Yongnuo YN14EX vs Yongnuo YN24EX

Bogdan Alecsa · Post by **Bogdan Alecsa** » Mon Apr 29, 2019 6:42 am

Hi,

I want to order a one of the flashes tomorrow for outdoors macrophotography.
Both of them have good reviews, I know 24EX is more powerful but the question is which one of them will work better without a diffuser as I don't want to have anything exceeding the length of my lens to disturb the specimens or surrounding vegetation by going too close.

Please help me decide as I'm going crazy with this.

DesolateMirror · Post by **DesolateMirror** » Tue Apr 30, 2019 3:15 am

The 24EX gives you more flexibility in terms mounting and positioning options and lighting setups, where as the 14EX can only realistically be on the front of the lens.

With the 24EX you can mount them a bit further back (using some magic arms or L brackets) that would allow diffusion if you wanted to go down that route one day. It also has E-TTL I/II which is good if you like things more automated. The YN-14EX II (version 2) does have TTL.

The 14EX is $70 cheaper which is appealing for a quick fix.
The 14EX II is only $45 cheaper than the 24EX

You should look up some images taken with both flashes and look at the important factors like:

What do the reflections look like? Very important for anything shiny.

What do the shadows look like? Are they harsh or flat? Both will probably be a bit harsh without diffusion.

Does having the light on the end of the lens look good or does it look better being more directional?

How heavy is each unit?

Search Flickr for the model number or search google for YN-14EX review or YN-24EX review and you should be able to find lots of photos taken with each one.

As a personal preference I don't like the ring light reflections or that it's so directional in line with the lens, like you're shining a torch on the subject. One light mounted on the camera/lens doesn't give a very interesting look no matter what the subject is, bugs or people. The dual light setup on the 24EX is much more appealing to me since I usually use two speedlights which gives you much more control on light position, shadows, etc.

Your lighting and reflections will (again personal opinion) not be as nice as diffused flash no matter if you use the 14EX or 24EX. These will be less obvious if you are mixing in ambient light.

zzffnn · Post by **zzffnn** » Tue Apr 30, 2019 6:55 am

Of those two, YN24 will provide you more options in the future. Most macrophotographers don't use ring flash without heavy diffusion.

To get closer, you would want to photograph arthropods before sunrise or not longer after that. They won't move much when they are cold and covered with dew. At midday, it is hard to get close to photograph any bug.

Use a pair or scissors to cut away interfering vegetation, if you can.

It it very difficult to get good macro photos, if you don't have anything protruding further than lens. Reflection will kill color, details and texture.

If you don't want to use diffusion over lens, then push forward flash head as close to the subject as possible. Pull out factory diffusion material of the flash head and add at least two layers of Vellum paper over it. You will still get some ugly reflection that way, but some photos would come out ok.

I got some decent photos with diffusion only on flash head (not on lens):
http://www.photomacrography.net/forum/v ... hp?t=39524
http://www.photomacrography.net/forum/v ... hp?t=39481
http://www.photomacrography.net/forum/v ... hp?t=39477

But I am adding more diffusion on lens tomorrow. I did a test on a very shiny beetle yesterday and found dramatic difference to justify additional diffusion on lens. The much better image quality is well worth the trouble for me.

Bogdan Alecsa · Post by **Bogdan Alecsa** » Tue Apr 30, 2019 7:27 am

Thanks a lot guys for all the good advice.
I ended up ordering the 24EX, hope I'll manage to work with it.

Isn't it possible to draw the lights back using some special brackets and still add the diffuser but keep the length as small as possible?

Yawns · Post by **Yawns** » Tue Apr 30, 2019 11:06 am

Bogdan Alecsa wrote:Thanks a lot guys for all the good advice.
I ended up ordering the 24EX, hope I'll manage to work with it.

Isn't it possible to draw the lights back using some special brackets and still add the diffuser but keep the length as small as possible?

I was having this project but Amazon lost my parcel and 3 weeks later refunded me... meanwhile I got busy with another project.. meanwhile I found other stuff to spend my money

...and I have it in stand by..

my idea is to bring the flashes of my twin flash back and use a diffuser at the lens mouth...

but I did not test it yet because I don't have the parts yet...

The camera and lens in the CAD pictures are an Olympus mirrorless and the Olymus 60mm macro..., a very small lens.. with a DSLR and a normal 60mm lens it's possible to bring the flashes a lot more back... those Rods have 15 cm...

