Nissin flashguns provide loads of bang in your buck, and this ring flash continues the development. A substitute for the macro ringflashes made by main producers, this mannequin permits the sunshine from every of its sides to be managed independently. It provides a information quantity (GN) of 16m at ISO100, and is suitable with Nikon, Canon and Sony TTL metering algorithms, and gives help for wi-fi capturing by performing as a grasp to numerous slaves.
Nissin has generoursly thrown in six adapter rings to be used with totally different lenses as normal – permitting you to connect to lenses with 52mm, 58mm, 62mm, 67mm, 72mm, or 77mm entrance filter threads. Adapter rings can be found for buy individually for 49mm, 55mm, and 82mm threads ($30/£25 every).
The USP is its Effective Macro operate, which permits output to be adjusted from 1/128 to 1/1024 in 1/6 EV steps. In “regular” mode, the ability adjusts in one-third cease steps, from full energy all the way down to 1/64 energy.
Customers of Nissin’s extra typical flash items ought to discover the rear of the mannequin acquainted, with its colourful graphic person interface and easy four-way pad.
The unit itself is simply a shade smaller than an entry-level flashgun, though the LCD display, being solely barely bigger than a postage stamp, may very well be larger. Regardless of its all-plastic building, the unit’s total construct high quality is spectacular, with a steel hotshoe at its base and no creaking below stress or any noticeable weaker elements. The flash locks into place with a ridged locking wheel, and you may shortly change management between the ring’s left and proper part. Operation is easy sufficient, and far might be labored out with out recourse to the handbook.
Specs
Dedication: Canon, Nikon or Sony
Gn, ISO 100 (m / ft): Gn 16 / 52
Handbook Energy Settings: 1/1 to 1/1024
Flash length: 1/700 sec (Full energy) – 1/30,000 sec (1/1024 energy) when A and B tubes flash collectively, 1/300 sec (1/1 energy) when A or B tube flashes individually
AF-assist beam: LED lamp
Wi-fi: Optical commander / slave, 4 channels / three teams
Different modes: HSS, rear curtain sync
Energy: 4x AA batteries
Dimensions: Physique – 115 x 65 x 85mm (4.5 x 2.6 x 3.3”); Ringflash – 120 x 134 x 41mm (4.7 x 5.3 x 1.6”)
Weight (excl batteries): 446g (16 oz)
There are some helpful superior options too. It gives X-terminal and DC enter socket for an exterior energy pack. It additionally encompasses a USB port for firmware upgrades. Full grasp/slave wi-fi capabilities can be found with 4 channels and three teams. Most usefully, the 2 flash items at both aspect of the ring can being independently adjustable for extra three-dimensional-looking photographs.
Recycling instances are wonderful, and operation is basically silent. The one sticking level is with responsiveness, with quicker button presses generally not at all times registering.
You may’t beat ring flash for even, shadow-free illumination in macro pictures, and it’s additionally nice for fill-flash in portraits, the place it will possibly eradicate shadows, in addition to create hanging round catchlights within the eyes. Nonetheless, it’s comparatively unwieldy in contrast with an everyday flashgun.
Pattern photographs
Verdict
A information variety of 16 at ISO 100 is sufficient poke for portraiture or macro images, and we liked that the ability is adjustable in exact 1/6 EV steps utilizing the Effective Macro mode.
Switching modes is simple with the colour LCD on the management unit, and this simple-to-use interface additionally makes gentle work of configuring the wi-fi TTL grasp and slave flash choices. We did sometimes discover the buttons had been temperamentally unresposive
Efficiency doesn’t disappoint both, with the twin semi-circular flash tubes offering nice gentle softness and neutrality. We did discover some photographs had been underexposed – however with the kind of topics you’ll often shoot with this – taking a shot after which adjusting the flash output is commonly the perfect path to establishing publicity anyway.