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Super-cheap DIY Ringflash

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jędrek  Pro User  says:

After reading a couple of tutorials on the internet on how to build a ring flash, I came up with a technique involving plastic bowls, alu foil and glue. Since it was so much easier than any of the tutorials I'd seen, I decided to share with the internets.

The tutorial:
How to build a cheap ringflash

Examples:
Daniel
Posted at 3:44AM, 10 September 2006 PDT (permalink)

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Debbi in California says:

This is a pretty neat idea. I've seen a few on the internet too. I just don't care for the catchlight a ring light gives in the eyes. Makes the people look spooky (at least to me). I see top fashion photo use it too. It does give a nice even light on the face though.
Debbi
Posted 70 months ago. (permalink)

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Airchinapilot  Pro User  says:

Hmm sounds like it would work for macro or product photography.
Posted 70 months ago. (permalink)

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Super Hanz is a group moderator Super Hanz says:

whaty kind of bowls did you use for these ? home depot ?
Posted 70 months ago. (permalink)

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luckyeddy says:

Great idea, but doesn't the ringflash soak up alot of juice from the strobe? Surely it is only effective at close range on wide apertures....I am trialling a mod on a 400w/s twin head Lumedyne kit, if it works I will post it here.
Posted 70 months ago. (permalink)

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MartijnKoevoets  Pro User  says:

Very nice, as soons as I have some spare time I'll fabricate one and post the results here!

I already made one from cardboard a while ago, but that was utter crap so I never used it. :-)
Posted 70 months ago. (permalink)

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jędrek  Pro User  says:

It does soak up a lot of juice, but you can stop down quite a bit at short range. The loss is mostly in range.

I used... I dunno, the cheapest plastic bowls I could find. I was planning on working in metal, but plastic is so much easier and aluminum foil is much easier to wrap/spread then metal is to polish.
Posted 70 months ago. (permalink)

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MartijnKoevoets  Pro User  says:

Maybe you could've got the larger of the 2 bowls with a lid (with a hole cut in for the inner bowl). That way the finished thing would look a little neater and diffuse the light a little.
Posted 70 months ago. (permalink)

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Tomper says:

www.flickr.com/photos/52984099@N00/114640969/

(not my pic, just to give you an idea)

Turband shaped pie-form. They have them in metal and plastic, and even with lids (white plastic. for diffuse?)

I guess this would work.
Originally posted 70 months ago. (permalink)
Tomper edited this topic 70 months ago.

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jędrek  Pro User  says:

The turband shape might defuse light better... hm.

I'm pretty sure that taping some tissue paper over the exposed part would work as well.

I'm going to try a dual light getup today with a big bowl and cheap canon strobes (117s, I think) and post results.
Posted 70 months ago. (permalink)

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jack satta (fnb) is a group moderator jack satta (fnb) says:

Trailing this link:
www.jyoseph.com/extras/archives/2006/02/diy_ring_light.php

Someone listed these:
www.lyco.co.uk/category-contents/Circular-Tubes.htm?catID...

Strange, I'd think they're be a market for a simple stick-it--on-a-flash-á-la-Lumiquest-style fabric-y or metal doodad. Anyone want to make money?
:)
Posted 70 months ago. (permalink)

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MartijnKoevoets  Pro User  says:

I build one this afternoon, used a 110mm PVC-coupler, a dishwashing-tub and a small tupperware-cup. Cost me €10 including some good glue (already had the tinfoil ;-)).

As soon as I get some nice pictures with it, I'll post them in the group. Oh, a quick test revealed that it also works great as a beautydish.


Here's a version using a cake-form: panchoskywalker.skyblog.com/
Posted 70 months ago. (permalink)

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Airchinapilot  Pro User  says:

Martijn .. in your cakeform version you spray metallic paint on the inside. I understand why but do you think there is any instance when it might catch on fire? I realize this is for a flash and wonder if there is any electronic thing that might cause it to light up.
Posted 70 months ago. (permalink)

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MartijnKoevoets  Pro User  says:

I didn't make it like that, just found the link. Later on in that article the maker says that aluminium foil works much better than spraypaint.
Posted 70 months ago. (permalink)

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davidcampbellphoto  Pro User  says:

That's cool that you built this. How much are Vivitar ringlights going for these days? I have had one for years, but rarely use it. I would think you could find one on Ebay fairly cheap.
Posted 70 months ago. (permalink)

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psychobit  Pro User  says:

I've made it, thanks.
DIYO Ringflash

Posted 69 months ago. (permalink)

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Captoe is a group moderator Captoe  Pro User  says:

Both of these seem to throw more light from below, resulting in a shadow above the subject.

I wonder how that could be avoided?
Posted 69 months ago. (permalink)

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Mawz  Pro User  says:

Captoe: Rotate the unit 180 degrees aroud the lens. Or add a second speedlight at the top.
Posted 69 months ago. (permalink)

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grandslam05 says:

Check this out!!

tbreedlove.googlepages.com/ABR800info.pdf
$399 for a self contained AB Ringflash...............
Posted 69 months ago. (permalink)

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jack satta (fnb) is a group moderator jack satta (fnb) says:

@grandslam05--

The AB monolight units are great—I've used them before; however, they are AC power only, making them pretty much bound to the studio, unless you get a powerpack which hardly makes them portable.

Someone really needs to come up with some quick fabric/bracket/camera arm assembly for <$100.
Originally posted 69 months ago. (permalink)
jack satta (fnb) edited this topic 69 months ago.

