ExpoImaging Ray Flash Ring Flash Adapter for Canon 580EX II – Review

I just wrote up a review on this Flash if anybody is interested

http://jhpvideotutoria​ls.com/?p=5369

Best,
Jay

I disagree with just about everything in your review. Sorry.

This was my review from a while ago:

https://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthre​ad.php?t=641386

Build is not good, it's brand and model specific, coverage is not even and it gobbles light.

I can't find much to say about the Ray Flash adapter that is good. It's overpriced and does a reasonable job with macro but beyond that I think it's a waste of money and light, not to mention batteries.

There's far more negative about this device than there is positive.

Thank you for sharing your thoughts and opinion. I'll leave it to the readers to make up there mind about the ray flash ring flash adapter. I still feel my review was fair and honest. Sorry you had such a bad experience with yours.

Best,
Jay

jason324 wrote in post #12544383
Thank you for sharing your thoughts and opinion. I'll leave it to the readers to make up there mind about the ray flash ring flash adapter. I still feel my review was fair and honest. Sorry you had such a bad experience with yours.

Best,
Jay

It's not that mine was faulty. The design is poor. Coverage is uneven. These are things that are true. I didn't see any samples in your review where you show coverage or a person being lit. It's far from the same effect you get with a real ring flash.

Again, thank you fir you comments and opinion. I'm currently reviewing 3 ring flashes, so there will be comparrison pictures using each "ring flash" on a given subject etc.. This way the readr can see with there own eyes the difference. Stay tuned for the other ring flash reviews!!

Best,
Jay

In my opinion, your review is overly enthusiastic for something that has many issues.

You should tell your readers about the lack of compatibility. Instead you make it seem as if the unit is compatible with all the flash units mentioned, when the reality is that they must buy the device for the brand and model camera and flash they're using.

As an example, when I got mine, I was using a Nikon D300 and an SB-800. Knowing I was going to upgrade my system and knowing that the adapter wouldn't work with the new gear was a major blow and ridiculous. You don't mention that and it's very misleading. Just upgrading the flash meant that the adapter wasn't going to work. That pretty much sucks.

In the sample image of the eye you can clearly see the uneven coverage and the dead zone. That's very important to bring to the readers attention, as it's one of the key problems that prevents the Ray Flash from replicating a studio ring flash, but you don't mention that. If you're going to make statements like that then you should back it up with images and specs.

Sorry to sound so negative but I find it hard to believe that you could evaluate this product ant not find anything wrong with it.

I just find reviews like that to be very superficial and incomplete.

Now your telling what to tell my readers? Clearly u don't like my review. We all heard you, so please read elsewhere.

jason324 wrote in post #12544694
Now your telling what to tell my readers? Clearly u don't like my review. We all heard you, so please read elsewhere.

I'm telling you that your readers would benefit from complete information, yes.

You don't think that someone with a 430EX would want to know that if they upgrade to a 580EX then the adapter won't work?

Not very responsible.

Sorry if you don't like my negativity but I think those things are important and a review that just loves the product is not being honest.

You can ignore my posts if you don't like them.

I think Rob is trying to help your integrity and keep your readers reading your reviews.

are you selling these ring flashes, you seem awfully defensive over some very good points Robert has brought up

your review is plastered with more ads than a Ken Rockwell site so you are definitely making money extolling the virtues of the flash on POTN

FJ LOVE wrote in post #12545281
are you selling these ring flashes, you seem awfully defensive over some very good points Robert has brought up

your review is plastered with more ads than a Ken Rockwell site so you are definitely making money extolling the virtues of the flash on POTN

Hmmm I didnt notice that before. 6 ads

Thanks again everybody for your comments and concerns about my review/ integrity. I really appreciate the feedback.

I try and approach my reviews from a non partisan perspective. If I totally trash a product I will not get other products to review. That being said I think the ring flash did a good job for what it is and I got pretty good results with it. As I said above I have not directly compared it yet to another ring flash, so as far as I'm concerned it did a good job. If I had tested 10 other ring flashes, perhaps my conclusion would be a lot different. I have lots of experience with studio flash units and on camera flash heads, but not ring flash's. This is my first experience with one.

I included the high res images so You as the reader can see what the flash does in a variety of scenarios. I'm then going to do the same thing for the other 2 "ring flash" units I have. Once That is done I will be able to compare this ring flash to the other 2 ring flash's. Until then, this 1 worked pretty good for me as I stated.

As far as the ads go, I have to pay for the website bandwidth somehow, I don't work for anybody other than myself. BHPhotoVideo is providing me equipment to test and play with, so it's in my best interest to do a fair an honest review so I can get other equipment in the future.

Everything on my site is free for the viewer, I don't charge for any of my tutorials etc.... So again, if you not interested in reading my reviews and stuff, please don't click??

It's a shame I feel like I need to defend myself on a honest review, but it is what it is.

Thanks again for your comments,

Jay

jason324 wrote in post #12547594
As far as the ads go, I have to pay for the website bandwidth somehow, I don't work for anybody other than myself. BHPhotoVideo is providing me equipment to test and play with, so it's in my best interest to do a fair an honest review so I can get other equipment in the future.

this is the questionable part, lots of people give a review of equipment they buy, they post it here on POTN they don't link to their own paid ad sites

while i appreciate you taking time to inform us of new equipment, defending sub par equipment because your paid ads are by the company providing the equipment to you

does not benefit us if your sole motivation is paying for bandwwidth and not truly evaluating something objectively, you don't have to link you can post your review right here for free.

"while i appreciate you taking time to inform us of new equipment, defending sub par equipment because your paid ads are by the company providing the equipment to you"

photographers want to know the strengths and weaknesses of a product. A good review covers and addresses the good and bad as Robert had pointed out. Your review might sway those who are less knowledgeable about ring flashes but will not be taken lightly by experienced lighting pros on this forum in which TMR is one of this forum's more knowledgable experts.

for all we know, you could be just improving the SEO for the ray flash which would be in both yours and the company's best interest since both of you get more visibility.

jason324 wrote in post #12547594
It's a shame I feel like I need to defend myself on a honest review, but it is what it is.

Thanks again for your comments,

Jay

Look....maybe you havn't worked with a ring flash before so don't have anything to compare it to so this seems awesome to you. But you can't deny points about no room for adjustments for different equipment. You have undeniably left out information that could completely sway a persons buying decision and now almost admitted it was a biased review in order to maintain your feed of products to review from a retailer.

Now after information has been brought to your attention you don't admit it or add it to your review as it is valuable information for someone in the market for this product, but just defend your original stance....thats the problem people are having.