which is the better ring flash? Meike fc 100 or Aputure Amaran Halo AHL-C60

Hi,
I want to buy a ring flash for macro photography and im debating between those two-
Meike FC 100/110 - its a more known company and alot of people buy their products
Aputure Amaran Halo AHL-C60 - Im not sure but I think this one is a better ring flash, it has more led lights - so I suppose it has stronger light, supports faster sync speed (1/200 vs 1/100)

Which one is better? help me to decide please.

TheNewLegend wrote in post #15511924
Hi,
I want to buy a ring flash for macro photography and im debating between those two-
Meike FC 100/110 - its a more known company and alot of people buy their products
Aputure Amaran Halo AHL-C60 - Im not sure but I think this one is a better ring flash, it has more led lights - so I suppose it has stronger light, supports faster sync speed (1/200 vs 1/100)

Which one is better? help me to decide please.

I would say neither- you would be better off getting a cheapish normal flashgun for macro shooting.

Brian v.

I already have the YN 560 II

Don't waste your money, I've owned those cheap "macro ringlights" like the Meike and they're close to useless for macro work. Simply said - they are too weak. You have to shoot wide open and push your ISO really high and it's not worth your time. Your YongNuo is more than good enough for macro work.

Agree with Brian. Never a fan of ring flash. Hard to diffuse, and weird (but if you find it cool) ring catchlight in subjects eyes.

Just get something like a Canon 270EX or Nikon SB400:

http://orionmystery.bl​ogspot.com …cro-improved-version.html

More macro rigs ideas here:

http://orionmystery.bl​ogspot.com/2010/12/mor​e-macro-rigs.html

There is a YongNuo twin flash in the market now - YN24EX and it costs only 1/5th the price of an MT24EX!

orionmystery wrote in post #18323800
There is a YongNuo twin flash in the market now - YN24EX and it costs only 1/5th the price of an MT24EX!

Great find Kurt- that's a more reasonable price - might have to get one when they get to Amazon UK.
Brian v.

LordV wrote in post #18324373
Great find Kurt- that's a more reasonable price - might have to get one when they get to Amazon UK.
Brian v.

Yeah, I would get this in a heart beat if I don't already have the MT24EX. A facebook contact of mine bought one and it got fried within an hour of use! I think he got another one for free as replacement. That was back in the middle of March. I will find out from him if his second unit is still working fine.

Edit: update. His second unit is still working fine!

I have a mental note of that in-case my Canon twin flash dies.

I bought this flash on sale so I thought I'd give it a shot.

https://www.bhphotovid​eo.com …c_ttl_led_macro​_ring.html

My lens failed shortly after so I have to get it repaired before I can truly put it through its paces.

Up until now I used a home made rig consisting of a 12 inch metal bar with the camera mounted on the right side and the flash mounted on the left side with a small ball head for adjustment then a homemade snoot, (black foam shaped into a cone). I could concentrate the flash where I wanted. This worked well especially for the affect I was going for. I was able to photograph bugs at high noon but have the entire picture, except the bug, go black as in a studio w/ black background.

Some quite good photographers use ring flash
https://www.flickr.com …/albums/7215767​2187854833
and I think this one does as well
https://www.flickr.com …/albums/7215762​7147713149

I do because I have tried alternatives and can't get close enough.

orionmystery wrote in post #16721356
Agree with Brian. Never a fan of ring flash. Hard to diffuse, and weird (but if you find it cool) ring catchlight in subjects eyes.

Don't you get that with all flashes?
Of course some people don't need flash at all
https://www.flickr.com …dGJF-bQPAhg-c25uNh-9PLPU1

Ring flash gives a particularly distracting catchlight and certainly on the Canon version even if you adjust ratio to 8:1 you still get a circle. That said it's good on matt subjects; the worst subjects are jumping spiders (eyes), ants and Ladybirds in my experience.
If you go to great lengths diffusing it, typically mounting away from the front of the lens it defeats the point (ease of use) and you might as well have used a normal flash.

racketman wrote in post #18341221
Ring flash gives a particularly distracting catchlight and certainly on the Canon version even if you adjust ratio to 8:1 you still get a circle. That said it's good on matt subjects; the worst subjects are jumping spiders (eyes), ants and Ladybirds in my experience.
If you go to great lengths diffusing it, typically mounting away from the front of the lens it defeats the point (ease of use) and you might as well have used a normal flash.

I think that is probably true, what flash do you?

LordV wrote in post #18324373
Great find Kurt- that's a more reasonable price - might have to get one when they get to Amazon UK.
Brian v.

I got fed up waiting for Amazon to get them in, so I ordered one via Yongnuo's eBay shop. I'll let everyone know how I get on with it if it isn't a dud.

I've been using a Yonguo YN14EX with the diffuser described on the link below for a couple of years after my MT24EX packed up, and the repair agents said it was "too uneconomical" to repair. My diffuser is slightly different now than the one on Kurt's blog. The inner part is cone shaped, and shorter. This leaves more space above the insect and is less likely to scare it off. The only problem I've had with the flash is it only worked intermittently on my Canon 70D and not at all on my new 80D (it still works fine on my 600D and 40D). So I needed a macro flash which works with my 80D. I also want a twinflash to use with my concave diffusers i.e. the inverted plastic domes. They are very effective and are not much bulkier than a StoFen, but much more effective. There is also no light loss. In other words the light output is the same as with the bare flash heads.
http://orionmystery.bl​ogspot.co.uk …lite-flashes-or-ring.html

From looking closely at the photos it looks like I should be able to use the flash bracket from the MT24EX. The advantage of that is that it will clip on the grove on my MP-E 65mm and EF-S 60mm without the need for an adaptor ring. I picked up an EF-S 60mm at a good price in mint condition, and I'm very pleased with it. It's much lighter than the MP-E 65mm. If you put a 20mm or 36mm extension tube you get less than 1:1 and close to 2:1. This makes it more versatile than the MP-E 65mm on a crop body.

I'll post a quick review of it unless it's a duff one. The MR14EX has been reliable except for the compatibility problems on bodies made after it was made.