22 mins into the video and I realised I'd made the right decision and the right purchase! As you were demonstrating the LED desk light! Also the smaller Gooseneck lights. I cannot understand for the life of me why certain companies are charging a small fortune for devices that do exactly the same job! Thanks for a very informative video.
Thanks Ashley. I don't know if there are any wrong decisions in photography. If our work says what we want it to, then we made the right decision. Glad to have you onboard!
Allen, I certainly enjoy your creative ideas for indoor micro photography. The one thing I was interested in is how you attached your focus rail and camera to your homemade lighting stand. Thank you
A great tutorial which covers a variety of lighting and background options. To achieve a truly black background, however, I think there's a better way, and it doesn't involve positioning baffles or using black cardstock or cloth background, though those items might be useful on occasion. It just requires a bit of space -- enough space that the distance to the background is many multiples of the distance between your principal subject and the lights (either constant or flash) which illuminate it. The operative principles? (1) black isn't a color; it's the absence of light. (2), light diminishes in proportion to the square of the distance from light to subject (the inverse square law). And (3), If the background is far enough away from a light source to be deprived of light, then it will appear black no matter what color it actually is. The "black" background in many of my shots is actually a white garage door. I setup my macro equipment in a cluttered garage (half of it filled with woodworking machines) because I don't have a dedicated space for it in my modest home, because the garage floor is concrete and less prone to vibration than the wood floor in my living quarters, and because the garage lacks window, which enables me to better control lighting. If I back out the car, I have a large, albeit it temporary, space to work in. Suppose I'm lighting my subject (an insect, for example) with either constant LEDs or speedlights operating at fractional power. And suppose that those lights yield proper exposure of the subject when only a few inches away from the bug. If the background is double the distance in inches from those lights, then it will receive only 1/4 the amount (inverse square) of light as the principal subject. If five times the distance, it will receive only 1/25 the mount of light. If ten times the distance, then only 1/100 the amount of light. If twenty times the distance, then only 1/400 the amount of light, and so on. If the lights are only inches from the subject and background is situated many feet away, then the fall-off of illumination is so dramatic that it's equivalent to far more stops than the dynamic range of your camera sensor. Voila, a truly black background. Try it! Hank
Allen… Thanks for this great video! I’m at this moment starting out with Macro and have decided to start with a simple home studio. Lighting has been a big challenge so this video has me off to IKEA…LOL
My go to setup to get a black background would have been to shut the aperture down to like F11 and shoot against a black background that sat back a few feet. Your method seems to work really well, preserves sharpness, and is a lot more compact. I'll be giving that a try soon, thanks for taking the time to make these videos! I for one appreciate you sharing your hard won expertise so freely! Cheers!
Thanks for the feedback. I actually learned this technique using it for large scale product photography. It is a bit more trouble to set up (and you need enormous flags) but the isolation of the background works really well. Happy New Year!
I bought a couple of those inexpensive LED lights from Ikea that you mention in the video and have been very pleased with the amount of light they provide as I photograph spring flowers, but I have (until now) not been able to get the colors right. Yesterday, I finally had a DUH moment and realized I should check my camera's (D7200) white balance. My white balance was set at 5000+K, and the Ikea web page for the lights says they produce light at 2700K. Once I have set my white balance at 2700K, everything looks great! Also, I have been using the self-timer to eliminate camera shake between focus stacking shots and have now switched to a manual shutter release (MC-DC2), and that has sped up the process considerably.
Hi Allan, thank you for your video, It was the first time i have watched one of your video's. I am glad to report that i tried lighting up a bottle stopper from underneath a blue piece of card with a small LCD light and i got great results and improved my likes on the Macro monday's group of Flickr that i enjoy being part of. Thanks again ..
great tip with the light attached to a metal straw. something that makes a great light scatter is putting a light source through a drinking glass with engraved/cut pattern on it. nice for a bokeh background or funky light on your subject
Hi Allan, yes once again a really informative and enjoyable video. Fingers crossed for the video showing the design and making of your lighting frame/rig that you mentioned. Thank you and Happy New Year from the UK.
Thanks Kevin! Based on the feedback, I'll definitely be doing the DIY cage video. I'll try to get to it this weekend. Happy New Year from the deep south!
