REVIEW: Elinchrom Ranger Quadra Ringflash ECO

Ranger Quadra Ringflash ECO

A couple years back I reviewed the RayFlash as an alternative to expensive ring flashes (which cost $1000 – $3000 back then). I was pleased with the results, but it took a lot of battery juice and forced me to shoot at ISO 800. In short, it worked but it wasn’t ideal.

Now fast-forward to Photo Plus Expo NYC 2011 where I discussed the latest and greatest gear from the top photography related companies in the world. One of those companies showing off their new gear was Elinchrom and they were quite proud of their new affordable ring flash. Now, this ring flash still cost over $500, but that’s less than half the cost of their Elinchrom Ranger RX 1500 Watt/Second Ringflash. That makes it much closer in price to the $200 RayFlash than it does its big brother, so I’d say that qualifies as affordable!

Using the RingFlash

A Diffusion Cover is offered (mouse out),
but I preferred it off (mouse in)

This gadget must be easy to use because it comes with directions that are less detailed than what you’d get from your average one-page instructions from Ikea. That said, I figured out how it worked without too much trouble and used it on both short and long lenses. In the end I preferred using it with my 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM the most. Here’s what the ringflash looked like installed on that lens :

 

Getting it perfect straight is a bit of a choir, but the reality is that it worked fine both crooked and straight. I couldn’t tell the difference. The arms adjust so it works for both short and long lenses, but this was as long as I could extend it, so  you couldn’t use it with a beast like the 200mm f/2L IS USM.

While I show it on a tripod here, the reality is that I like to shoot handheld so I just carried it in my hands and shot. You definitely get tired when you do this, but it is doable. You have to be mindful of the Quadra cord and you need to strategize on how to set the camera down, but beyond that it works fine attached.

Shooting Lessons Learned

I loved the light and the rim shadows you get with the ring flash

I’m not a ring flash shooter and I honestly don’t know much about them. As a result I think I had a pretty good experience that many of my readers will relate with.

At first when you use the ring flash it takes a little getting used to dialing in the right settings. It can be like using a sensitive shower where it’s super easy to go too far in one direction (i.e., too bright or dark). While I don’t use a light meter in my studio, I’d suspect this thing would give it fits – but who knows. Here’s one of my test shots that shows exactly what the image looked like straight out of the camera (only a dust spot removed, a simple crop and sharpening added – zero other edits):

What I liked about my starting point is that the models skin looked really nice and curves of the bone structure had nice highlights. Sometimes the shots would be a bit too bright as shown above, but it was easy to correct in RAW.

It took me about 3 shots before I had my desired brightness dialed in and then I was cranking out shots like the one at the top of this section where I enjoyed the ringflash look. The breasts especially (and those are natural ones) seemed to take on a more curvy look, chins, cheekbones and lips also seem to really benefit from the extra punch of light.

What About Catch Light Rings In The Eyes?

With short lenses, ring catch lights are common

When using a 70-200mm I didn’t have a single shot with the signature ring catch lights in the models eyes. However, to get them it took a little more work than I expected so I volunteered my big eyed daughter Sierra to show the effect above.

With that said, at normal viewing distances you aren’t going to notice them as shown below:

What you will notice though is that with short lenses its easy to overpower your background lights (which I had cranked to the max in the shot above). Perhaps this is why you usually see models on dark wall-like backgrounds when ring flashes are used, but I found that if you get farther back with a long lens then its much easier to get your white seamless to look more white than gray.

Give your model a break!

One thing my models pointed out really quickly was that the ringflash is blinding to them since the light goes directly into their eyes. After several blasts in a row they were seeing circles and their pupils got tiny. Keep this in mind when you are shooting with shy models who might not speak up. Working at longer distances helps too, so consider going a bit farther back if you can –this gun have a enough light to get to your subject without blinding them in the process!

