Review Digital Camera World 04-18-2013

Digital Camera World

Best macro flash: 6 top models tested and rated Apr 17th 2013, 23:01 What’s the best macro flash kit you can buy? We found six of the best options for close-up lighting to test how well they deliver controllable power and versatility. Here's the problem. When you're shooting close-ups with a macro lens, the light from a regular flashgun will be very much off-axis, causing uneven lighting with dark, unsightly shadows. For extreme close-ups, even the lens will cast a shadow on the subject! For even, shadowless lighting, you need a system where light is fired from both sides of the lens (a twin-flash), or from a tube that encircles the lens (a ring flash). One solution is to use a ring flash adapter, which mounts onto a regular flashgun and diverts the path of its light through a large ring that mounts around the lens (as reviewed in our best ring flash for portraits test). Another option, which is what we're looking at here, is to use a dedicated macro flash. These consist of a circular flash unit that fits around the lens of your camera (more sophisticated models allow you to set the sides to different brightnesses, or trigger just one side of the flash). The flash is triggered by your camera. Most of the models we've looked at are hotshoe-mounted, but the Nikon R1 kit works off a pop-up flash. Best macro flash kits: Aputure Amaran Halo LED Price:  £50, $45 Buy it: www.ukphotodistro.co.uk The Aputure ring flash uses an array of high-power LEDs rather than conventional flash tubes. This enables a fairly powerful output in flash mode, and continuous lighting at reduced power, making it suitable for shooting macro video clips. There is AF assist lighting in flash mode but no TTL flash metering. Instead, power is manually adjustable between full, half and quarter power output settings. You can also switch the output to just the left or right side. Eight mounting rings enable fitment to popular filter thread sizes between 49mm and 77mm. Our Verdict Pros… Delivers constant lighting for macro video, as well as flash. Cons… No TTL flash metering for auto power adjustments. WE say… A lightweight, compact and inexpensive system. Score: 4/5 PAGE 1: Best macro flash kits – Aputure Amaran Halo LED PAGE 2: Best macro flash kits – Nikon Close-up Speedlight Remote Kit R1 PAGE 3: Best macro flash kits – Nissin MF18 Macro Flash PAGE 4: Best macro flash kits – Sigma EM-140 DG PAGE 5: Best macro flash kits – Sunpak Auto 16R Pro Ringflash PAGE 6: Best macro flash kits – Viltrox JY-670 Macro Light Pro Kit  PAGE 7: Five things to look for in a macro flash kit READ MORE How camera flash works: free photography cheat sheet Flash photography made easy: master everything from pop-up flash to multiple flashguns Flash photography tips: external flash techniques anyone can understand Shooting in full sun: 3 ways to banish shadows shooting portraits outside Apr 17th 2013, 10:59 Are unflattering shadows spoiling your outdoor portrait photography? Here are three simple ways you can rescue your portraits when shooting in full sun. Photographers are naturally drawn to shooting on sunny days. Everything appears bright and colourful, and these conditions often seem ideal for cheerful images. But bright sunlight can create harsh, unflattering shadows and over-exposed hotspots, especially if you are shooting during the middle of the day. Our before image One way to improve your results is to limit your photography to times when the natural light is more appealing (earlier or later in the day), but this can be restricting and may not always be possible. Instead, you can try these quick fixes to solve the problem and help bring your people pictures out of the shadows. Three easy ways to take flattering portraits when shooting in full sun 01 Shoot in the shade If possible, move your subject into the shade to avoid direct sunlight. Make sure that both the subject and the background are lit similarly to avoid problems with an unbalanced exposure. Deep shade can cause a blue cast, however, so adjust the white balance to compensate for this.   02 Use a reflector Position your subject with their back to the sun so that there is no direct light falling onto their face. This creates an appealing rim-lit effect around the subject, but their face will be under-lit, so use a sliver or white reflector to bounce light back onto your subject's face.   03 Fire some flash Using a reflector can be awkward without help, so use your flash to do a similar job. With the subject looking away from the sun, light their face with fill-in flash. For a more subtle effect dial in around -2EV of flash compensation and check your results to ensure the flash light isn't too obvious. Adjust the compensation if necessary. READ MORE 14 portrait photography tips you’ll never want to forget 54 Portrait Ideas: free downloadable posing guide Free family portrait photography cheat sheet 6 simple lighting setups for shooting portraits at home

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