They are from Ikea, but apparently they don't make these ones any more. They have something very similar that is a good deal right now - two lamps with clips for positioning... amzn.to/3sHM1SK
Hello Allan, Just discovered your videos. Very informative. I already had one of these Ikea led lamps for domestic reasons. The shop in question being round the corner i'll buy two or three more. I very much appreciate your sharing of your expertise. In my case the actual shop in Haarlem (The Netherlands) is closed because of covid-19, but they have sort of a takeaway in the parking lot so I can pick them up tomorrow or the day after. That's all folks. Wish you all good health.
Hi Allan!!, this is a magnificent video about the different ways of using various lighting sources, with this video you have helped me a lot to clear the doubts I had about how to use the flash, how to get the black and white backgrounds, how to use the led lights, in short many tips on what can be done with things we have at home. I have learned a lot with you these days, I am recovering from a surgery that was done to my face and I cannot do some things, so I am taking advantage of these moments to learn everything you are teaching in your videos. I am going to send you some of the photos that I have taken and also one of my work table that is similar to the one you have for you to give me your opinion. Personally I thank you all the time you take to prepare your videos with very precise and detailed information in addition to showing all the material we can use and how to do it economically. Allan God bless you. With best wishes Enrique.
Thank you for the kind feedback, Enrique! I will be happy to look at your images and your shooting table. Just send them to contact@allanwallsphotography.com and I will get right back to you. I hope your recovery is quick and complete and wish you and your family a happy and productive 2020!
Great tips! Thank you, sir. Do you think it's a good idea to put a raynox near lens infront of a dedicated macro lens, to get closer to the subject? Or it'll destroy the image quality? Thank you in advance.
Generally, close up filters are designed to work best with normal or short telephoto lenses. You can use a closeup filter to increase the magnification of a macro lens, but there are many better ways to accomplish the added magnification. The way a macro lens is constructed, the object distance is dramatically decreased by increasing the image distance. The closeup filter just presents a larger "object" to the lens. BUT it comes at a high price - even the great DCR 150 is going to introduce significant geometric and chromatic aberrations while depriving the lens of the ability to focus at infinity. For the added magnification, you will be limited to a very narrow range of lens-subject distances (6-9") and you won't be able to focus on anything closer or further away than that. It is not a good way to get more magnification. Extension tubes are better and cheaper with fewer problems. But there are much better ways to get above 1:1, with reversed lenses and other types of lenses (enlarger lenses for example) that cost less than a Raynox and will comfortably get you to 4:1. I have about 100 videos on this channel where you can learn most of what I know on the subject. But I wouldn't recommend a Raynox on a macro lens.
Hello Allan - I've had issues with LED lights flickering (when using constant lighting sources) - any comment on that one I wonder ? I've ordered up the Ikea LED flexible arm lights you suggested to try with my macro work. But I wondered - with a Nikon Z7ii and Helicon Remote for focus stacking I have suffered with LED flicker in the past. So hoping the Ikea lights I've ordered don't suffer with that !! Thanks for some great inexpensive and creative ideas in your videos on macro photography !! Richard
I always walk away with a useful nugget or two from watching your videos. Love the wrapping paper "gel" idea. With a little imagination you can save tons of money on your photography (which is expensive enough!). Happy New Year to you Sir!
Thank you! Yes, I spend a lot of time trying to find cheaper solutions for photographic gear but still haven't figured out how to build a homemade D850! I'll keep working on it.
Hi, found your channel couple days ago...very nice content! Macro photography is my favorite , so really enjoying your tips. Would love to see your version of a platform/cage. Happy New Year!! Regards from Athens,Greece
Thank you for the kind words! I'm glad you are finding the content helpful. I will plan on getting the "cage" video done in the next couple of weeks. Best wishes for 2020!
Thanks! Those LEDs came with a dirt cheap light tent that I found during one of my thrift store outings. I have no idea what brand they are and I took them apart and built new clamps to hold them onto a macro lighting rig that I built. Having said that, these look almost identical to the ones I found... www.amazon.com/ESDDI-Photography-Portable-Jewellery-Advertising/dp/B07P5N7WB3/ref=sr_1_17_sspa?keywords=tabletop+light+tent&qid=1581094623&sr=8-17-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUEzQlpZVEM5SjlINkcyJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwNjMxODc3MlVJTkU4UkxDWkVXRSZlbmNyeXB0ZWRBZElkPUEwODEyMzkwSThVTEhMSEJWS1FVJndpZGdldE5hbWU9c3BfbXRmJmFjdGlvbj1jbGlja1JlZGlyZWN0JmRvTm90TG9nQ2xpY2s9dHJ1ZQ== ... and it appears a lot of other companies use the same lights. They are very bright and very harsh but with enough diffusion they are handy for continuous lighting in tight spaces. Remember, they are LEDs, so you need to be careful about flickering if you plan to use them for video lighting. I hope that helps!
