Using a ring flash over conventional hotshoe flash?

[MysteryLemon]

I'm looking to buy a flash for my Nikon D5000. The built in flash has been pretty much rendered useless by the 18-135mm lens I have attached, which casts a big fat shadow shooting anything wider than 50mm.

Plan was to buy a typical TTL hotshoe affair but I've been looking at ring flashes. One that mounts onto the lens.

Would I be daft in thinking of one as a good alternative? Seems they can be used just as creatively, if not more so in some situations.

Anyone else had this idea or indeed use a ring flash as their only flash?

Cheers!

[K12beano]

Well, it all depends upon what you're shooting and what effect you want to achieve.

i would think that a more flexible alternative would be a flashgun that you can mount or use remotely. i have two SB-800s and even for close up shots there's always a possible configuration which will work. But a ring flash is a little bit of a one-trick-pony.

[MysteryLemon]

I'm not really looking to achieve anything in particular, just need a light source and like the idea of a ring flash, as long as it will work for just general purpose filling. Mostly just fill tbh.

[14-7]

I would say if you do a lot of macro stuff a ring flash is a good idea but for general use not so. Better off with a normal style flash.

[Gemm]

I've tried it before but I didn't think much of it, to be honest. I think red-eye can be an issue but it's easily fixable. As far as I can remember, it was pretty flat and harsh.

Edited by Gemm on Wednesday 14th November 14:25

[IanMorewood]

Ring is great for Macro and rather limited for anything else, TTL flash with an adjustable head is the way to go 9 times out of 10.

[DripFedFred]

I'm sure I've seen ring flashes used for portraiture. I guess if you're close enough to your subject and aren't expecting miracles, it could work.

A "proper" flash would, as previously mentioned, give much more flexibility though.

[IanMorewood]

Yep a ring can be used for effect in portrait photos but its not the sort of thing thats sat on your camera all the time, more like this;

[Simpo Two]

Interesting gadget - can't seem to find an equivalent Elinchrom though (all are for Ranger/Quadras).

[Bacardi]

Simpo Two said:

Interesting gadget - can't seem to find an equivalent Elinchrom though (all are for Ranger/Quadras).

It's a stupid, cumbersome gadget, there isn't an equivalent for Elinchrom apart from proper pack driven RF like http://www.theflashcentre.com/elinchrom-ringflash-...

[bobda]

Have you got an external flash you can use - or can get a cheapish one?
http://photojojo.com/store/awesomeness/ring-flash-...