Advice with Flash & Macro Filter

07/18/2004 11:53:09 PM · #1

Hello Good People!

I will be getting some bday gifts soon & wanted to steer people towards getting me something I can actually use.
I wanted to get an external flash for my 300D, perferably the 550 (not sure if there is a specific one made for the 300D) & was looking into getting a macro extender for my sigma 105mm for those super jacko close ups.
Any advie out there in dpcland?
Thanks in advance
ooh, yeah, links would greatly be appreciated if possible!

Message edited by author 2004-07-18 23:53:36.

biohazard

Canon EOS-30D

Canon EF 35mm f/2.0

07/19/2004 04:42:16 AM · #2

Hiya,

don't know if this is what you're looking for but i got a 58MM AML filter for my Sigma 70-300MM Macro Super II lens and am very impressed with it. It brings my macro focal distance down from 1 meter to under half a meter and the pics are amazing.

It came free with my lens so don't know the cheapest place and couldn't find it on Kelkoo. Sorry!

07/21/2004 01:12:12 PM · #3

I am also looking for a flash meter. Any thoughts out there?
Thanks Bio!

Canon EF-S 15-85mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM

07/21/2004 02:20:22 PM · #4

bump

superdave_909

Canon EOS-60D

07/21/2004 02:29:30 PM · #5

Originally posted by Rooster:

I am also looking for a flash meter. Any thoughts out there?
Thanks Bio!

minolta auto meter
or if your looking for economical
try polaris

garlic

Canon EOS-10D

Sigma 15-30mm f/3.5-4.5 EX Aspherical DG DF for Canon

07/21/2004 02:42:41 PM · #6

There is no specific flash for 300D. IÂ´ve very lite experience with flashes but Canon 550 is probably the best hotshue flash you can get. But maybe it would be worth it to take a look at the Sigma flash (dont rember the type name but I think it is 500 something). Almost all the same settings as in the Canon flash for half the price.

EddyG

Canon EOS-1D Mark II

Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM

07/21/2004 02:45:10 PM · #7

Originally posted by Rooster:

I am also looking for a flash meter. Any thoughts out there?

Sekonic L-358. Add it to your cart to get an even better price that what is shown... I just got one and it is quite nice. One thing that is cool is that it will measure both the ambient and flash lighting and show you the percentage that the flash is contributing to the total exposure.

And yes, the 550EX is the "big daddy" of flashes for the Digital Rebel. The 420EX is also a very nice flash; you can always add a 550EX later and use the 420EX as a wireless slave in an E-TTL compatible multi-flash setup.

Note that a light meter is typically most useful in a "manual flash" situation (i.e., a 550EX in manual mode or when when working with studio lighting). In E-TTL mode (like when using the on-board or a shoe-mounted Canon Speedlight), the flash power is controlled by the camera for a "proper" exposure -- you typically don't need a light meter to know what aperture to set like you do with strudio strobes, for example.

aznym

Fujifilm X-T3

Fujifilm XF 23mm f/2 R WR

07/21/2004 02:45:12 PM · #8

If you are not worried about budget, check out the Sekonic meters.
//www.sekonic.com/
L-558 would be an excellent choice. :)

EDIT: Eddy is a few steps ahead of me as always 8-)

Message edited by author 2004-07-21 14:47:03.

Gordon

RIM BlackBerry Curve

Canon EF 85mm f/1.8 USM

07/21/2004 04:32:24 PM · #9

Originally posted by EddyG:

Originally posted by Rooster:
I am also looking for a flash meter. Any thoughts out there?

Sekonic L-358. Add it to your cart to get an even better price that what is shown... I just got one and it is quite nice. One thing that is cool is that it will measure both the ambient and flash lighting and show you the percentage that the flash is contributing to the total exposure.

And yes, the 550EX is the "big daddy" of flashes for the Digital Rebel. The 420EX is also a very nice flash; you can always add a 550EX later and use the 420EX as a wireless slave in an E-TTL compatible multi-flash setup.

Note that a light meter is typically most useful in a "manual flash" situation (i.e., a 550EX in manual mode or when when working with studio lighting). In E-TTL mode (like when using the on-board or a shoe-mounted Canon Speedlight), the flash power is controlled by the camera for a "proper" exposure -- you typically don't need a light meter to know what aperture to set like you do with strudio strobes, for example.

All that's missing is a decent spot meter. I'd love to get a decent light meter, but I'm currently struggling with the idea of paying $500 for it...

EddyG

Canon EOS-1D Mark II

Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM

07/21/2004 04:41:30 PM · #10

Originally posted by Gordon:

All that's missing is a decent spot meter. I'd love to get a decent light meter, but I'm currently struggling with the idea of paying $500 for it...

Although that would be nice (and the L-558 does add a spot meter), I figured I would see how useful the L-358 was and see if I really need the spot meter. I was mostly interested in an incident meter (one that would measure the light as it arrives at the subject -- regardless of the tone of the subject -- since my camera already has a reflected light meter built-in, as does just about every other auto-exposure camera out there...) Plus, the 1D Mark II has a 2.4% spot metering mode, as well as a multi-spot metering mode that allows you to average up to 8 readings...

Message edited by author 2004-07-21 16:45:29.

Gordon

RIM BlackBerry Curve

Canon EF 85mm f/1.8 USM

07/21/2004 04:45:49 PM · #11

Originally posted by EddyG:

Originally posted by Gordon:
All that's missing is a decent spot meter. I'd love to get a decent light meter, but I'm currently struggling with the idea of paying $500 for it...

Although that would be nice (and the L-558 does add a spot meter), I figured I would see how useful the L-358 was and see if I really need the spot meter. I was mostly interested in an incident meter (one that would measure the light as it arrives at the subject -- regardless of the tone of the subject -- since my camera already has a reflected light meter built-in, as does just about every other auto-exposure camera out there...)

Spot meter is one of the few things I'd really be interested in it for, the control of a 1 degree spot meter is a whole level above anything in camera, even with a camera with an actual working spot meter. More particularly, being able to use that spot meter with a decent manual flash unit (synced through a PC port)

07/21/2004 06:10:33 PM · #12

some good stuff guys.ill look into all the suggestions. I am definitely leaning towards the more economical path as my need for equipment is not professionally based.
Any other ideas would be good.
Any info out there about a good macro filter for the sigma 105mm?

Canon RF 24-70mm f/2.8 L IS

07/21/2004 08:16:40 PM · #13

bump

kirbic

Canon EOS R5

07/21/2004 11:23:29 PM · #14

Do you own extension tubes? How about a teleconverter, 1.4x or 2.0x? A 50mm lens? If you have any of these, you already have the means to increase your magnification beyond the 1:1 that the 105 is capable of. I made a chart for max. magnification for my Canon 100mm macro:

It should be valid for the Sigma 105mm macro as well. The stated magnifications are all a little high, maybe 5% or so, because of the method I used to determine magnification. It affected all results uniformly, though, so the munbers are accurate relative to each other.
You can see that with a 2x teleconverter, you can bump you magnification to 2.0x! Add extension tubes, and you're up to 3.0x. You'll find that magnification much beyond 3x gets very hard to manage. If you want outrageous magnification, go to the reversed 50mm (you'll need a "macro coupling ring", available for about $10).
Hope this helps...