It is really a matter of taste. I use them both, depending on the effect I am trying to achieve. Experiment! There are very few absolutes in macro - it's what makes it so much fun!
I want to step up my macro photography and have recently gotten a couple of flashes and also a Mcoplus 14EXT-N 5500K Macro TTL Ring Flash. The ring flash is a definite step up from the smaller, less expensive ring light (I may not be phrasing that correctly). My lack of knowledge when it comes to flashes (of any type) is really showing its head. Are you familiar with anything like that or do you have videos (that I haven't found yet) on using a flash properly? The A and B options and just using the flash, in general, are all very confusing. I have only found a couple of videos on that particular macro flash. Thanks!
You have good taste in ring lights... that is also the one I use. I focus mostly on multiple off camera flashes for studio macro. The ring flash becomes a useful tool in the field. I have found this particular light is very prone to overheating and thermal shutdown, so it should be used deliberately. Diffusing these devices is difficult and I came up with a diffusion device that works well but is a pain to make. I have not done a video on how to use the ring flash, but I have several videos in which I have used it. It would take just a few minutes to walk you through the setup. If you want to shoot me an email (contact@allanwallsphotography.com), I will be happy to set up a time to talk.
@@AllanWallsPhotography I hadn't even gotten that far as to think about diffusing it. I was just trying to use it and I can't even get it to flash. Totally sure that it is an operator error!
Hi Michael, I am afraid I have no idea of the color temperature of those IKEA lights. I stopped using them a couple of years ago when I noticed that the lights were yellowing slightly and the temperature was drifting. If I had to guess I would say that when brand new the color temperature was around 4800. Modern bicolor LED tablets much better in terms of color temperature control and CRI. They're also a lot more flexible in terms of positioning and offer an all-around better experience. I seldom use continuous light anymore but I would be much more comfortable with today's LEDs then with the old Janslo lights. Having said that many great macro photographers are still using them to this day. I'm sorry I can't give you more accurate information.
Hi David, Absolutely - but you want to look for something that has a parabolic cross-section, so that the reflected light can be aimed. I usually use reflective card, bent into shape, because it is so light to handle and can be made to a specific size. I have used beauty dishes in the past, they work really well, but they are so bulky that they tend to get in the way. But give it a try, and if it works out, let me know. Cheers!
I should have looked this up before making the video! It looks like my lamps have been "upgraded" to a new version. The closest match they now carry is the Nävlinge and the price is up to $14. I can't tell from looking at it if the arm is as bendy as the versions I have, but these ones do have replaceable bulbs, which is cool. To find one, just go to Ikea's website and search for Nävlinge Lamp. Hope that helps!
I do, but not that much. My goal is to get people to try macro, without having to invest in much more than a couple of adapter rings or a set of extension tubes. Using these dirt cheap lights is one of the ways people can experiment with new lighting concepts at the lowest possible price. Anyone who gets bitten by macro will quickly upgrade to using high quality LED light sources, like the $80+ Lume Cube. The low CRI of these lamps makes them ill suited for use where color accuracy is paramount (human skin, for example), but they are quite adequate for illuminating a house fly (unless you are an entomologist gathering images of various species, and you know what shade the fly's compound eye is supposed to be!). This is just an inexpensive entry point to the world of macro. As a side note, I try to nudge people towards speedlights. They are a bit more of an investment, but they pay off in color rendition. I hope that helps explain where I am coming from! Thanks for raising the point - it's an important one.
@@AllanWallsPhotography Don't get me wrong, I think your videos are great. But with cheap light the temperature is also different (with each lamp) Okay I do not have a light meter costs 1500 euros or more to measure that. And that is probably also not important if the colors are correct with macro nobody sees it
It is mostly to prevent unwanted light from entering the frame. Without using flags, the light could enter the frame and interfere with the level of ambient light. The matt black surface of the card absorbs virtually all the photons that strike it. Eliminating unwanted light is as important as providing wanted light!
