Macro Lighting Options

I have the 350D and an EF 100mm f/2.8 USM for my first venture into Macro work.

I have already noticed (lens arrived at 3:36 and I was outside playing at 3:50) that lighting is critical.

Initially, I would hope to practice on dead/non-moving things (flowers, etc), but will want to capture some bugs/insects at some point.
So, I see ring lites, dual side flash units, hot shoe mount flash lites (220, etc).

What is the least expensive way to get into a better lighting set up than the camera built in flash (or will it do some good itself?)

I cannot afford to go spend $700 for a flash - so how will I be able to do much more than natural light without breaking the bank (and the marriage)?

Thanks in advance for your assistance.

Wow.

I was just about to make a topic identical to this one.

I'm gting my 100mm Macro in about a weeks time and i wont have anything except the on board flash and a cheapy flashgun to use for lighting.

As buying th lens is draining my months paycheque i won't be able to go and splash out on some fancy lighting set up.

So yeah +1 to this topic, im just as confused as your are buddy

you dont need to pay $700 for a flash, a canon 430ex speedlite does the job, and fairly cheap compared to the macro flashes. The ringlight gives you flatter lighting, but almost no shadows, the twin light is very useful for lenses like MPE-65, but they work well with the 100mm too. Note that you might notice the two shadows created by the light at times, that's the only thing i dont like about the twin light. But it is VERY convenient. Lastly, the 580EX and 430EX are a very common place to start for macro flash, simply put that on your camera, buy / make a diffuser, and you're done

not only does an external flash improve picture quality, it really helps in difficult lighting situations and shooting specific subjects. With a flash your pictures will be finger-bleeding sharp

good luck! try searching the macro forums, there are MANY topics on flash.

Thanks.

My gratitude to those who posted.
Think I'll find myself a used Speedlite for now, later a bracket and off-shoe cord and go hunting for things to shoot.

I have made a couple of little diffusers that I use with the pop up flash for my S5 IS, that I am getting pretty good results with, that can be made for almost nothing.

While I used welding wire, of a nice thin but springy hardness, you could start with just a common coat hanger. Bend this around something a bit smaller than the barrel of your lens, or extension tube. It will probably have a little spring-back, but, a little squeezing and tweaking will bet a spring fit to the lens.

To begin with, the wire will have about 6" on each side sticking straight out on each side in line with the top of the lens. Then I bent it forward and out at about 45º to the line of site from the front of the lens.

I sprayed the extended part with contact cement, and lay it on a piece of white plastic grocery bag, and fold the outer part around the wire. This glue sticks to the bag instantly within seconds of being sprayed.

I then trim the wire and excess bag, so that I have a nice soft ~ 4" x 5" white translucent diffuser in front of and above the lens, that is easy to adjust the levels through the camera, and stores in the bag without even taking any space. I put it in the camera space, then lay a large lens cloth over it, the put the camera right in on top of it.

I usually shoot in AV mode, at F8, which is my smallest setting, although I wish for smaller, for better DOF.

After using this set-up for a couple of months, I found that sometimes the bottom portion of the shot would be under exposed. So I bent another wire, and glued a foil faced piece of plastic made for putting in the car window to keep the sun out. This bounces enough light back up to fill in the bottom for perfect exposures.

If your subject will sit long enough for more than one shot, the flash level gets adjusted by pressing the function button, then down to flash, the >>for +, or <<< for minus.

Maybe someday soon I will start sharing my shots here. I am a woodworking artist by profession, but being out in nature is my passion, and I am just weird enough to bring a different eye and aesthetic from what most people see.

I use the sigma 500 DG super with diffuser. Seems to work well enough for me. i guess you could get more creative with a bracket and off shoe camera cord though

I would start with the 430ex flash which u will get some nice results with.

Once youve mastered that and want to take it further i would get a bracket which are inexpensive and lets you position the flash much better.

Good luck....

I use an off-shoe cord with my 580EX, holding the flash in one hand and the camera in the other. This could be any E-TTL flash like a 430EX or a used 380EX. I usually shoot with the flash right over the lens actually touching it, but I also move it around to change lighting angles or to even bounce it off things.

This golden mantella frog is about 1/2 inch long.

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An external flash mounted on a flash bracket will give you lots of flexibility. You'll need the off-camera flash cord, too.

Check out this thread for hundreds of ideas:
https://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthre​ad.php?t=142566

-js

This might do while you save up for off-camera shoe chord and flash bracket
Worked fine.

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troypiggo wrote in post #5336994
This might do while you save up for off-camera shoe chord and flash bracket
Worked fine.

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That is just plain awesome. I'm gonna do it.