Great for a serious, sexy or edgy look

While the shots of my daughter Sierra above show that these ringflash shots don’t need to be super hard edged when processed, I just gravitate that way for fun when I do them. To me this device just creates images which are perfect for serious, sexy and/or edgy looks like this:

I love edgy processing with ring flash shots! (hover to see before editing)

RingFlash versus RayFlash

RayFlash Sample Shot

I enjoyed my RayFlash and it created a nice similar look, but the added power of the portable Quadra pack helps a ton. Even if having a cord is a bit annoying, its worth it. It’s also worth noticing that the adjustable bars on the ringflash give you a lot more options than the fixed size of the RayFlash, so those finding the need for multiple RayFlashes to fit their gear may be able to get along with only one ringflash.

After this experience, I’ve decided that it’s probably time to sell my RayFlash. I want this ringflash as great results are much better easier to obtain. As a result I ended up buying my test unit and plan to use it more often in my studio.

Conclusion

I’m not a ringflash shooter so I expected it to be much like the RayFlash where I thought it was fun to review, but I’d probably never use it much. However, I found myself very surprised at how much I loved the look from this gizmo. It was especially nice when shooting people like myself and my daughter who have inset eyes as it really brightened the eyes. I also loved what it did the to skin on models (like the chest shot of Erica at the beginning of “Shooting Lessons Learned”.

Ringflashes are super hot in fashion photography, and with a good one you quickly understand why. I’m hooked, and recommend this one for Quadra users! If you are looking for something different to spice up your shots, this is a nice toy to enjoy!

Where To Buy & What You’ll Need

You can click on the following items below to order everything needed to make your ring flash work:

• Ranger Quadra Ringflash ECO (required)
• Elinchrom Ranger Quadra Head S Standard Set OR Ranger Quadra Head S Pro Set (can be used for non-ringflash purposes)

For more info about what I use, see my lighting setup page.

Disclosure

I was provided a loaner unit to review which I purchased using my personal funds at a used price rate. I may make a commission if you purchase using the links found in this article, so if you enjoy the article please use my links to support this blog.

Photo Plus Expo NYC 2011–New Products Report–Part II of II

Canon shows off what the iPF8300 can do (see my review of its smaller sibling the iPF6300)

Please see the first part of my coverage of Photo Plus Expo NYC 2011 in my article entitled “Photo Plus Expo NYC 2011–New Products Report–Part I of II”.

Here’s what else I discovered while at the show…

Elinchrom

I shoot with Elinchrom lights (article and more) and those of you who do hopefully will understand it when I say that the Elinchrom 39" Rotalux Deep OctaBox is the magic light modifier that just makes your subjects look awesome. Well Elinchrom has taking that magic to a new level with the indirect lit version (much like the EL Octa 74” (190cm) Indirect Light Bank ) that will be available later this year for roughly $599. It will be called the Elnchrom Rotalux Deep Inverse 59" Octa (EL 26188) and should be available on B&H in the future with this link.

Another nice addition to the Elinchrom line up for Quadra owners like myself is a proper ring flash for less than $599 called the Ranger Quadra Ringflash ECO. While you can get the ring flash effect with a product like the Ray Flash, this is a device where the more light you have – the better. If you are tired of the budget ring flash look, now you can go pro for a price that won’t leave you broke. I’ll be getting a chance to review one of these so stay tuned for a future review.

For those of you who wish to control your lights from your iOS based device via WiFi, Elinchrom has a new EL-Skyport WiFi adapter and app that will give the ability to do just that. While it is not as powerful as the software that goes with the USB-based RX Computer Remote/Trigger Set, it’s pretty close and pretty cool to see in action.

Zoom Pro HD Head

Zoom Action Head

Last but not least, Elinchrom has released two new zoom lights to compete with Profoto’s equivalent design. The lights feature an inner tube that can be zoomed to a variety of positions for lighter or softer light effects.

