Show us your macro lightning rig

N

nidding

Senior Member
I'm getting my Micro Nikkor 85 tomorrow, and am contemplating what to use as my light source for close ups.
While I have my eye on a cheap LED ring light that gets great reviews, I also think about building a DIY flash diffuser for my SP-24, or possibly just juse [MENTION=9753]Scott Murray[/MENTION]'s foam diffuser.

But what better inspiration than to show me yours? So please, guys and girls, show or tell me what rig you use and maybe also a few photos you've taken with it :)

Show me the light!
 
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J

J-see

Senior Member
I'm curious about other's systems too since flash for macro is still a problem I need to solve.

As a last resort I could always start mixing magnesium powder.
 
Vixen

Vixen

Senior Member
I've got one of the little SB300 (I think it's 300) flashes. I have a folded freezer bag over it to diffuse the light a bit. It's a stop-gap that has become permanent until I can find something I like. I really would love a HSS flash, but don't want a HUGE unit and so far cannot find anything small and compact, so maybe no such animal exists. I just find the 1/320 shutter limitation a bit sad and would like to go faster to help eliminate shake allow for smaller aperture for slightly better depth of field & lower ISO.

If anyone knows something that will suit.........

Otherwise I'm thinking of trying a ring LED light. Not a flash but a light. or maybe 2 that I can have 1 each side of the lens
 
N

nidding

Senior Member
wornish said:
Had me worried as I have never seen a Lightning rig before :playful:

Then I realised its Lighting you are talking about.
Click to expand...

WHAT?!? Does this mean that I'm not supposed to use my Tesla coil for macro? :shock:

Ehm. I blame my non-native English speakingness
 
N

nidding

Senior Member
Scott Murray said:
@nidding I am sure you have seen my photos with my current flash set-up, I did have (still do) have a ring light but I do not think it offers the same as a flash with a decent diffuser. This is a thread that I started - http://nikonites.com/macro/20481-ev...about-macro.html?highlight=macro+DIY+diffuser
Click to expand...
Yeah. I've been over your thread more than once. Good stuff :)
Am I right that you just use the on camera flash and a piece of foam for diffusion?
Seem to yield great results :)

And good to know about the ring light. I'll stay clear of that for now. I guess they should be very good at eliminating shadows, which could be good. But on the other side we might like a little of those to give some detail to the subject?
 
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N

nidding

Senior Member
My DIY diffuser v. 1,1 (sorry for the crummy phone pic)
IMG_20141016_225806 by jonas_sandager, on Flickr
And a test shot at f/22, ISO 100
DSC_9377 by jonas_sandager, on Flickr

I use two sheets of printer paper for diffusion, which lets me go from f/3.5 to f/22 at iso 100 through power adjustment on my flash. I might remove one of the sheets, but I'll see how this works in real life first :)
It's got a layer of alu foil, that I roughed up for better diffusion, glued on the inside.
In v. 1.0 I tried to use some foam pads that you'd use for wiping babies' behinds. I think they would have given a better diffusion, but my sticky tape wouldn't stick to them, so I'd have to find something that does to use those.
 
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S

ShallowShannon

Senior Member
Yours looks a lot better than mine nidding. I was lazy and strapped half a milf jug on my flash with a rubber band. It helps but I need
to do something more like what you have.

DSC_8535 copy.jpg
 
wev

wev

Senior Member
Contributor
I posted this in the Latest Purchase thread in August, but I'm damned if I can find it. I made my diffuser from an 89¢ witch hazel bottle, a 24 pica type riglet (think tongue depressor), some duct tape, and a rubber band. The lens below is my 16-300, rather than my Tam 90, but it works well on either. I also carry a few foam inserts to drop in the bottom for extra diffusion.

Diffuser.jpg


Diffuser2.jpg


Diffuser4.jpg
 
N

nidding

Senior Member
ShallowShannon said:
Yours looks a lot better than mine nidding. I was lazy and strapped half a milf jug on my flash with a rubber band. It helps but I need
to do something more like what you have.

View attachment 118685
Click to expand...

Nice picture :)
I think my diffuser cost me 10$ to make, and maybe took an hour and a half to put togehter, so I'd say that it's a pretty manageble project :)
I will return with pictures, when I've give it a run with a proper lens and some better subjects ;)
 
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