Ring flash or MT24?

[kriskent]

please, your thoughts. i have the mpe 65

[racketman]

neither, save your money and use a diffused flash like the 430ex or Sigma 500 off camera. I havent seen anything to suggest the specialised macro flashes produce better results.I like my ringflash for its compactness and ease of use and it is superb for objects like coins but for insects it doesnt quite measure up to a diffused 430. The lighting is a bit flat and although you can change the bulb power ratio it makes only a slight difference. The MT 24 looks a bit impractical at the close ranges the MP E65 works at.
Thats quite a gear list you have i'd like that Mk IIN for tennis.

[Edwin Bont]

I agree with Racketman, I use a 420EZ (35€) and a homemade softbox for all my macro's.
The 24-ex is too expensive and too close to the subject, not diffused making the light too hard and contrast too hight.
Placing the flash further away lowers the contrast and makes a more natural shot. (the Inverse square law, http://photonotes.org/articles/eos-flash/index2.html )

Canon 30D | 300D | Zenitar 16 f/2.8 | Canon 35 f/2 | 50 f/1.8 | 85 f/1.8 | 100 f/2.8 macro | MP-E 65 | 420EZ
www.edwinbont.nl (http://www.edwinbont.nl)

[dpastern]

I agree with RM and Edwin (even though I don't own that particular lens). Ringflash just looks...plain unnatural...

Dave