Flash Tall flash Vs compact flash for macro

[L0n3Gr3yW0lf]

Heuou. I got my diffuser and I got (the wrong) Raynox DCR-150 to get better closeups from my Tamy zooms (for now) buy I need a flash.

I was initially thinking of Meike MK320 for a light and portable setup with the Laowa 85mm f 5.6 APO Macro and Tamron 24/35mm f 2.8 Di III OSD Mqcro. It's cheap and very easy to use and seems to work consistently with Sony a7 Mark IV for bursting and with a diffuser.

I also found a Godox V1 round head flashgun for 130 £ which looks tall enough to reach the end of Tamron 28-75mm's 12 cm long end and maybe Tamron 70-180mm's 15 cm long end (though both lenses extend for about 3 cm longer). I am a bit worried about the weight of the flash trying to do handheld macro shots.
Also a benefit is the Li-Ion battery for great battery life, USB charging and ultra fast flash bursts.
But the flash could be used for other kinds of photography as well (I'm not a big fan of artificial light photography but I might give it a try).

There's also the old (by now) Sony HVL-F58AM flash for about 80 £, nice tilt head function and has some weather resistance.

I could try wireless flash sync with diffuser panels for something more creative, especially for the wide angle perspective.

Which one would you go first (I can and probably will get more then one over time).

 

[CatsAreGods]

I hear you. I started with a Godox 350, got a bunch of different diffusers (as seen on YouTube lol) but then the more I got serious with macro, the more I realized something was missing.

Went back on YouTube and this time stopped laughing at the Pringles can diffusers long enough to try making my own. What a difference! It pipes the light right to where you want it, not top heavy, and diffusing is easily done by wrapping diffuser material around the end with a rubber band.

 

[JensM]

Went back on YouTube and this time stopped laughing at the Pringles can diffusers long enough to try making my own.

Making one of those are on my horizon as well. If its stupid and and it works, it isn't stupid...

 

[L0n3Gr3yW0lf]

I hear you. I started with a Godox 350, got a bunch of different diffusers (as seen on YouTube lol) but then the more I got serious with macro, the more I realized something was missing.

Went back on YouTube and this time stopped laughing at the Pringles can diffusers long enough to try making my own. What a difference! It pipes the light right to where you want it, not top heavy, and diffusing is easily done by wrapping diffuser material around the end with a rubber band.

I would wager to guess that the Godox V1 would suite the Pringles "light-teleconverter" ( ) because of the round head it would get better spread with less "corner wasting light spread" compared to normal flash head shape.
If I cut at 90° angle at the end of the Pringle tube I could get more reflective surface to hit the diffuser. Taper the cutted edge and it will keep the cardboard from getting wet and crinckled over time. And wrap around the exterior some of my camo fabric so I don't look like I'm crisping the poor insects and bugs with the Mustache Wario

I guess that's going to be my flash. Luckily I can get it at no extra cash for me (I have a 145 £ voucher to buy it "free"). I will spend some money to get the light modifiers because if the magnetic system for Godox is to awesome not to use it ... and a Godox wireless trigger.

 

[AntonLargiader]

Wireless flash is very useful for macro! What sort of subjects are you shooting?

 

[L0n3Gr3yW0lf]

Wireless flash is very useful for macro! What sort of subjects are you shooting?

I have, since th original post, moved from Sony to Olympus but the intention is still the same:
*Insects, from butterflies to macroscopic critters.
*Mushrooms
*Flowers

At the moment I have the Olympus OM-1 and for flash I got the Olympus FLM-3 (which can be used as wireless commander for Olympus branded flashes) for the weather proofing and portability. I may intend to add the Olympus FL-700WR to do wireless flash (for bead weather like mist and rain) in the future.

My main flash system is Godox V350 Mark II (the UK branded PixaPro) because it can do bursh flash with Olympus' Focus Bracketing and Stacking at full speed (I don't know if FL-700WR can handle that speed), it has Li-Ion battery so it can sustain heavy macro work instead of relying on AA batteries.
I could get the Wireless Transmitter to do wireless flash and still get all the above but that's not a priority right now (being cheaper then a used FL-700WR it's likely that I will add one towards the end of spring).

I will take some time to practice, learn and get used to using flash for macro photography before I "dig deeper" in the subject. (I have been a "natural light" kind of photographer most of my photographic life. I can't say I'm very excited about using flash but I'm feeling like it's needed for the macro ideas that I want to do and probabtgoing to stick with that only)

 

[Charzes44]

For macro flash, I learned a lot from Michael Widell's earlier YouTube videos! For my Doggie photo, (A-Z thread), I used a Meike MK320 flash, bounced off the ceiling, with a £4.99 diffuser from Amazon. As shown below, but flash on camera!

 

[L0n3Gr3yW0lf]

For macro flash, I learned a lot from Michael Widell's earlier YouTube videos! For my Doggie photo, (A-Z thread), I used a Meike MK320 flash, bounced off the ceiling, with a £4.99 diffuser from Amazon. As shown below, but flash on camera!
View attachment 441114

I went with Michael's advice as well.
I try not to use flash indoor but that's personal bias, I don't like th look of it (even bounced), don't want to be annoying with it (I don't like flashes in my face and I wouldn't want to subject someone to that), I prefer candid and natural behaviour before and after the image.

At the moment I have 2 diffuser:
*A cheap sleeve type, bought it for a few quid:

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It fits my V350 well and it swallows my FLM-3 like it's candy. It does have a reflector on the inside though not sure it does much if anything
*A cheap over the lens folding diffuser:

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I couldn't find the Dörr that Michael mentioned but this is literally the same thing for about 10 £
It doesn't fit over the Olympus 60mm f 2.8 Macro very well because it's so thin but it fits well over the Olympus 12-40mm f 2.8 PRO and if I mount it from the camera mount over the
Olympus 40-150mm f 2.88 PRO it works too