@@AllanWallsPhotography "and interfere with the level of ambient light" - how exactly? Especially considering that you are pointing a flash at the background anyway - so why cut the light from the front flash then? The only reason I see is that such setup gives an ability to set exposure level for the background and the subject separately.
@@andreip9378 Yes. That is precisely why. Pointing a flash at the background and illuminating the background are two different things. At low power, the inverse square law may prevent any light making it to the background, but at higher powers, some may make it to the background. I don't want any light falling on the background (or anywhere else that I don't want it) other than the light that I put there. We use flags to ensure that only the light we want to affect a part of our scene can do so - the flags block any light that we don't. I always flag my backgrounds so that I can light them independently and balance the foreground exposure.
@@andreip9378 Yes. I use the Pocket Wizard III Plus as well as the Godox X-1 for extreme macro work. Thanks for the questions - I hope you found the answers you needed.
Such a great video and so underrated! I am learning about macro photography and I know small spot light would be the best for my photos but I can't find anything cheap which will have rgb. There is adaptalux but its so overpriced. That IKEA light is so amazing, shame its not multicolour. Thank you for that amazing video!
The danger of using wrapping paper over actual gels will become apparent this very first time one melts onto your light.Even if you can't justify Lee or Rosco gels even the off brand ones on Amazon won't melt and won't need to have layers taped together to achieve adequate colour saturation. If you just need them for speed lights, Rosco sells swatch packs very inexpensively that have every colour they make. Under 10 bucks.
Hi Robbie. Thanks for this important reminder. I should have been more clear that this alternative to gels should never be deployed if a modeling light is being used. In more than a decade of using cellophane, on studio lights and speedlights, I have never had one of the filters melt. But, as you point out, it isn't the ideal solution. It is just an alternative for people on a very tight budget who are willing to take extra precautions. I have the Rosco speedlight gels and love them.
nice video, by the way the reason there is a problem with mixed lighting is two fold, one is that differing light/ energy frequencies refract at different angles in a lens, so you can get flare and glare, regardless of if the lens is coated or not, also the MAIN reason is that the camera itself gets confused as you can ONLY set ONE white balance at a time!, using two lights may confuse the Auto W B in the camera to select the wrong light temp. as the one for the photo, and if you use flash, the "flash" setting is selected Automatically, and CAN NOT be altered.
You are absolutely right. I stopped using this some months ago. Some of the colors are OK but many of them produce pretty horrible casts. Appreciate the comment. Thank you.
Lighting with LED’S has gotten much brighter over the past four years.
Thank you Allen for your guidance in such a complex subject which is relatively ignored. Hats off to your creativity and sense of humor !!
Thank you so much, Allan, I really appreciate your advice on lighting. This is fantastic!
The last one using light as bed lamp is awesome
22 mins into the video and I realised I'd made the right decision and the right purchase! As you were demonstrating the LED desk light! Also the smaller Gooseneck lights. I cannot understand for the life of me why certain companies are charging a small fortune for devices that do exactly the same job! Thanks for a very informative video.
Thanks Ashley. I don't know if there are any wrong decisions in photography. If our work says what we want it to, then we made the right decision. Glad to have you onboard!
Allen,
I certainly enjoy your creative ideas for indoor micro photography. The one thing I was interested in is how you attached your focus rail and camera to your homemade lighting stand. Thank you
A great tutorial which covers a variety of lighting and background options. To achieve a truly black background, however, I think there's a better way, and it doesn't involve positioning baffles or using black cardstock or cloth background, though those items might be useful on occasion. It just requires a bit of space -- enough space that the distance to the background is many multiples of the distance between your principal subject and the lights (either constant or flash) which illuminate it.
The operative principles? (1) black isn't a color; it's the absence of light. (2), light diminishes in proportion to the square of the distance from light to subject (the inverse square law). And (3), If the background is far enough away from a light source to be deprived of light, then it will appear black no matter what color it actually is. The "black" background in many of my shots is actually a white garage door.
