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Ring flash
A ring flash is a photographic flash that surrounds a camera lens with a circular source of light. Unlike conventional flashes which provide a point light source, a ring flash is intended to illuminate a subject with minimal shadows by closely and evenly surrounding the optical axis of the camera lens. This makes it a popular choice for several types of photography, including macro, portrait, and fashion photography. Closely related to the ring flash is the continuous ring light, which has a similar annular shape surrounding the lens; in contrast to the ring flash, which provides an intense light for a short duration, a ring light produces constant illumination at lower intensity for video recording or to see a live preview before capturing photographs.
Ring lights and flashes vary in diameter and thickness, as well as the amount, color temperature, and quality (imperfectly indicated by color rendering index, or CRI) of light output. Some ring lights allow for the adjustment of brightness and color temperature.
The ring flash was first invented by Lester A. Dine in 1952 for use in dental photography.
Continuous ring lights are popular for improving picture quality on video calls, social media selfies, and video blogging. For example, Cornell University offers a photo kiosk equipped with a continuous ring light and iPad to take social media profile pictures for students, faculty, staff, and alumni.
Modern continuous ring lights frequently use light-emitting diodes (LEDs) because they are bright, energy-efficient, and capable of producing quality light. Earlier continuous ring light designs used fluorescent tubes, bent into appropriate shapes, to avoid casting heat on the subject.
Ring flashes may be divided into two types: scientific or macro ring flashes, where the flash tubes are close to the lens, and portrait or fashion ring flashes, where the diameter of the ring is approximately 1 ft (0.30 m), which casts a wider light than the macro ring flash. A macro ring flash typically consists of a power and control unit mounted on a hot shoe, and a circular flash unit mounted on the front of a lens. Power is supplied by batteries in the shoe-mount unit and a cable conveys power and control signals to the circular flash unit. In larger ring flashes, which are typically used for fashion photography, power may be supplied by an external battery or line power supply, or the power supply and light may be combined in one unit.
Light is usually generated by one or more flash tubes or LEDs. In some flash units with multiple flash tubes, each flash tube can be independently controlled, which allows the photographer to vary the contrast or direction of the illumination. Some ring flashes have focusing lenses that result in ideal light distribution at a particular distance from the subject.
Other devices are available that project light in a fashion similar to ring flashes. For example, flash diffusers have no light source of their own, but instead mount in front of a conventional flash unit and transmit the light to a ring-shaped diffuser at the front of the lens. Some other passive light modifiers can shape the light from a conventional shoe-mounted flash into that of a ring flash. These adapters use diffusers and reflectors to "bend" the light in an arc around the lens axis and then emit the light from that arc. These devices maintain any through-the-lens (TTL) lighting functions that are shared by the camera and flash because the timing of the light has not changed.
Hub AI
Ring flash AI simulator
(@Ring flash_simulator)
Ring flash
A ring flash is a photographic flash that surrounds a camera lens with a circular source of light. Unlike conventional flashes which provide a point light source, a ring flash is intended to illuminate a subject with minimal shadows by closely and evenly surrounding the optical axis of the camera lens. This makes it a popular choice for several types of photography, including macro, portrait, and fashion photography. Closely related to the ring flash is the continuous ring light, which has a similar annular shape surrounding the lens; in contrast to the ring flash, which provides an intense light for a short duration, a ring light produces constant illumination at lower intensity for video recording or to see a live preview before capturing photographs.
Ring lights and flashes vary in diameter and thickness, as well as the amount, color temperature, and quality (imperfectly indicated by color rendering index, or CRI) of light output. Some ring lights allow for the adjustment of brightness and color temperature.
The ring flash was first invented by Lester A. Dine in 1952 for use in dental photography.
Continuous ring lights are popular for improving picture quality on video calls, social media selfies, and video blogging. For example, Cornell University offers a photo kiosk equipped with a continuous ring light and iPad to take social media profile pictures for students, faculty, staff, and alumni.
Modern continuous ring lights frequently use light-emitting diodes (LEDs) because they are bright, energy-efficient, and capable of producing quality light. Earlier continuous ring light designs used fluorescent tubes, bent into appropriate shapes, to avoid casting heat on the subject.
Ring flashes may be divided into two types: scientific or macro ring flashes, where the flash tubes are close to the lens, and portrait or fashion ring flashes, where the diameter of the ring is approximately 1 ft (0.30 m), which casts a wider light than the macro ring flash. A macro ring flash typically consists of a power and control unit mounted on a hot shoe, and a circular flash unit mounted on the front of a lens. Power is supplied by batteries in the shoe-mount unit and a cable conveys power and control signals to the circular flash unit. In larger ring flashes, which are typically used for fashion photography, power may be supplied by an external battery or line power supply, or the power supply and light may be combined in one unit.
Light is usually generated by one or more flash tubes or LEDs. In some flash units with multiple flash tubes, each flash tube can be independently controlled, which allows the photographer to vary the contrast or direction of the illumination. Some ring flashes have focusing lenses that result in ideal light distribution at a particular distance from the subject.
Other devices are available that project light in a fashion similar to ring flashes. For example, flash diffusers have no light source of their own, but instead mount in front of a conventional flash unit and transmit the light to a ring-shaped diffuser at the front of the lens. Some other passive light modifiers can shape the light from a conventional shoe-mounted flash into that of a ring flash. These adapters use diffusers and reflectors to "bend" the light in an arc around the lens axis and then emit the light from that arc. These devices maintain any through-the-lens (TTL) lighting functions that are shared by the camera and flash because the timing of the light has not changed.