0101 by antonio caseiro, on Flickr

New project with SmallRig parts by antonio caseiro, on Flickr

I have another setup made after SmallRig components who work fine for me... with 2 flashes more back...

you can see it in this thread

https://www.photomacrography.net/forum/ ... highlight=

I got decent results using the twin flash out of the box with a diffuser made after a polyestirene soup bowl (pic-nic, office party kind)

FLK_000112 by antonio caseiro, on Flickr

FLK_000111 by antonio caseiro, on Flickr

FLK_000118 by antonio caseiro, on Flickr

the cup is held in place witha few bits of velcro inside the ring

in fact last year I almost just used the twin flash like that

_DSC0705_00001 by antonio caseiro, on Flickr

Untitledgg by antonio caseiro, on Flickr

2018-06-13-21.09.16 ZS retouched by antonio caseiro, on Flickr

I hopw you can get any useful idea to adapt for yourself...

(I was going to show you my ring flsh setup but you already got the twin...

Antonio

Bogdan Alecsa · Post by **Bogdan Alecsa** » Wed May 01, 2019 6:54 am

The cup/bowl lens diffuser looks nice but I want to keep my distance to the subject so I ended up ordering these ones yesterday:
www.macrodiffuser.com YN 24EX

Harald · Post by **Harald** » Wed May 01, 2019 9:58 am

Hi Antonio,

I hopw you can get any useful idea to adapt for yourself...

With this result of really easy softing, I'm ready for a new season of macro.
Great images and light.

Tanks for sharing this brilliant idea

Yawns · Post by **Yawns** » Wed May 01, 2019 11:01 am

Bogdan Alecsa wrote:The cup/bowl lens diffuser looks nice but I want to keep my distance to the subject so I ended up ordering these ones yesterday:
www.macrodiffuser.com YN 24EX

it looks the same thing for me.... as invasive as the spup bowl and in the exact same place, except my dome is round and those make a V shaae,,,

I don't understand what you mean about keeping the distance.. if you keep using the provided ring you will always have the flashes after the lens mouth and invading the working distance...(unless something is escaping to me about the Canon system.design..

to be honest I only bought a twain flash system out of curiosity, because I have plenty of other options.. I'm pretty sure when I get the Small Rigs parts I will build something a lot more efficient...

Yawns · Post by **Yawns** » Wed May 01, 2019 11:04 am

Harald wrote:Hi Antonio,

I hopw you can get any useful idea to adapt for yourself...
With this result of really easy softing, I'm ready for a new season of macro.
Great images and light.

Tanks for sharing this brilliant idea

Good for you.. my season is almost over... by the end of this month only dry straws and bushes here... no more green grass.

The cup works great but it's a bit invasive.. I have an idea to make it better but did not have time yet...

Harald · Post by **Harald** » Wed May 01, 2019 11:37 am

Hi Yawns,

Goodfor you.. my seaso is almost over... by the end of this month only dry straws and bushes here... no more green grass.

My season is just starting up, come on over to me

For my EF 180mm macro I will do it a little bit different

Yawns · Post by **Yawns** » Wed May 01, 2019 12:34 pm

Harald wrote:Hi Yawns,

Goodfor you.. my seaso is almost over... by the end of this month only dry straws and bushes here... no more green grass.
My season is just starting up, come on over to me

For my EF 180mm macro I will do it a little bit different

Yes.. things (flashes, diffusers) are not straightforwrd .. lens focal distance, working distance, lens barrel lenght,... play a role demand adaptations

for my Tamron 180mm with 22 cm WD, i use this... a bridge made after bent / screwed alumnium on the tripod colar (inverted).
But I only take it with me for the big ones.. butterflies, dragonflies....

T0540037 by antonio caseiro, on Flickr

T0540039 by antonio caseiro, on Flickr

DesolateMirror · Post by **DesolateMirror** » Thu May 02, 2019 12:00 am

There are tons of options for mounting them in different places. A long tripod plate at the bottom and a couple of magic arms.

I have a 200mm cheap chinese arca swiss plate that attaches to my camera then two magic arms that hold the flashes. This gives lots of flexibility in positioning. There's also flash extension brackets, L brackets, attachments for tripod rings and more if you really want to get fancy with it.

Pre-made versions: https://www.aliexpress.com/w/wholesale- ... l-arm.html

Putting it together yourself from the cheapest parts can be really cheap if you don't mind ordering from ebay/china.