Manfrotto

Manfrotto had some new video tripods that they were pretty proud of, but I’m not a video guy so I just grabbed a snapshot and moved on. You can learn more about them at http://www.manfrotto.us/category/8709.0.0.0.0/Video. I also think this is the link on B&H, but the one two I saw may have been newer models.

Manfrotto MA LFJ050M-LBB Pro Field Jacket

Photography vests are lame and most of the jackets I’ve seen are just as bad. However, Manfrotto is trying to change that with its cool pro field jackets. It doesn’t look as stupid as the picture above and feels really nice on. The only problem with them is the price – they are $500 for reasons I simply don’t understand.

With DSLR’s blurring the line between still photography camera and video camera, it makes it hard for us to buy the right equipment for the job. A great example is for a tripod head because video requires smooth panning and a long grip helps. For photography a ball head is a must. Until now the solutions that tried the marry the two might have worked for a camcorder or point and shoot, but not for a DSLR with a heavy lens. Well Manfrotto thinks it has the solution in the Manfrotto 755CX3 Tripod with 055 Photo-Movie Head & Q5 Quick Release Kit.

Pictured above, this kit has a movie / photo lock that when in photo mode acts as a typical ball head, but when in movie mode it locks the ball head and allows for smooth panning. It’s a novel idea in a great looking package, but I’m skeptical.

Lastolite

Joe McNally TriGrip Kit 41”

The big news from Lastolite this year is its new Joe McNally line. Despite what you might think, this is set of products that exceed what you normally get from Lastolite. The sizes are typically larger and additional modifiers are typically offered, so you too can try to be like Joe when you are shooting with the small flash.

When holding the products side by side at the Expo I felt like the McNally ones were the same build quality but for better suited for advanced use thanks to the additional modifiers like specal masks.

The big question is if they are worth the premium price tag. At $247, the price jump is significant over similar kits (11” smaller and no mask, but has two more panels). I’d guess the additional cost is probably due to Joe’s name on the product not coming for free, but we pay these premiums for golf clubs, shoes and other products so why not photo gear? I just had my Westcott reflector set rip on me so I might check some of these out when replacing mine.

Think Tank Photo

The big news from Think Tank Photo were the lighter weight Modular Component Set™ V2.0. They feature a lighter design and better storage of the rain covers (in the bottom zip pocket) as well as other minor improvements. If you like the Modular Set but thought it was too heavy or bulky, then this is a great improvement that you’ll want to check out.

Nik Software

Nik Software was demonstrating the recently released Color Efex 4. You can see my video preview here. You can also get a 15% discount on it here.

Sony

The big news from Sony was the new a77 which they claim is the fastest DSLR on the planet (at 12fps – just like the full frame Canon 1D X). I wasn’t able to get too much info on it, but in my hand it felt much like a Nikon D7000 with a better burst mode which is a great thing. I think Sony owners will probably be excited with this new release because this camera offers A LOT of bang for the buck (i.e., 24.3mp, OLED viewfinder, & more) in a user-friendly consumer camera package. DXOMark had good things to say about the sensor and I saw enough to like to think that Sony might finally start offering something interesting for DSLR owners.

Datacolor

One of the coolest things I saw at the show was the clever iPad calibration software (used in conjunction with a PC and a Spyder) called SpyderGallery. This was really clever solution for those who want accurate color when showing their photos on the iPad. Click here to learn more.

Tamrac

The backpack makers threw me for a loop when they were demonstrating their MicroSync II VM2TR Wireless Transmitter/Receiver Kit – the worlds smallest wireless radio sync system. While they don’t offer TTL, they are cheap and tiny. It seems like a much better choice than some of the eBay contraptions that claim they do the same thing and from what I saw at the show they work well (much like traditional pocket wizards). They can even fire your DSLR or strobes.

Kata

While not even close to the quality of a Think Tank Photo bag, this bag was so clever that I had to write about it. There is a metal frame with ventilation on the back is brilliant to keep the heat from being trapped (one of my complaints about my TTP bags). This is the MiniBee version which is smaller than its predecessor so I think this is something that hikers will really appreciate.