I setup my macro equipment in a cluttered garage (half of it filled with woodworking machines) because I don't have a dedicated space for it in my modest home, because the garage floor is concrete and less prone to vibration than the wood floor in my living quarters, and because the garage lacks window, which enables me to better control lighting. If I back out the car, I have a large, albeit it temporary, space to work in. Suppose I'm lighting my subject (an insect, for example) with either constant LEDs or speedlights operating at fractional power. And suppose that those lights yield proper exposure of the subject when only a few inches away from the bug. If the background is double the distance in inches from those lights, then it will receive only 1/4 the amount (inverse square) of light as the principal subject. If five times the distance, it will receive only 1/25 the mount of light. If ten times the distance, then only 1/100 the amount of light. If twenty times the distance, then only 1/400 the amount of light, and so on. If the lights are only inches from the subject and background is situated many feet away, then the fall-off of illumination is so dramatic that it's equivalent to far more stops than the dynamic range of your camera sensor. Voila, a truly black background. Try it!
Hank
Allen… Thanks for this great video! I’m at this moment starting out with Macro and have decided to start with a simple home studio. Lighting has been a big challenge so this video has me off to IKEA…LOL
Awesome talk! Thx much!
My go to setup to get a black background would have been to shut the aperture down to like F11 and shoot against a black background that sat back a few feet. Your method seems to work really well, preserves sharpness, and is a lot more compact. I'll be giving that a try soon, thanks for taking the time to make these videos! I for one appreciate you sharing your hard won expertise so freely! Cheers!
Thanks for the feedback. I actually learned this technique using it for large scale product photography. It is a bit more trouble to set up (and you need enormous flags) but the isolation of the background works really well. Happy New Year!
I bought a couple of those inexpensive LED lights from Ikea that you mention in the video and have been very pleased with the amount of light they provide as I photograph spring flowers, but I have (until now) not been able to get the colors right. Yesterday, I finally had a DUH moment and realized I should check my camera's (D7200) white balance. My white balance was set at 5000+K, and the Ikea web page for the lights says they produce light at 2700K. Once I have set my white balance at 2700K, everything looks great! Also, I have been using the self-timer to eliminate camera shake between focus stacking shots and have now switched to a manual shutter release (MC-DC2), and that has sped up the process considerably.
Another great video. New subscriber.
Thank you again, Allan.
Hi Allan, thank you for your video, It was the first time i have watched one of your video's. I am glad to report that i tried lighting up a bottle stopper from underneath a blue piece of card with a small LCD light and i got great results and improved my likes on the Macro monday's group of Flickr that i enjoy being part of. Thanks again ..
Excellent! Thanks Nicola, glad you liked it!
great tip with the light attached to a metal straw.
something that makes a great light scatter is putting a light source through a drinking glass with engraved/cut pattern on it. nice for a bokeh background or funky light on your subject
Another excellent video with a wealth of valuable tips and tricks. Thank you. Looks like I'll be back in IKEA once restrictions allow.
Thank You Allen 🤗🤗🤗
Hi Allan, yes once again a really informative and enjoyable video. Fingers crossed for the video showing the design and making of your lighting frame/rig that you mentioned. Thank you and Happy New Year from the UK.
Thanks Kevin! Based on the feedback, I'll definitely be doing the DIY cage video. I'll try to get to it this weekend. Happy New Year from the deep south!
Thanks for the great tutorial. What brand are the small round led light on the arm with the clamp?
They are from Ikea, but apparently they don't make these ones any more. They have something very similar that is a good deal right now - two lamps with clips for positioning... amzn.to/3sHM1SK
Amazing video... thanks for sharing all that knowledge. Try reading by speedlight LOL
Thsnk you for that honest session ❤
Colleague I like the Ikea yellow natural light 💡. you mentioned in. 36:02 not harsh and very consistent.
Thank you Allan!
Hello Allan,
Just discovered your videos. Very informative. I already had one of these Ikea led lamps for domestic reasons. The shop in question being round the corner i'll buy two or three more.
I very much appreciate your sharing of your expertise. In my case the actual shop in Haarlem (The Netherlands) is closed because of covid-19, but they have sort of a takeaway in the parking lot so I can pick them up tomorrow or the day after.
That's all folks. Wish you all good health.
Thanks Wouter, sorry I missed your comment before. I hope the lights are working out for you!
Hi Allan!!, this is a magnificent video about the different ways of using various lighting sources, with this video you have helped me a lot to clear the doubts I had about how to use the flash, how to get the black and white backgrounds, how to use the led lights, in short many tips on what can be done with things we have at home. I have learned a lot with you these days, I am recovering from a surgery that was done to my face and I cannot do some things, so I am taking advantage of these moments to learn everything you are teaching in your videos. I am going to send you some of the photos that I have taken and also one of my work table that is similar to the one you have for you to give me your opinion. Personally I thank you all the time you take to prepare your videos with very precise and detailed information in addition to showing all the material we can use and how to do it economically. Allan God bless you. With best wishes Enrique.
