Help wanted - use of Canon MR-14EX Ring Light.

[yardman]

A previous request for help in setting up a home studio has been very helpful. I now know what room I am going to use and have some good ideas for focussing lights and specimen mounting.
At present I own a Canon MR-14EX ring light which I use in the field in combination with a 100mm macro lens. I am happy with the results except for the unnatural double catchlight in the eyes of certain insects and reptiles.

I plan to get a Canon MP-E 65mm macro lens. I would like to know how the Canon ring light performs in combination with the Canon 65mm macro lens in a studio set up.

[ChrisLilley]

I haven't, no. Which is by way of a bump so more people will see your request for help.

Editing the subject to "Help wanted: Canon MR-14EX ring light" or something like that (it currently says "Use of Rine Lite", which is mysterious) might help, too.

[yardman]

Thanks Chris. I have followed your advice. I didn't realise you could edit posts!

[ChrisLilley]

You are welcome.

There is also a search option; I just now searched on MR-14EX and, apart from this thread and a for-sale thread, tuned up six relevant seeming photo and equipment discussion threads. So I suggest you have a look at those.

(I could link to them, but want to be sure you can use the search function so will let you discover them for yourself. Shout if you have problems using the search function, though).

[yardman]

Thanks again Chris. Came up with this good info. Only trouble was I kept getting side tracked and checking out other interesting stuff.

[oxkarthemighty]

Hello, I am new to this group *as of yesterday as a matter of fact. This is personally what I use when shooting insects.
I use my MR-14EX with my 65mm and have it run one or two slaves 580EXII if I so choose. I find with directional upfront light the ringo works beautifully. If you want more direction than what the 14-EX provides, that is when I recommend the speedies as a sidelight and/or a top light.

When I am using my 100mm alone, I use one/two speedies and stay away from my 14-EX for the most part if I am shooting flowers (unless they are incredibly small then, its back to the 65mm)

If you have any specific questions I would be happy to help you out as much as possible. Here are two photos that I have taken with the 65 and 100, although the 100 I was using a set of Kenkos
I also don't generally stack images, I think I might be giving it a whirl due to some of the straight awesome photos that I have seen on this forum.

Lynx spider was 100mm and had a single speedie up above the subject. Flash shot in manual, and basically used ringflash intended as a fill and the top more as the main fire. Did not work out quite the way I had planned, but enjoyed the way it came out.



Goldenrod Crab spider was shot with the 65mm ringflash lit only, right strobe almost off totally.

[yardman]

Welcome. I have only been a member for a couple of months and have gained lots of knowledge and am amazed at some of the images on display. By the way I like your images - maybe it was me that caused you to post your first images - first of many I am sure.
I am pretty happy with my field images. The attached image of a spider was taken with the flash ratio of 8:1 with the strongest light at the top. I can still make out the half ring light in the critters eye.
Have you had any experience using your ring light in a studio set up when using high magnification? I am keen to know if being so close you get away with no ring flash reflection in the eyes.

[oxkarthemighty]

Thanks! I always dig feedback on my images, not a lot of macro folks around my parts that I know of.

I don't have a studio per say, I sometimes catch mantids and beetles to photograph them at night (my time anyways, which is now). I set them up on my kitchen table with plants around the house and let them have free run of the plant. Salticids are fun, I have only captured two in my lens. I don't believe that you can get away without getting the ring unless you clone it out in photo-chop, you could possibly fake in a catch light I suppose if you don't dig the ring. I am personally not a fan of the way the ringlight looks in the eyes, but as far as the lighting on everything else goes it makes up for it in my mind. Another thing that you "could" do, you could hold the ring parallel with the top of your lens (like an umbrella of sorts) and get a nice top light on your subject. Then use your thumb to balance your lens as you move back and forth to get the critter in focus. Have a slave set up with a flash that bounces off a white poster board. I have done this before with my speedies. I wouldn't do it with the ringlight though. You could really jack up those strobes if you make a mistake letting go of it. I take it you have not purchased it as of yet?

[oxkarthemighty]

If you are interested in getting really good lighting and not spending the bones on the flash, you could do something like Thomas Shahan.
Here is his site. http://thomasshahan.com/photos
He just has a bracket that he has fixed a speedie with a large homemade softbox and a swivel to...gets amazing light with not a breaking sound coming from his bank account, plus there is no ring catch in any of his subjects eyes.