Readers Projects - The CD Spindle Ringflash
DIYP reader Chaval Brasil came up with an ingenious way to create a ring flash. By routing the light from a hot shoe flash to a CD spindle, Chaval was able to surround his lens with light. Chaval joins a long tradition of readers projects that we had here on DIYP (see The Food Saver Omnibounce, Thomas Schwenger Complete Two Seconds Lighting Kit, and The Christmas Tree Ring Light for more readers projects).
As you can see from the with/without sample shot it creates a great effect. Shadows are softer, and "surround" the object in all directions. Check out more photos taken with this ringflash here.
Here is what I like with this project:
- Cost is about 0 Dollars - Ok, 1 Dollar if you had to buy some cardboard.
- It is light, and does not need construction to be supported
- Preparation time: about 20 minutes
I like this prototype, and I think it can be even better if the following additions were made:
- Add some diffusion material on the front of the spindle: silk, sketching paper, anything semi-translucent
- Chaval complains on light loss. I would cover the interior of the cardboard tubing with some aluminum foil like Nick has done here, and I did here. It will help to reduce light loss to minimum.
More Great Projects:
- Lots of Ringlights
- Altoids To The Rescue - The Minty Strobe
- Home-made Power Pack Flashes- The Ghetto Studio
- Painting With Light
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Comments
Wow!
Great, just great! I definitely going to create one for myself.
Thanks!
Wow, thanks for posting it, I've learned so much in the DYIPhotography.net, I'm very happy to give back to the community!
The light loss is not so much a problem for macro, that doesn't require a strong flash, it will only require more flash power and consequently the flash burst will be slower to freeze movement and take more time to recharge.
I'm getting some plumbing tubes to make a new version soon.
mine...
Top of a Kool-Aid instant drink container, PVC pipe section to slide on the lens, aluminum foil for interior, diffuser cut from the top of a CD spindle cover with tracing paper spray-adhesived to the back, pop-up flash channel made from plastic panels from plastic CD case. Black electrical tape, super glue... gobo/shade thing from middle section of container and covered with treadmill material for looks.
Takes longer to make, but lasts a long time.
ringflash
can you post a step by step how did you do your ring? thanks! i am missinig some steps about how to do that
Heres mine
If you look at the version on my flickr (http://flickr.com/photos/21896544@N02/2429885736/) you will see notes on the setup. I have some samples on there too. All are tagged with macroringlight.
Jake O'Connell
Also made such a thing!
Hi,
A few months ago I also made a thing that is almost the same, but your one is bit neater!
It really works and I used i quite often, but now I got a real rinflash ;-)
Look here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/martijnbraat/2316252094/
Gr. Martijn
I don t think that it works
Sorry i just found your website and i aways wanted tu have a Ringflash - but i don´t believe that it works well.
1.) The light seems to come from upwards into the ring and reflects in the same angle as it comes onto the side of the ring (sorry my english ist bad). For me it looks like the most of the ligt will not reflect into the direction were it should.
2.) It seem that something with the example-picture is wrong. If the light would come like from a ring-flash (=from aroundthe lens) , there would never be a shadow like that.
For me it looks like the very most light comes from above the lens. It seems like much more light comes from above the löens like from under the lens
Re: I don t think that it works
@Panorama
In (2) it's clear that you are talking about the bottom sample picture, which was taken with a normal flash. It's the top sample picture that you should be looking at.
Ring Flash
Nice and simple and cheap, just the way I like my mods. Going to have to try this one out for sure.
manual focus
how do you use the manual focus on your lens with this ring flash on?
most of the diy ring flashes
most of the diy ring flashes are not able to manual focus. since the ring is covering most of the camera. so i'm guessing you should manually focus before hand. try making some mods. i'm making one using Tupperware, aluminium foil and parchment paper (to diffuse the light. detachable)
Ring Flash
Thank you. This is a great idea. The DIY ring flash looks to be doing a good job and what a saving too.
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