Thank you for the kind feedback, Enrique! I will be happy to look at your images and your shooting table. Just send them to contact@allanwallsphotography.com and I will get right back to you. I hope your recovery is quick and complete and wish you and your family a happy and productive 2020!
Allan thank you very much for your wishes and my Family and I also wish you the best in this new year 2020!!
The flat round LED lights are probably "Habitat Dotty LED Clamp Lamp - Black" available in the UK from Argos, price £15.
Great tips! Thank you, sir. Do you think it's a good idea to put a raynox near lens infront of a dedicated macro lens, to get closer to the subject? Or it'll destroy the image quality?
Thank you in advance.
Generally, close up filters are designed to work best with normal or short telephoto lenses. You can use a closeup filter to increase the magnification of a macro lens, but there are many better ways to accomplish the added magnification. The way a macro lens is constructed, the object distance is dramatically decreased by increasing the image distance. The closeup filter just presents a larger "object" to the lens. BUT it comes at a high price - even the great DCR 150 is going to introduce significant geometric and chromatic aberrations while depriving the lens of the ability to focus at infinity. For the added magnification, you will be limited to a very narrow range of lens-subject distances (6-9") and you won't be able to focus on anything closer or further away than that. It is not a good way to get more magnification. Extension tubes are better and cheaper with fewer problems. But there are much better ways to get above 1:1, with reversed lenses and other types of lenses (enlarger lenses for example) that cost less than a Raynox and will comfortably get you to 4:1. I have about 100 videos on this channel where you can learn most of what I know on the subject. But I wouldn't recommend a Raynox on a macro lens.
Hi Allan, once again I really enjoyed your video.
Some really useful advice.
Looking forward to 2020 line up.
Cheers and happy new year from NZ
Thanks Tony! Happy New Year to you!
can you explain how did you build yuor "macro table" and what are the 3 screws for???
Allan, Could you please make a video about Gemstone photography and what will be your setup? and what type of Lens do you use?
Hello Allan - I've had issues with LED lights flickering (when using constant lighting sources) - any comment on that one I wonder ? I've ordered up the Ikea LED flexible arm lights you suggested to try with my macro work. But I wondered - with a Nikon Z7ii and Helicon Remote for focus stacking I have suffered with LED flicker in the past. So hoping the Ikea lights I've ordered don't suffer with that !!
Thanks for some great inexpensive and creative ideas in your videos on macro photography !!
Richard
Use DC power for LED from battery or acumulators not power from AC home cable.
The LED lights (in this case from Godox) were running from a DC battery supply.@@gabipaduraru2004
First time on your Channel, and I really liked your explanation. Thanks for the class.
Thanks Joao!
Excellent advice. Thanks
Thanks Lysander! Happy New Year!
Really enjoy your video"s...keep up the good work!
I always walk away with a useful nugget or two from watching your videos. Love the wrapping paper "gel" idea. With a little imagination you can save tons of money on your photography (which is expensive enough!). Happy New Year to you Sir!
Thank you! Yes, I spend a lot of time trying to find cheaper solutions for photographic gear but still haven't figured out how to build a homemade D850! I'll keep working on it.
Hi, found your channel couple days ago...very nice content! Macro photography is my favorite , so really enjoying your tips. Would love to see your version of a platform/cage. Happy New Year!! Regards from Athens,Greece
Thank you for the kind words! I'm glad you are finding the content helpful. I will plan on getting the "cage" video done in the next couple of weeks. Best wishes for 2020!
where can I get those LED at 4:43 in your video, sir, and what brand? Your beatle shot there was magnificent.
Thanks! Those LEDs came with a dirt cheap light tent that I found during one of my thrift store outings. I have no idea what brand they are and I took them apart and built new clamps to hold them onto a macro lighting rig that I built. Having said that, these look almost identical to the ones I found... www.amazon.com/ESDDI-Photography-Portable-Jewellery-Advertising/dp/B07P5N7WB3/ref=sr_1_17_sspa?keywords=tabletop+light+tent&qid=1581094623&sr=8-17-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUEzQlpZVEM5SjlINkcyJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwNjMxODc3MlVJTkU4UkxDWkVXRSZlbmNyeXB0ZWRBZElkPUEwODEyMzkwSThVTEhMSEJWS1FVJndpZGdldE5hbWU9c3BfbXRmJmFjdGlvbj1jbGlja1JlZGlyZWN0JmRvTm90TG9nQ2xpY2s9dHJ1ZQ==
... and it appears a lot of other companies use the same lights. They are very bright and very harsh but with enough diffusion they are handy for continuous lighting in tight spaces. Remember, they are LEDs, so you need to be careful about flickering if you plan to use them for video lighting. I hope that helps!
