Flashes for macro work

[Gue Jam Fowsid]

Hi,
Can anyone suggest any good flashes that are suitable for macro work? I have a Nikon D80.

I already know about the Sigma ring flash. Any advice would be appreciated.

[glsammy]

I've got the one you know about.

I find it pretty well ideal for macro shots, with many versatile options, such as the ability to use it off the camera.

I've been experimenting recently with mutiple flashes and high speed flash etc.

This is one admittedly pretty poor example:



This was one drop of water, running down a blade of grass. You can set the flash to fire many times whilst the shutter is open, or at the other end use high speed flash, way above the camera default flash sync. I was holding the flash off camera at the time.

The basic point is, I recommend the Sigma Ring Flash!

[RobSutton]

I recently asked Lord V for some advice on macro lenses and he sent me a link to one of his pages on flickr that also detailed the flash set up he uses to take his amazing close-ups. From what I remember it was a single flashgun mounted on a side bracket with a home made soft-box type diffuser. It's certainly a set up I'm going to have a go at in the warmth of next summer when things get buzzing again and might be worth having a look at.

[matt_xyz]

Originally Posted by RobSutton

I recently asked Lord V for some advice on macro lenses and he sent me a link to one of his pages on flickr that also detailed the flash set up he uses to take his amazing close-ups. From what I remember it was a single flashgun mounted on a side bracket with a home made soft-box type diffuser. It's certainly a set up I'm going to have a go at in the warmth of next summer when things get buzzing again and might be worth having a look at.

that's the set-up I've tended to use when flash has been required in my macro shots. I bought a cheapy off-camera bracket which has a hotshoe on a ball and socket so it can be angled in pretty much any direction. I then use a Sunpak 383 flashgun with either a Stofen omni-bounce diffuser or one of a variety of home made diffusers, similar to those used by Lord V. They do the job nicely. That said, if I can avoid using flash I will do as I tend to prefer the look of natural light macro images. But a bit of fill flash can be very useful.

Matt

[AndyM]

Hi there, With a Nikon D80 you have Nikon iTTL and creative lighting so why not go for Nikons own SB-R200 - R1C1 Wireless remote kit? I use it and its great for macro photography.

[Gue Jam Fowsid]

Originally Posted by matt_xyz

that's the set-up I've tended to use when flash has been required in my macro shots. I bought a cheapy off-camera bracket which has a hotshoe on a ball and socket so it can be angled in pretty much any direction. I then use a Sunpak 383 flashgun with either a Stofen omni-bounce diffuser or one of a variety of home made diffusers, similar to those used by Lord V. They do the job nicely. That said, if I can avoid using flash I will do as I tend to prefer the look of natural light macro images. But a bit of fill flash can be very useful.

Matt

I would like to use natural light, but usually, on your average day, the shutter speed just isn't fast enough at higher apertures such as f18. On overcast days if I set the aperture at approx f10 or more the shutter speed with the in built flash won't pass 1/60 sec! Changing the iso doesn't help enough for close up shots.

I'm hoping that whichever flash I go for, it will help and increase those shutter speeds to a more desirable level.

Thanks for the advice so far. I looked at Nikon's own system but that is too expensive for me at the mo. I will soon have a mortgage to pay for!