Help for Speedlight MT-24 EX / 600EX-RT

[florian]

I hope someone here knows the answer.
I currently have the 5D III with a 600EX-RT. For my next trip I´m thinking about lightning for macro photos.
My lens for this will be the 100L IS.
I have the RRS B91-QR of camera flash braket and was wondering if I could also use a second 600EX-RT to get a good macro lightning instead of getting a very expensive MT-24 EX just for this.
Pictures will be mosly flowers and maybe a few insects or other animals.
I could set the 600EX with a very wide zoom setting to give a good light and with the bracket I also can change the angle of them.
Good thing with two 600EX would be that I might get a second body ( not sure if I get a 1DX or a second 5D III ) and I could use it there.

Thanks for your suggestions and hopefully there is somebody that tried it and saw the difference in the pictures.

[Marsu42]

I could set the 600EX with a very wide zoom setting to give a good light and with the bracket I also can change the angle of them.

I don't have any experience with macro flashes, and for a reason - with the working distance of the 100L (at least on crop) I prefer the higher flexibility of two flash light sources to model the light, and if you want boring, even lighting you can put them into two softboxes left & right to the camera. So +1 for another vanilla flash.

[neuroanatomist]

Yes, you can add a second 600EX, with one on-camera and the other as a slave, or get both off-camera by connecting one with an OC-E3 cord (or 3rd party copy).

You mention the high cost of the MT-24EX, but RRS gear isn't cheap, either.  To get the pair of flashes out to the subject, you'd need another mount and a pair of extenders, plus a lens collar plate - close to $500 in RRS gear, plus the cost of the 600EX-RT.

I would probably not be inclined to buy an MT-24EX for use with just a 100L, but it's the right choice for an MP-E 65mm, and since I got the twin-flash for that, I also use it with the 100L.  I considered getting the RRS setup above, a second mount plus a second extender (I had one already to get the Better Beamer further off-axis with the 600L) for the twin light, but I think that setup is limiting in terms of flexibility.  Instead, I opted for a pair of Wimberley F-2 brackets.

So...my current 'ultimate' macro lighting rig is the MT-24EX in the hotshoe with the twin heads each on a Wimberley F-2 bracket to light the subject, and the 600EX-RT on the RRS bracket w/ extender as an optical slave to light the background.

[digital paradise]

Check out image #2 on post #84.

http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=942579&page=2

Also I have seen people put the flash in the hot shoe, tilt the head forward, build a simple cardboard tunnel lined with foil. It was angled down near the end of the lens.     

[digital paradise]

And by the way. I doubt you will have success mounting the MT-24EX on the 100L IS. I had that flash, the MP-E65 and I own the 100L IS. It would not fit but I never tried getting an adaptor and I'm not sure you can.

I use a Sigma ring flash for my 100L. You can set the ratio from one lamp to the other. A less expensive option. May look for a used Canon ring flash.

If you can work without ETTL I just did a quick search on eBay. 

http://www.ebay.ca/sch/i.html?_trksid=p5197.m570.l1313&_nkw=ring+flash&_sacat=0&_from=R40

[digital paradise]

Just typed in BYI macro flash extender in the search engine and got tons of ideas. Not pretty but it gives you and idea.   

http://dptnt.com/2009/04/flash-extender-and-diffuser-for-built-in-flash/

[digital paradise]

I just checked Fred Miranda's buy and sell for a MR-14EX and there are no too many around. Last 3 were sold about 5 months ago and went for around $300. When I'm visiting my other sites I'll have a look for used ones.

Did a search at Ebay for the MR24-EX and a vivitar came up for $100. Says it has ETTL.     

http://www.ebay.ca/sch/i.html?_nkw=Canon+Mr14-EX&_sacat=0&_odkw=Canon+MT14-EX&_osacat=0&_from=R40

[neuroanatomist]

And by the way. I doubt you will have success mounting the MT-24EX on the 100L IS. I had that flash, the MP-E65 and I own the 100L IS. It would not fit but I never tried getting an adaptor and I'm not sure you can.

Canon Macrolite Adapter 67.  $32, in stock at B&H, Amazon, etc. 

[eli72]

And by the way. I doubt you will have success mounting the MT-24EX on the 100L IS. I had that flash, the MP-E65 and I own the 100L IS. It would not fit but I never tried getting an adaptor and I'm not sure you can.

Canon Macrolite Adapter 67.  $32, in stock at B&H, Amazon, etc.

+1

[digital paradise]

I was not aware of that. MPE filter thread is 58 and the MT24-EX fits it. The 100 macro is 67 so you lose a little on the outsides of that lens. Or is there something else I'm missing?   

[neuroanatomist]

I was not aware of that. MPE filter thread is 58 and the MT24-EX fits it. The 100 macro is 67 so you lose a little on the outsides of that lens. Or is there something else I'm missing?   

The front element of the 100L is smaller than the 58mm ring of the macro flashes, so there's no issue.  There's also a Macrolite 72 for the 180L Macro (also works fine), and even a Macrolite 58 for lenses that lack the groove for the twin/ring lites.  Personally, I use the 58 adapter with the MP-E 65 - I have a B+W MRC UV filter on the lens (for protection - I routinely shove the front of the lens into bushes), and the adapter screws onto the filter so I can mount the twin flash but keep the filter close to the front element.

[docholliday]

I was not aware of that. MPE filter thread is 58 and the MT24-EX fits it. The 100 macro is 67 so you lose a little on the outsides of that lens. Or is there something else I'm missing?   

The front element of the 100L is smaller than the 58mm ring of the macro flashes, so there's no issue.  There's also a Macrolite 72 for the 180L Macro (also works fine), and even a Macrolite 58 for lenses that lack the groove for the twin/ring lites.  Personally, I use the 58 adapter with the MP-E 65 - I have a B+W MRC UV filter on the lens (for protection - I routinely shove the front of the lens into bushes), and the adapter screws onto the filter so I can mount the twin flash but keep the filter close to the front element.

Exactly how mine is...Heliopan filter on lens, Macrolite 67 on the filter, MT-24ex on the Macrolite adapter. Pocketwizard TT1 under the MT-24ex, 430exII's in the background and overhead for fill on FlexTT5s. Velcro all over the MT-24ex's heads and the 430exIIs for matching color temp to ambient.

The angle of view on the 100IS is narrow enough (and the 67mm barrel is large enough) that the Macrolite adapter doesn't vignette in the FOV.

Results in something like this :

[digital paradise]

http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=556002

[digital paradise]

Well you have all types of options
 
http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/post/50715221

http://www.ebay.ca/sch/i.html?_trksid=p5197.m570.l1313&_nkw=Meike+MK-14EXT+Macro+TTL+ring+flash&_sacat=0&_from=R40