Question : Canon Ringflash MR 14 EX

[Ikinaa]

Hi,

I've been looking for a flash to do macro-photography and eventually portrait photography.
I've already got a 380EX I use with the powershot G3.
Now the MR14EX from canon is what I've found the thing to have for the macros, but is it useable in portrait-photography?
I've already seen pictures where the eyes of the model has a reflection of light that is the same structure as the flash (two half-circles).

Anyone's got experience with this flash. Pictures welcome...

Another question : with what lenses for the EOS is it useable. I think it has a 58 mm thread? I guess I'll upgrade my G3 next year to some 10D Mark II or similar when it comes out...

Thanks for the answers

[BearSummer]

Hi Ikinaa,

The ringflash is fine for macro, not sure how well it would work for portraits, it might not be powerful enough for serious use (havent used it so not sure) but the guide numebr is 14 if i remember correctly. The other downside is that because of the way the ring is made it grips the outside of the lens, the 100mm macro and the 50mm macro both have 52mm diameter filters (looks like the EFlenses US site gives the wrong filter size for the 50mm), which means that the ring flash wont fit on the other two main lens sizes (58 + 72) so unless you are intending to do your portraits with the 50mm f2.5 then you are going to have to stand a fair distance from your subject which is why I was worried about the guide number.

best regards

BearSummer

[Ikinaa]

Thanks for the answer BearSummer,

I thought of the mr14ex as a possible portrait flash because as the light comes from all around the lens, you probably don't get these annoying shadows when the subject is too near to a wall and shooting with 1 flash only

[BearSummer]

Yep, totally on board with why you would want to do it, but I think you would be limited to using the 100mm, 50mm or 65mm mpe. The 65mpe is out as it is purely for macro, the 50 mm would allow you to do portraits and be a reasonable distance from your subject relative to the flash . My concern was that you would have to be quite a distance from them to use the 100 and im not sure if the guide of 14 would be enough. If I get a chance I will give it a try and see what its like, I take it that you are using the MR14ex as your main light source.

best regards

BearSummer

[tony bodinnar]

Hi Ikinaa

Re: the MR14 EX ringflash - been using one for some time and find it serves me well. Have shot many portraits with it and yes it does prevent those awful shadows when the subject is close to a wall. So, for indoor candid shots in particular it is a boon. However, you CAN get the peculiar highlight in the eyes (not always or even often) but a bigger problem is red-eye, even with the anti-red-eye option in place. Of course these problems are primarily when the subject is looking directly into the lens.

As to the restrictions with lens size - I use it mainly with a 28-135 72mm zoom.
I use 2 stepdown rings, 72-62 and 62-58. This can cause a bit of occlusion in the corners of the image but I shoot and crop accordingly - the loss is minimal.

Good shooting