GTI

I’m a huge fan of my GTI light box, but my biggest complaint is that it doesn’t have a dimmer. The new SOFV-1Xi offers a precise intensity level setting, a meter to show you how many hours your lamps have been on, and an improved design. While it isn’t offered in sizes as large as my PDV-2020EX, most will find its A3+ format support to be sufficiently large. If you are into light boxes, this will get you jazzed.

The Rest

There were many more products that I saw but I couldn’t cover them all. Some will be featured in upcoming reviews and others are currently working with me on possible reviews. I made a ton of new contacts for a lot of great existing products that readers like you have asked me to feature. The Expo has opened the door to help make that happen so stay tuned for an interesting year ahead.

Disclaimer

This article features links where I may receive a commission if you make a purchase. Thank you for supporting this blog by making purchases using my links and special offers.

REVIEW: Ray Flash: The Ring Flash Adapter

Unless you’ve been in a cave, you’ve probably already seen or heard about the Ray Flash. Everyone is talking about it these days because it is an inexpensive way to get results that are similar to a more expensive solution like the Profoto Ring Flash Head, which is frequently used in fashion photography these days to soften the shadows on a model and also to create a trendy stylized look.

When I got my Ray Flash I was pleased to see that it was a lot more sturdy than it seemed in the pictures. This is actually one well built device that seems like it can withstand normal wear and tear very well. Granted, I wouldn’t toss it on the concrete or sit on it, but short of that it should hold up quite well.

 

One challenge with these things is due to the nature of what they do – because the flash goes around the lens (as shown – albeit crooked - above on a Canon 5D Mark II using a 580 EX II and a 24-105mm lens, the flash you use as well as the size of your camera body is critically important in determining the size unit you need.

If you shoot with multiple bodies that aren’t exactly the same size or using the same flash, this means you either need to dedicate the ring flash to one camera body (my preference) or get two. When I discussed this issue with ExpoImaging and inquired about an adjustable body, I was reminded that they did try this solution but it resulted in a 2 stop light drop, so for efficiency sake it was felt that a fix solution was the right way to go. After using this device, I would agree as more light fall off would be a very bad thing!

Visit the the Ray Flash web page on ExpoImaging’s web site for lots of great information, sample images and more reviews. However, be sure to come back here for a great discount on the Ray Flash!

Sample Images

I’ll admit that when i started this review I wasn’t a huge fan of the ring flash look so I wasn’t expecting to get any photos from it that I’d be very pleased with. However, this thing surprised and I got one of my favorite studio shots to date with it. All the sample images in this article were taken with a Canon 5D Mark II using a 24-105mm f/4L IS USM lens, and I intentionally used a black paper background with a model in all black to help illustrate the impact of the ring flash lighting opposed to more traditional lighting methods. 

 
f/4.0, 1/125 sec, and ISO 800 – 580 EX II Flash Exposure Compensation: +1

This image was taken after I had gotten warmed up with how to use the Ray Flash. Specifically, I learned that you need to kick up the exposure compensation and crank up the ISO to get the light you need for it to work the magic that a real Ring Flash can give. This was something I really didn’t expect as it seemed the Ray Flash is very well designed to minimize the loss of light, but the reality is that you are asking a lot of it so some light loss is inevitable.

