Flash photos produce distinct, harsh shadows. The ExpoImaging Ray Flash ($200 direct) solves that by turning your Canon or Nikon flash into a ring flash, providing a circle of light around the lens. This geeky looking contraption works like a downward-facing periscope: Baffles, prisms and mirrors channel the light down from your clip-on flash to a ring around your camera lens. I found it produced better color balance (left photo above showing dried flowers in a vase) than direct flash.
Light loss is about 1 f/stop, meaning half the light gets through. It’s automatically compensated by the camera’s exposure sensor. In comparison, a dedicated ring flash from Canon is $495 and targets close-up (macro) photography, particularly medical photography. The Ray Flash can be used for general purpose photography, anything from shooting fashion models to product close-ups for eBay listings. In a close-up of a model, if you see a circular highlight reflection in the eye, that’s a ring flash. The shadow behind the model often has a halo-like effect. When you use a ring flash with another flash off camera, or the ring flash alone outdoors, it softens shadows on a person’s face, such as between the subject’s neck and her long hair.
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