Twin light, ring, or mounted?

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Noah M
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Twin light, ring, or mounted?

Post by Noah M »

I would like to see some examples of work with each so I can get a feel for what each does. I feel like the mounted is the cheapest, and more diverse in use. But if the dedicated macro flashes are far superior, I'll spend the extra for the results, up to a point.

Thanks!
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Stohlgren
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Re: Twin light, ring, or mounted?

Post by Stohlgren »

I've never shot with a ring flash or twin flash units, but they are definitely designed for close up work. They don't have the power to light up subjects from a distance, so in that sense, they are less versatile.

The ring flash is the least versatile because you can't move the light around. They also produce a less than desirable catch light, but that is up personal taste. They are much cheaper than twin flash units and are actually pretty popular in portrait photography, but I don't see as many wildlife photographers using them.

The twin flash units are popular with herp photographers and can produce very good results (I'm sure someone will share examples). You can also move the lights around a little to play with the reflections and shadows and you can add diffusers to improve the light even more. The macro photographer Nick Bay has an interesting setup using Nikon's small macro flash units. http://sgmacro.blogspot.com/p/macro-equipment.html

I use two external flash units. For best results I think it is imperative to be able to get the flash units off the mount, and using diffusers helps a lot, too.
A few examples:
Image

Image

Image

My opinion would be to get a full sized external flash due to the versatility, but if you shoot almost exclusively close up and want to spend the money, a twin flash unit could treat you well. I prefer to have multiple flashes and the twin unit would be a little easier to manage than two full sized flashes. I would stay away from the ring light, but there might be other opinions on that.
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chrish
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Re: Twin light, ring, or mounted?

Post by chrish »

I have external flash units, a macro twin flash, and a metz lens mounted twin flash(which I reviewed here). When I am going out specically to take close upshots of herps, I use the Metz flash 90% of the time. It isn't that the lighting is superior, but that the flash unit is so much more field hardy than a single flash or the macro twin flash units. It is much easier to grab and carry in the field and a lot easier to deal with in dense brush, etc..

They all give satisfactory results.

Here's a shot taken with the big flash (with a diffuser) -

Image

Here's a shot with the Sony Macro Twin flash (with diffusers on the heads)

Image

Here's a shot with the Metz twin flash

Image

I don't think any is superior to the other. Lighting is about technique, not equipment. You can get excellent photos with a typical flash unit (with diffuser).

However, if I lost all my gear, I would replace the big "on camera" flash first. It gives you more options than the other two setups.


Chris
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Noah M
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Re: Twin light, ring, or mounted?

Post by Noah M »

Just ordered a Yongnuo YN568 EXii and two flash diffusers, a universal soft box and one of those hard plastic things.
Nothing I purchased would be top end quality, but for somebody who has never had shoe mounted flash, I hope this can be a good teaching unit.

I started looking through the pictures on the forum and one common occurrence on most close up pictures was fill flash, and close inspection of the eyes showed most of them had some variety of diffuser. Photography is all about light, so having good light should help, if used correctly.
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Re: Twin light, ring, or mounted?

Post by MonarchzMan »

I recently started using Impact QuikBox diffusers and I love them. They have two diffusion panels so the light gets very soft (you have to, often, up the power of the flash, but that's not a problem). As one Nat Geo photographer told me, not all diffusers are equal. You get what you pay for. The QuikBoxes are mid-to-upper end diffusers (basically less expensive versions of things like Lastolite boxes). I definitely recommend them. They have a variety of sizes, but I've found that the 9" ones work well in the field.
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chrish
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Re: Twin light, ring, or mounted?

Post by chrish »

MonarchzMan wrote:I recently started using Impact QuikBox diffusers and I love them. They have two diffusion panels so the light gets very soft (you have to, often, up the power of the flash, but that's not a problem). As one Nat Geo photographer told me, not all diffusers are equal. You get what you pay for. The QuikBoxes are mid-to-upper end diffusers (basically less expensive versions of things like Lastolite boxes). I definitely recommend them. They have a variety of sizes, but I've found that the 9" ones work well in the field.
I agree with this for studio type work. I have 16 inch softbox-type flash diffuser that I use indoors. It does produce very even light, but I find that somewhat artificial looking sometimes.

Image

I know this isn't well lighted, but you can see what a large diffuser can do sometimes (9 inch diffuser) -

Image

I find that a simple plastic diffuser on flash (stofen Omni bounce here) gives me a more palatable lighting in studio and is certainly a lot easier to use in the field.

Image

I think shadowless lighting is too flat and big diffusers can create that. I also find them difficult in the field. I own several and there is a collapsible 9 inch diffuser in my bag, but I almost always just use the stofen Omni-bounce. I just need a little diffusion to fill in a few dark shadows and reduce reflection spots. But, you know what they say about opinions. ;)
MonarchzMan
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Re: Twin light, ring, or mounted?

Post by MonarchzMan »

I get indistinct shadows when I use it. What I like it for, especially, is what your last photo highlights. Highlights. Shiny hot spots really dive me nuts. IMO, that makes a photo a professional looking photo.
dthor68
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Re: Twin light, ring, or mounted?

Post by dthor68 »

If I repeat what someone else said, sorry, too much to read. Your question is pretty hard to answer without knowing what it is you are wanting to shoot most. If you are shooting insects and tiny herps I would go with twin flashes. If you are shooting larger herps I would go with a mounted flash and use as fill flash.
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Noah M
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Re: Twin light, ring, or mounted?

Post by Noah M »

I bought an external hot shoe mounted flash and have loved every second of it.
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