Ring flash

[Ian Pratt]

What is the current thinking about using a ring flash for butterfly and insect photography? Is it better than fill-in flash, or a dedicated flash gun? Is off camera flash a better bet? Any comments gratefully received.

[Testudo Man]

What is the current thinking about using a ring flash for butterfly and insect photography? Is it better than fill-in flash, or a dedicated flash gun? Is off camera flash a better bet? Any comments gratefully received.

Hi Ian, all going well with you an yours.
You bring up an interesting question(in regards to flash usage)whilst photographing butterflies, so i will be interested in comments from others, that you may get. I cant offer much personal experience to using any kind of flash for butterflies myself, since 99.9% of my images are shot in natural light(no flash used). However, i do use flash when im photographing(Macro)other Insects/Bugs/Spiders etc, but i just rely on the onboard camera flash. I would think that a dedicated flash gun(off camera) would be far superior/easier to control(flash output etc) than the basic onboard flash of most camera bodies. As far as a Ring Flash goes, you will have to wait for others to comment, as ive had no experience with one of those.
One thing i believe is of just as much importance, is how the flash is diffused...I real good diffuser makes all the difference in the outcome of an image.
For my macro camera/set up, i use a homemade "Pringles diffuser" (dont laugh) ive made a number of these Pringles diffusers, an they really do work a treat! an better still, they cost next to nothing to make!!.
Getting back to using a flash for butterflies...even when the light is poor (it could be beyond 9.00pm) i still dont use flash...i just drop shutter speeds right down, an the same goes for apertures too, lower both of these, an you can still capture acceptable images in poor light.
Saying that, im going out this evening, i might just try camera flash for a few butterfly images, see what i can achieve, but i have my doubts?!

Some examples of my macro photography, using onboard camera flash/homemade pringles diffuser, cheers Paul.

Jumping Spider (female). Image is not cropped.
Female Zebra Jumping Spider. No cropping. by Tort Man, on Flickr

Male Jumping Spider. Image is not cropped.
Zebra Jumping Spider (male). Salticus scenicus. by Tort Man, on Flickr

Female Jumping Spider. Image is cropped some.
Jumping (Zebra) Spider (female). by Tort Man, on Flickr

[bugboy]

Like TM I very rarely use flash, only in very low light conditions, I much prefer natural light. Many many years ago I bought a ring flash (back in the late 90's I think). Didin't like it though as I found it very cumbersome when doing macro stuff and it gives a very artificial, clinical lighting effect. With the even lighting coming from every direction there's no real depth or 'life' to the resulting image. IMHO they're great for a dentist getting a picture of your full set of gnashers, but stay clear for wildlife photography.

[Pete Eeles]

Hi Ian - only just seen this! I used a ring flash at one point, and disliked the final result due to the unnatural look of the final image. I still use flash (you have to, of course, on occasion) ... but now use a mounted flash, with the potential to use this off-camera with a connecting cable if needs be. There are probably Bluetooth versions available too (i.e. no cables required!). And always diffused.

But natural light is best where possible.

And, of course, a combination of the two, where the ambient light is also allowed to 'show', and ensuring that you don't end up with a black background.

Cheers,

- Pete

[stevedrews]

Hi There
An interesting thread and good to read about others use of the ring flash. Testudo Man Your Pringle diffuser sounds interesting ! Could you enlighten us/me on it ? Thanks in advance for any help/info.
All the best
Steve A

[Testudo Man]

Hi There
An interesting thread and good to read about others use of the ring flash. Testudo Man Your Pringle diffuser sounds interesting ! Could you enlighten us/me on it ? Thanks in advance for any help/info.
All the best
Steve A

Hi Steve, google is your friend just type in Pringles diffuser, an heaps come up.
I watched this one (must have been approx 4 years ago)...Link is here - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sjjl_heLrjM then pretty much copied it, with just some of my own tweaks. Rather than use the styrene bowls, you can get/use thin metal food trays, which can be molded easily around the shape of your lens/raynox set up, to make it all fit/work better. Just make one to custom fit your camera body/flash/set up.
Ive made many more variations since, i think im on my "Mk 6" version now!
I would show you some pics of mine, but those old pics are on another PC right now, so i dont have access to them, but Pringles diffusers are all pretty much the same. Cheers Paul.

PS. I still say natural light is superior to flash, when shooting wild butterflies, found in their natural habitats. However, when it comes to macro/close up images(such as my Jumping Spider pics shown above) then yes, diffused flash is the way to go.

[stevedrews]

Cheers Paul for the full reply I will have a look and check them out.
Steve A

[Testudo Man]

Cheers Paul for the full reply I will have a look and check them out.
Steve A

No problems Steve, hope it helps.

So...i did say i would try using flash for butterflies, back on the 8/8/20, i did give it a go, but i have to say, it was hard going. With my Panny FZ330, it was not really that good at all, but my other set up (Panny G80/45-150mm lens/500D close up lens) using flash was a little better. But almost every shot using diffused flash was poor. I doubt i will be using flash again for butterflies?
These are just my findings/opinions, with my camera gear, im sure others using flash might/could do better.

Some examples then, cheers Paul. Images are not cropped.

Adonis Blue(male). No flash used and no editing, just S.O.O.C. = (straight out of camera). Shot at 8.00pm. 1/125, f/6.3, ISO 1000. Lens at 150mm

The same scene/butterfly, but with diffused flash. S.O.O.C. Shot at 8.01pm. 1/160, f/6.3, ISO 800. Lens at 150mm. This was the better image out of a few attempts, the others were not so good, so a bit hit an miss!

Then with that image above ^^^^^^^^^ that i used flash with, i tried to "calm it down" with some editing/PP.

Conclusion - For me, with my current camera gear, i will not be using flash for my butterfly photography.
The 1st image (without flash) at 8.00pm on an August evening, is pretty much how that Adonis Blue looked at that time.

[jonhd]

Not ring flash, I appreciate but https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y9fKQdMh1ts may offer some interesting tips. (I really like Robin Wong's videos - they are Olympus-specific, but lots of good, general advice.)

I have tried this technique, and found it 'viable'. Wouldn't want to try it with an APS-C or FF camera, though!

BR, jon