupperware has to be quite large, I find that if the central hole is 9 cm, it has to be at least 16 cm in diameter. As for the depth, mine is too big, and 8-10 cm in depth would be enough.


You make a whole through the bottom and lid of the Tupperware of the size of the cylinder you have - I did this with a strong cutter and the help of a lighter's fire... - make the whole smooth enough, and when you’re done, check that the cylinder goes through but is tightly fit.

Cut the cylinder in the length of the Tupperware (or a bit more to be sure) and make sure it fits around your bigger lens...

Make a hole a bit bigger than the flash head in the side of the Tupperware. Then find some cardboard, and fit it around the flash head tightly, and tape the extremities to the inside of the Tupperware.

I used gloss paper for the inside, cause foil seemed too complicated. Cut various sheets of gloss paper and attach them to the inside of the bowl, and the outside of the cylinder. Use at least 2 layers, otherwise the light will ‘escape’ through the paper.

Fit the flash tightly, then the cylinder in the Tupperware, and close the lid!

I use a wired remote release (£10) and clamp the whole thing under the camera on the tripod.

It works a treat!!!

[IMG]http://i517.photobucket.com/albums/u332/nathanever82/ringflashDIY.jpg[/IMG]