Ringflash With Large Format ?

[Gauthier d'Ydewalle]

Is it possible to use a ringflash with a Sinar P2 ?

[Wayne_6692]

Balcar has a ringflash for their power packs - I'm sure that there are others.

[Erik The Viking]

Profoto, Broncolor, Briese, Elinchrom and Bowens have ringflashes with an inner diameter of 100mm. This allows the use of any lens that does not exceed this limit. The tricky part comes from trying to mount the ringflash to the Sinar P2 and lens. You will have to find some way to mount the ringflash on its own support without compromising the movements of the Sinar P2. Feasible but tricky.

[Ellis Vener]

Yes.

[Dave Anton]

I use the Profoto ringflash with Sinar gear. However, the ringflash was mounted on a second tripod.

[giancatarina]

and what about a portable ring flash unit such as nikon...?

[Ellis Vener]

You could use the Nikon or canon or sunpak ringflashes on a view camera but these light are very low power and are designed for macro work with a small format camera using relatively short lenses that don't require the longbellows extention you need for similar magnifications on large format film. If you don't believeme, look at the specs.

[Jonathan Brewer]

I've got the Profoto ring, just like Dave and it goes on a tripod easily. Profoto ring is also nice for handholding w/other formats while shooting through the ring mounted on a tripod.

Dave how are you doing? Did you get my e-mail?

[Ellis Vener]

The problem with Ring Flash set ups is that they come in two flavors small under powered for portrait work (these are really designed for macro work). And big and very powerful (and expensive!)

There are two basic flavors of this latter category: the big bare tube with possibly an accessory reflector. Whether you get a Profoto, Hensel, Broncolor, or Bowens/Calumet, you are getting the same basic instrument. And then there is the Balcar approach. Balcar makes two variations on the Ring Flash. The Big Diamond Boxes, which is like being ableto photograph through a large or very large Chimera lightbank More traditionally there is the LFX reflector that the camera attaches to or is mountedto a seperate tripod The LFX works with a Balcar Pencil Light heads as a light source. This is a pretty interesting tool because you can rotate the position of the light around the lens to give you control of the pllacement of the shadow. I think there is also a removable shield that can block the direct light from the flash tube to get the traditional hard shadowless "ring light" look. check these options at balcar.com..Look underthe photo menu and check out the options.

There is a third variation with the big Mola reflectors that can be configured with a camera port. This is similar to the Balcar Diamond Box but is round.

You can use a ringlight as the main light for your set up (ala' Michael Comte, etc.) or as a fill light, the way it seems Dan Winters uses a ring light.

Don't feel limited by other peoples lack of imagination.

[Jonathan Brewer]

Yes..I would also add that the Profoto reflector blocks the flash and bounces it back to the reflector. I like the Profoto which is equally at home w/reflector as a stationary light on its on mount, or mounted to a camera body. When mated w/camera body, it's fairly light once you tighten it, it stays tight.