Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1998/12/28

[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]

Subject: [Leica] ringlights
From: "BIRKEY, DUANE" <dbirkey@hcjb.org.ec>
Date: Mon, 28 Dec 1998 15:43:51 -0500

I have a Sunpak 622 with an optional ringlight head but I rarely use 
it........  One of the things I discovered in doing some  tests before 
using it to photograph eyes before surgery was that it gave a circular 
highlight/reflection that made it near impossible to see anything on the 
cornea itself.....  I'm not sure how it would work on photographing the 
thickness of lenses.....

In the end I discovered that I could mask out all of the ringlight except 
for about 1/2 to 3/4 of an inch on either side.  This gave two smaller 
highlights and great results.  I prefer doing exposure by distance and I 
used a Minolta flashmeter to help make a chart of correct exposures..... 
remember to include the extension factor in your exposure calculations 
though.......  and do some tests!  I've  never seen a real  R-8 in action 
so that may work as well.

There is also a Vivitar ringlight 5000 that can be had for around $80 if 
I remember right.

Duane Birkey

HCJB World Radio
Quito Ecuador