Flash for EOS 30d Do I Need To Upgrade

I have an EOS 30d and I am wondering if I need to upgrade to a larger flash? I am planning on taking alot of photos of products for website and also macro shots of gemstones. I am assuming I will need a macro lens flash, but does that work with regular lens as a flash also or do I need to purchase another flash or will the standard flash on the camera work ok? Thank You in advance!

What are you using for a flash now? If it’s just the built in, the definitely, and external flash is a great addition and for the type of work your looking to do a necessity IMHO. The Canon 430EX is a great one to start with if you’re only looking for a single flash. A 580EX if you’re looking to support multiple flashes.

For Macro shots your flash might not even help....Depends on how close you shoot.
For product and macro of gemstones, it might be better to make a light box of some kind to get bright, even coverage.

You could get by a lot cheaper If you just bought this camera for macro and product shots. I can take awesome macro and close-up shots with my G5 and you would spend about $200 for a used G5 and a nice cardboard box .....

Definitely need an upgrade... But which one?

The 550Ex and 430EX hotshoe flashes are very good general purpose flash units. However, for small product photography including gemstone photography, the hotshoe flash (although the 580EX and 430EX are great units) is not quite the right ticket.

I would get a light tent. There are many of these tents available on eBay for various prices. I hav found that there is really very little difference between the most expensive and the least expensive. You can find these tents (also called light cubes) on eBay under Cameras & Photo > Lighting & Studio Equipment > Light Controls & Modifiers and then do a search for "tent"

Here is an example of a light tent. The size of the tent would be determined by the largest of your products you will be shooting.

http://cgi.ebay.com …ZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcm​dZViewItem

As far as lighting the product, you can go with continuous lights such as incandescent or even the work lights sold in home improvement stores. These however, put out a lot of heat. I would recommend a set of two inexpensive strobes on stands. Using one on one side of the tent and the other on the opposite side, you will achieve shadowless lighting.

Here is an example of an inexpensive strobe unit which has a modeling light so you can see what you are shooting. This light (you will need two) has a light modifier (softbox) and a stand included. You can use the lights with the soft box (not using the tent) for portraits and for larger items which will not fit in the softbox. If you were a commercial photographer and were going to be shooting 8 hours a day, five days a week - I would probably suggest a more expensive strobe. However for occasional use, this unit should do very well. It is certainly not the only unit available, just one of the first I came across on eBay. The two strobes and a tent should cost about $250 plus shipping. This is less than the cost of a 430EX.

http://cgi.ebay.com …ZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcm​dZViewItem

An interesting and really inexpensive solution might just be:

http://cgi.ebay.com …ZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcm​dZViewItem

This kit uses flourescent lights which would reduce the heat problem. I don't know how powerful they would be but, the price is right.

Here is a tutorial on shooting jewelry:

http://www.home-jewelry-business-success-tips.com/photograph-jewelry.html

By the way, you really do not need a macro lens for shooting. Many lenses have a "macro" or "close focus" setting which will get you plenty close enough to photograph just about anything except insects or other really tiny subjects. many P&S cameras also have "macro" settings which will get you quite close to your subject.

Wow thank you guys for the GREAT info!!!! I am wanting to shoot as close to a jewelers 10x loupe as I can, to show details of the germstone for internet only images, not interested in printing them out.

Here is an example of what I want to achieve:

http://cgi.ebay.com …ZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcm​dZViewItem btw how do you do the flash player video?

http://cgi.ebay.com …eName=STRK:MEWA​:IT&ih=016

and:

http://cgi.ebay.com …ZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcm​dZViewItem btw I would really like to know how to do a video with flash player not and not You Tube!

Thanx in Advance for the help!