Would you agree that the only reason for focus stacking is because of insufficient depth of field, or are there other reasons?
Hi Allan, Love the video. I have found similar lamps on ebay but they are a LED warm light 3000k is a daylight lamp preferable
It is really a matter of taste. I use them both, depending on the effect I am trying to achieve. Experiment! There are very few absolutes in macro - it's what makes it so much fun!
@@AllanWallsPhotography Thanks Allan, at the price they are it's not going to break the bank to get both
I want to step up my macro photography and have recently gotten a couple of flashes and also a Mcoplus 14EXT-N 5500K Macro TTL Ring Flash. The ring flash is a definite step up from the smaller, less expensive ring light (I may not be phrasing that correctly). My lack of knowledge when it comes to flashes (of any type) is really showing its head. Are you familiar with anything like that or do you have videos (that I haven't found yet) on using a flash properly? The A and B options and just using the flash, in general, are all very confusing. I have only found a couple of videos on that particular macro flash. Thanks!
You have good taste in ring lights... that is also the one I use. I focus mostly on multiple off camera flashes for studio macro. The ring flash becomes a useful tool in the field. I have found this particular light is very prone to overheating and thermal shutdown, so it should be used deliberately. Diffusing these devices is difficult and I came up with a diffusion device that works well but is a pain to make. I have not done a video on how to use the ring flash, but I have several videos in which I have used it. It would take just a few minutes to walk you through the setup. If you want to shoot me an email (contact@allanwallsphotography.com), I will be happy to set up a time to talk.
@@AllanWallsPhotography I hadn't even gotten that far as to think about diffusing it. I was just trying to use it and I can't even get it to flash. Totally sure that it is an operator error!
Get info....where did you get that little softbox and battery pack statue
Do you have any idea of the color temperature of the LED lights?
Hi Michael, I am afraid I have no idea of the color temperature of those IKEA lights. I stopped using them a couple of years ago when I noticed that the lights were yellowing slightly and the temperature was drifting. If I had to guess I would say that when brand new the color temperature was around 4800. Modern bicolor LED tablets much better in terms of color temperature control and CRI. They're also a lot more flexible in terms of positioning and offer an all-around better experience. I seldom use continuous light anymore but I would be much more comfortable with today's LEDs then with the old Janslo lights. Having said that many great macro photographers are still using them to this day. I'm sorry I can't give you more accurate information.
@@AllanWallsPhotography Thanks! I really enjoy your videos. I am learning so much from them! Also, very entertaining!
Just wondering if a small BBQ lid painted with flat white or silver spray paint on the inside as DIY.
Hi David, Absolutely - but you want to look for something that has a parabolic cross-section, so that the reflected light can be aimed. I usually use reflective card, bent into shape, because it is so light to handle and can be made to a specific size. I have used beauty dishes in the past, they work really well, but they are so bulky that they tend to get in the way. But give it a try, and if it works out, let me know. Cheers!
Hi Allan, very interesting and informative, could you possibly let me know what is the model no etc. of the Ikea clip on lamp, they look great!
I should have looked this up before making the video! It looks like my lamps have been "upgraded" to a new version. The closest match they now carry is the Nävlinge and the price is up to $14. I can't tell from looking at it if the arm is as bendy as the versions I have, but these ones do have replaceable bulbs, which is cool. To find one, just go to Ikea's website and search for Nävlinge Lamp. Hope that helps!
Hi Allen, you don't worry about the CRI values an IKEA light is probably only CRI 65 or 70.
