Spot on exposures. Rugged. Reliable. Well made.

Pricey. No flash confirmation actually on the gun itself.

The first thing you notice about Nikon products is their quality of build and this ringflash is no exception. It feels sturdy in the hand and the overall finish inspires confidence. I have used it with my F90x for over a year now and it has always delivered excellent exposures time after time. In fact I would go so far as to say I can't remember a single over or under exposed shot other than my own errors, ie not checking the flash was sufficient at the time of exposure. I shoot primarily reptiles and amphibians on a Tamron 90mm macro and my results are always evenly lit. Another thing I like about this gun is that the ringflash isn't actually ring shaped but rather two lights either side of each ohter. This makes for less distracting catchlights in the subjects eyes and gives a more natural look, and with a little practice you can determine exactly where you want those catchlights to appear.It's also easier to take them out in a photo workshop should you so desire. It comes with a set differing filter threads and once you've fitted the one for your lens then it is simply a matter of attaching the ringflash in the same way you fit a lens cap over the end of the lens. That fact coupled with its fast charging/recharging time means that it is a fast piece of kit to get up and running. Yes it is expensive but when you set this off against the longevity, reliability and overall quality of the build then I feel it is good value for money.

Similar Products Used:

Centon.

More easier to use than the SB-21 and other types of ring flashes.

Too bulky in backpacks and should be made of carbon fibre like most Nikon cameras.

Good for photographing geckos with the 60 mm f/2.8 micro Nikkor AF. The working distance is about half as much as it is with the 105 mm f/2.8 micro Nikkor AF. The result is a more brighter reproduction when using the TTL setting. The working distance of the 60 mm f/2.8 micro Nikkor when photographing geckos measuring approximately 60-200 mm in total length is about 80-150 mm. I set the lens at F22 and the result is good.

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Sunpak Ring Flash

Does the job. Neat, solid, clean.

Bulky, very expensive, limited controls, only manual mode with the D1X

This was a bit of a disappointment at first as it does not work in TTL with the D1X. However, it has produced some ecellent results in manual mode. Considering its price, the range of controls is poor. It is solidly built and does the job. Very expensive for what it does.

Customer Service

Not used

Similar Products Used:

SB28DX

Fairly simple to set up and use especially in TTL mode. Provides nice even lighting and allows setting either side to 1/4 poser.

`) My unit tests at a GN of 8 as opposed to the stated value of 11 (ISO100 in meters).
2) Bulky but less so than a flash bracket and off camera flash.

For closeup photography at 1:10 or greater a ringlight is a great convenience. My reduced GN means I frequently have to shoot at one stop wider than I want. Close-up TTL flash is a great timesaver and produces good photos. Like all Nikon products the SB-29 is pricey.

Customer Service

onoe

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I have not used other ring lights.

Flexibility in positioning;
Variable output allows customization;
Much better capabilities when compared to competing ringlights;
TTL autoexposure with Nikon bodies is excellent

Quite bulky as with all other ringlights;
Adapter rings blockout lens caps - rings have to be removed at the end of each session;

An excellent choice for Nikon system users who need significant closeup lighting. Good lighting and excellent TTL compatability provide a perfect choice for medical/surgical applications

Customer Service

None needed

Similar Products Used:

Sunpak DX 8-R/12-R
Phoenix ringlight
Vivitar 5000 Macro ringlight

2 seperate flashes which gives some depth to your picture. The preview function (short stoboscopic flashes) is very nice. You can adjust the output level between the 2 flashes a little bit.
You might use it as kind kind of ordinairy flash on top of the camera.
Very good flash results1

Low GN (11). The preview light (not the stoboscopic flashes) is a little dim. Like all macro flashes the flashes are too close together if you use a long lens, you can't flash from the side with it.
The filtersizes are a little bit limited (only nikon sizes) so I'd to make a work around for my superb Tamron 90 mm...
Finally the price is high, due to the fact that it is a specialized piece of equipment, and above all, it's a Nikon, so it's another 30% more expensive!

A very nice product with some very good features. It's the ultimate choice if you have a Nikon!

Customer Service

Not needed

Similar Products Used:

Minolta Macro flash 1200, suntax ringflash.

Accurate TTL, even a reverse 24mm for macro is used.
Easy to use and handling
More accurate TTL than Sunpak DX-12R.
Enable flash compensation(controlled by camera)
Accept Multi-sensor Balanced Fill Flash, center-weighted Fill Flash and spot Fill Flash metering.
With 3 seconds modelling light

Model light is helpful but quite dim.
Mainly designed for Nikkor macro lens.
Just Multi-Sensor Balance Fill Flash with CPU lens, no 3D fill flash even a D lens is used.

If you are serious on macro photography, or you like to take macro easily. It is the one.

Customer Service

not tried

Similar Products Used:

Sunpak DX-12R