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luckyeddy says:

I solved the problem by placing a small peice of diffusion material on the lower portion of the ringflash to cover the area exposing the strobe. This reduced the output in that area, and pushed more light around the rest if the ringflash. It took a little experimentation but I got it in the end.
Posted 69 months ago. (permalink)

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luckyeddy says:

Whats the idea with the handgrip on the AB 800 ringflash? its in totally the wrong place, surely it would be uncomfortable to hold the camera like this for any length of time. I would prefer a small pad under the bracket that would allow me to hold the camera in a more conventional manner, palm up with my fingers able to control the lens.
Posted 69 months ago. (permalink)

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strobist is a group administrator strobist  Pro User  says:

Jedrek-

Thanks for the great tutorial. I featured it on Strobist this morning. Tell your models they will be seen by about 20,000 people over the weekend!

-DH
Posted 69 months ago. (permalink)

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jędrek  Pro User  says:

WOW! Thanks so much!

Now, I'm finally going to go back to working on the large, dual-speedlight version I have half done in my kitchen...
Posted 69 months ago. (permalink)

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strobist is a group administrator strobist  Pro User  says:

No, thank YOU.
Posted 69 months ago. (permalink)

CameraJuice [deleted] says:

Seems to be good gear if you want to do passport pix / mugshots...

Any links to better portraits? Other than headshots?
Posted 69 months ago. (permalink)

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jack satta (fnb) is a group moderator jack satta (fnb) says:

@beachcombersrus-- while I agree that time is money, it's cool that a lot of the pro (and consequently, pro-priced) items can be had for pennies on the dollar with a little effort, for the every-person.

Those are softboxes you point out, and have a different effect than the ring light, especially with regards to portraits; it provides a very uniquely soft, flat light that's very even, and adds interesting eye catchlights. The ring light is very effective when balanced with another side light or two for a rim effect as well.

Holy LED ring lights!
Originally posted 69 months ago. (permalink)
jack satta (fnb) edited this topic 69 months ago.

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codeburner says:

The micro apollo isn't a ring flash so I don't see your point. Ring flash in my book goes especially with macro photography. I must admit I could see hauling this ring flash setup around chasing butterflies with my macro lens.
Posted 69 months ago. (permalink)

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codeburner says:

I mean could not see.
Posted 69 months ago. (permalink)

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carlos.benjamin is a group moderator carlos.benjamin says:

Carzee - You mean like these?
Posted 69 months ago. (permalink)

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strobist is a group administrator strobist  Pro User  says:

Congrats to Jedrek, who hit the Big Time this morning:

www.makezine.com/blog/archive/2006/10/supercheap_diy_ring...
Posted 69 months ago. (permalink)

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Craig Zacker says:

anyone try this with macro shots yet? Id be interested to see a few. I use my 420EX for macro and it works great but i always wanted a ring flash dont ya know!
lol
Posted 69 months ago. (permalink)

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CharlieBrown8989  Pro User  says:

Thanks for sharing....
Posted 69 months ago. (permalink)

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jędrek  Pro User  says:

Dual Flash Cheap-Ass Ringflash

FINALLY got off my butt and made the dual flash model (literally 7 months after cutting the first hole in the bowl) for a shoot today.
Posted 62 months ago. (permalink)

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Michael Sarver  Pro User  says:

Hey Jedrek, let us know how it works!
Posted 62 months ago. (permalink)

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Benji2008 says:

I just made one too!


Posted 62 months ago. (permalink)

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cMacSutt says:

i plan to make the tupperware one
Posted 55 months ago. (permalink)

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jonXmack  Pro User  says:

Most of us plan to not bump topics which havn't been replied to in over 8 months.
Posted 55 months ago. (permalink)

Sekoudog [deleted] says:

What? I'm confused...
Posted 50 months ago. (permalink)

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Michael_Sexton says:

Just make one of these. Here's the first shot...

DIY Ring Flash Test by Michael_Sexton

Posted 16 months ago. (permalink)

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Jesse Cablek  Pro User  says:

I wonder if you could modify Todd Owyoung's for a similar effect?
ishootshows.com/2010/02/09/music-photographers-diy-beauty...

Or if you used some materials such as from here:
davidtejada.blogspot.com/2008/04/beauty-dish-for-sb-800.html

A CD spindle for the centre pipe, a gutter device to slip the flash into, etc...

Just modify a bit where the hole is cut, how it's constructed.. *could* help if any find the materials are cheaper/easier to find/work with

I've just made 2 chinatown special beauty dishes, just need to paint them now :)
Posted 16 months ago. (permalink)

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Todd | ishootshows.com  Pro User  says:

I think a DIY ringflash must be my next project.
Posted 16 months ago. (permalink)

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sephiroth911 says:

Sorry for re-viving this thread, I just wanted to thank the OP for this great design :-)
Thanks!
I had a lot of fun building and I am thinking about improving it.
Has anyone tried spray-painting the reflective part?
Anyways thanks and here is my DIY ring flash:
DIY - Ringflash

Thanks a lot!!!
Posted 12 months ago. (permalink)

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☣ cUKi says:

I've just read a brochure on the Bowens version (for monoblocks), by their description it seems that it has one mirror in front of the (horizontal) flash, and the rest is painted white. It has the dimensions as well:

www.bowens.co.uk/content/brochures/ringlite.pdf
Posted 12 months ago. (permalink)

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Bippa1 says:

I don't like how the Bowens has the flash head below the camera. Its going to hit you in the neck. To the side? Or top?
Posted 12 months ago. (permalink)

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sephiroth911 says:

Here is a test shot:

Me 2

Let me know what you think!
Originally posted 12 months ago. (permalink)
sephiroth911 edited this topic 12 months ago.

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