The image above was my favorite shot of the bunch and one that actually made me open my eyes up after the shoot and say “hey wow, I might really be able to use this thing!”. Seriously, I am not crazy about Ring Lights, so I thought this was going to be an article where I proved there were crap, but that didn’t turn out to be the case. However, one thing it did prove is that you have to watch the type of clothes your models are wearing (or not wearing underneath) as this bolt of light will shine right through the fabric as shown in this shot.  Nevertheless, the result here is that the shadows on the skin look fantastic and the hair is simply radiant which I really like! I couldn't have been happier with this shot, so score one for the Ray Flash here.

f/4.0, 1/200 sec, and ISO 400 – 580 EX II Flash Exposure Compensation: +1

This image had to be brightened quite a bit in Photoshop because my initial exposure was way off. I needed the settings of the previous picture (which was actually taken after this one) to get a proper exposure, so my original shot was way too dark. In fact, all of my original shots were a sea of black with some skin poking through. The good thing is that I shot RAW and was able to fix it. What this tells me is that had I exposed my shot properly, then this result could have easily occurred out of camera (as shown in the previous shot) and the net result is a nice shot that has enough shadows to show definition, but eliminates enough of the harsh contrast to still create a nice look on the skin. There is a good separation between the model and the black background, and once again the the hair looks radiant.

Image taken with just the On-Camera Flash

I’m pretty pleased with my on-camera flash especially, after reading On-Camera Flash Techniques. However, for this shot I thought I’d do the traditional point to the ceiling and pop the white card that most people do (and I do when I’m in a hurry) to see what kind of results I’d get.

f/4.0, 1/125 sec, and ISO 400 – 580 EX II Flash Exposure Compensation: 0

The first thing you notice with this shot is that the shadows are creating more depth in the image, and not in a flattering way. The skin tones are pleasing and the lighting is nice (especially on the top of the hair), but the catch lights aren’t as dominant either. Now this isn’t to say that I couldn’t have worked the shot to get the results I needed, but when compared to the equal effort I put into the ring flash shots, the result is that I liked the ring flash results better. The results under the eyes and on the neck, clearly show the advantage the ring light offers. You’ll also notice here that with no exposure modifications that ISO 400 with no flash exposure compensation was enough to light this shot very well. The only fault here is mine for not bouncing my flash in a more favorable way.

Image taken with Off-Camera Flash using Umbrellas

f/4.0, 1/125 sec, and ISO 400 – 580 EX II Flash Exposure Compensation: 0

Using two lights off camera on umbrellas I was able to eliminate some of the shadow problems and create a better result, but without the aid of a flash on the background the separation between the subject and the black background isn’t as defined as I would like. I also feel like this setup did a much better job with the shadows on the face to create a nice balanced soft shadow look like you get with the ring light, but without the light on the background (which in this case is a bad thing). Overall though, you can see that this solution (or one with softboxes, studio lights, etc…) can create a pleasing result without putting a bright highlight on your background which may not be desirable (as it is in this extreme black on black scenario).

Conclusion

In short, I liked this gadget. It isn’t something I’d say is a “must have” or something that I’d use 100% of the time, but it is a fun tool to play with. This article isn’t trying to convince you that it is better or worse than anything, but rather to show you how the results you achieve with it (under the same conditions) can give you drastically different results. Now in this case I did stack the results in the ring flashes favor by going all black, but that was primarily to show how it really can light up your background which in the case of a bright background may or may not be what you really want.

I should also point out that this device works with other flashes and camera bodies (i.e., Nikon), so be sure to refer to the information on ExpoImaging’s site for more information.

Yes, there are other devices by Orbis and Alien Bees, but that’s not what this article is about. It’s about my 2 cents on the Ray Flash which ultimately I enjoyed. I don’t think I’ll use it every day, but I can definitely say that I’ll be experimenting with it more often on shoots just to see how I like the results compared to my traditional setups. I haven’t tried the others, but others have so I encourage you to check out those comparisons via the link here.

Special Offer

 

Save 15% on all ExpoImaging Store products like the RayFlash or ExpoDisc when you enter ronmart09 in the “Enter Redeem Code” box and click Redeem in the ExpoImaging Store’s shopping cart as shown above.

Disclosure

I was provided an evaluation copy of the Ray Flash by ExpoImaging for this review and I will earn a commission when you use my discount code (thanks for supporting the blog).