I do, but not that much. My goal is to get people to try macro, without having to invest in much more than a couple of adapter rings or a set of extension tubes. Using these dirt cheap lights is one of the ways people can experiment with new lighting concepts at the lowest possible price. Anyone who gets bitten by macro will quickly upgrade to using high quality LED light sources, like the $80+ Lume Cube. The low CRI of these lamps makes them ill suited for use where color accuracy is paramount (human skin, for example), but they are quite adequate for illuminating a house fly (unless you are an entomologist gathering images of various species, and you know what shade the fly's compound eye is supposed to be!). This is just an inexpensive entry point to the world of macro. As a side note, I try to nudge people towards speedlights. They are a bit more of an investment, but they pay off in color rendition. I hope that helps explain where I am coming from! Thanks for raising the point - it's an important one.
@@AllanWallsPhotography Don't get me wrong, I think your videos are great. But with cheap light the temperature is also different (with each lamp) Okay I do not have a light meter costs 1500 euros or more to measure that. And that is probably also not important if the colors are correct with macro nobody sees it
@@patrickmarcelissen9329 Thanks Patrick. Please don't ever hesitate to speak up when I have missed something - we're all in this together!
Thanks for that really gave me lots of ideas !
Thanks Philip!
Happy New Year 2020 to you Allan
From Singapore :)
Thanks Celina! Happy New Year to you!
Why exactly do you need the black light blockers? What would have happened if you didn't use them?
It is mostly to prevent unwanted light from entering the frame. Without using flags, the light could enter the frame and interfere with the level of ambient light. The matt black surface of the card absorbs virtually all the photons that strike it. Eliminating unwanted light is as important as providing wanted light!
@@AllanWallsPhotography "and interfere with the level of ambient light" - how exactly? Especially considering that you are pointing a flash at the background anyway - so why cut the light from the front flash then? The only reason I see is that such setup gives an ability to set exposure level for the background and the subject separately.
@@andreip9378 Yes. That is precisely why. Pointing a flash at the background and illuminating the background are two different things. At low power, the inverse square law may prevent any light making it to the background, but at higher powers, some may make it to the background. I don't want any light falling on the background (or anywhere else that I don't want it) other than the light that I put there. We use flags to ensure that only the light we want to affect a part of our scene can do so - the flags block any light that we don't. I always flag my backgrounds so that I can light them independently and balance the foreground exposure.
@@AllanWallsPhotography, alright, I see, thanks for the reply. Are you using radio-controlled flash units for that?
@@andreip9378 Yes. I use the Pocket Wizard III Plus as well as the Godox X-1 for extreme macro work. Thanks for the questions - I hope you found the answers you needed.
you were getting a thumbs up anyway but the clamp trick did it!
Thanks Randy - much appreciated!
Happy new year 🥳 all.
Happy New Year Maifuse!
Have you happy and healthy year 2020.
Waiting for more informative from you.
Such a great video and so underrated! I am learning about macro photography and I know small spot light would be the best for my photos but I can't find anything cheap which will have rgb. There is adaptalux but its so overpriced. That IKEA light is so amazing, shame its not multicolour. Thank you for that amazing video!
I GOT ONE IN LIGHTINTHEBOX
Wouldn’t it just be easier to buy a set of Adaptalux macro lights.
The danger of using wrapping paper over actual gels will become apparent this very first time one melts onto your light.Even if you can't justify Lee or Rosco gels even the off brand ones on Amazon won't melt and won't need to have layers taped together to achieve adequate colour saturation. If you just need them for speed lights, Rosco sells swatch packs very inexpensively that have every colour they make. Under 10 bucks.
Hi Robbie. Thanks for this important reminder. I should have been more clear that this alternative to gels should never be deployed if a modeling light is being used. In more than a decade of using cellophane, on studio lights and speedlights, I have never had one of the filters melt. But, as you point out, it isn't the ideal solution. It is just an alternative for people on a very tight budget who are willing to take extra precautions. I have the Rosco speedlight gels and love them.
nice video, by the way the reason there is a problem with mixed lighting is two fold, one is that differing light/ energy frequencies refract at different angles in a lens, so you can get flare and glare, regardless of if the lens is coated or not, also the MAIN reason is that the camera itself gets confused as you can ONLY set ONE white balance at a time!, using two lights may confuse the Auto W B in the camera to select the wrong light temp. as the one for the photo, and if you use flash, the "flash" setting is selected Automatically, and CAN NOT be altered.
Excellent points, Andy. Appreciate the clarification!
Be careful wrapping paper is it photo graded as color shift light quality wise
You are absolutely right. I stopped using this some months ago. Some of the colors are OK but many of them produce pretty horrible casts. Appreciate the comment. Thank you.