Review on 📸 Enhanced Macro Ring Flash for Canon - Vivitar VIV-DF-586-CAN by Matthew Owens

I'm a big fan of flash photography and I use multiple external flashes. I've tried macro photography but was never hooked on it. Knowing how flash can transform other forms of photography, I decided I "needed" another flash. However, since I'm just trying it out, I wasn't willing to shell out $500 or more for Canon's solution. Wanting to uphold the American standard, I decided to give Vivitar a try. I have a few quibbles (they're listed below). There's an undeniable plus that makes this a strong, good review. What I like: In short, E-TTL is fast and accurate. When you work with macros, you work with enough other technical aspects that you would like one less problem. I'm familiar with manual flash settings and often do this with portraits. With some macroplots, everything is static, with no time pressure. In such cases I have (already) used a pair of 580s on tripods. But when it comes to organic products, your hands are full. The E-TTL option was a welcome change. For my taste, the exposure was a little "hot" (see below). What did not convince me: The device feels very plastic. All my other flashes are Canon branded and they just feel very different. This one feels. "cheap". The control unit (in the hot shoe) is definitely in the "cheap" feeling category. The coiled cable to the flash head is fine. It's solid and heavy. Head (which attaches to the lens) . OK. On the plus side, it's more convenient to have something lightweight at the end of the lens just to save weight. The control box (inside the hot shoe) is a hard piece of plastic with the top half tilted as if it were a tilt and rotate device. Chapter. As if he wants to "look" like a parent device. no hinge; it's just the way it's shaped. I would have preferred a more compact design. Exposure with E-TTL control is a bit "hot". In most recordings I've made so far, no FEC has exceeded 0. Most shutter speeds are set from FEC -1 to FEC -3. Previously, all work was controlled by studio settings, and the main light source was a flash. If I go outside in bright and natural light I'll see if that changes. What wasn't clear at first: The flash head is mounted on a 52mm front panel. I don't have anything that small. My 100mm/2.8 and MPE 65mm have 58mm threads. The device comes with adapters, but the vignetting bothered me. This isn't a problem as the angle of view is fairly narrow for each of these lenses, shooting through the smaller 52mm aperture. If someone used a wide-angle lens with a diopter for a close-up and expected to put this device in the foreground. Well you must try.