G1X: Macro Light Adapter

It is still difficult to believe that Canon does not offer a lens (as opposed to filter) adapter for the G1X and that third party manufacturers, Lensmate in particular, have not developed their own lens adapters.

To mount their macro flashes MT-24EX and MR-14EX to the G1X, Canon offers an accessory, the Macrolite Adapter MLA-DC1. Although I do not have the macro flashes, the MLS-DC1 looks enough like a tubular lens adapter that I decided to get one and hope to find some use for it. Actually, instead of the Canon product, I got the cheap clone JJC Light Adapter MLA-JDC1 shown above. It is simply a tube with bayonet adapter to fit the G1X and a groove to hold the Macrolite flash.

For my G9 and G12, the lens adapter also provided protection for the lens and a gripping point while shooting. The MLA-JDC1 is sturdy enough and offers some protection for the lens but the bayonet protection ring on the G1X is wide enough to wrap my fingers around it so the MLA-JDC1 is not needed.

I do have a macro LED light that fits my G12 via the Lensmate adapter 58mm filter threads. Although this macro LED light would physically fit the Lensmate filter adapter for the G1X, there’s no way that I would hang it on the end of a collapsible lens. Instead, the LED light can be “adapted” to the MLA-JDC1 with gaffer tape (never leave home without it).

 

This adapted configuration is awkward but it works; that is, it sort of works. The LED macro light is not bright and must be close to the subject; however, the G1X is macro challenged and really needs the 250D close-up lens. Unfortunately, the 250D requires a filter adapter and that filter adapter is larger than the bore of the MLA-JDC1. This means that the G1X lens could not be retracted into the MLA-JDC1 (and, I assume, the Canon MLA-DC1 as well). I wouldn’t use the combination of MLA-JDC1 and a filter adapter for fear that the G1X would turn off and damage the lens.

Yet another reason for keeping the G12 for macro work.

FotodioX LED312AS

The Fotodiox LED312AS is an LED light with 312 bulbs. Half the bulbs glow white to simulate daylight; half glow yellow to simulate incandescent (tungsten) bulb light.

At full tungsten setting, the daylight LEDs do not glow at all (photo above taken at Daylight white balance to emphasize tungsten lighting effect).

At full daylight setting, the tungsten LEDs do not glow at all. (Above picture shown using Daylight white balance.)  Color and intensity are controlled by two independent dials on the back of the light. The net effect is said to be a controllable color range between 3200K and 5600K and brightness up to 6580 lux. The LED output panel measures roughly 6-3/4 x 3-3/4 inches.

I bought the Fotodiox LED312AS on the recommendation of Kirk Tuck in a post on The Online Photographer about LED lighting.  Kirk writes regularly about the advantages of LED lighting; in fact, he has a book titled “LED Lighting” that I found very useful.  After posting his recommendation for the Fotodiox LED312AS, Kirk posted a brief follow-up on his blog.

The LED312AS comes in a nice kit consisting of light, a small swivel stand, a clearish diffusion panel, two NP-F550 Li-ion batteries and a battery charger all neatly stowed inside a zippered nylon case.

The LED312AS needs only one battery to work but two batteries can be mounted on the light. Continuous working time is said to be 100 minutes (I assume this is with both batteries.)  The little ballhead swivel to hotshoe mount is usable but a better configuration will be to mount the LED312AS to an umbrella style mount.  Picture above is shown with Daylight white balance to emphasize that the LED312AS was set for tungsten light.

Kirk Tuck reports that nearly all LED lights have a slight greenish tint and recommends a 1/4 magenta gel to be placed over the light.  My experience, based on working with RAW files, is the same.  I don’t have a magenta gel but will be getting one – especially to work with video.

Speaking of video, my first attempt to use the LED312AS was a bust.  I attempted to use it to provide a bit of fill light in a shady area on a bright day.  The LED312AS could not be placed closer than about 8 feet from the subject and it was relatively ineffective.  I resorted to bouncing sunlight with a reflector.  My guess is that at least two, probably four, LED312AS were necessary for that setting.

I like continuous lighting because of the immediate feedback on placing the lights.  The LED312AS is small, lightweight and battery powered so I expect to use it a lot. 

(All above photos taken with the G1X.  Accessory close-up lenses were not necessary.)

LED Ring Light

 

Intrigued by the concept of continuous lighting and the results of a ring light, I bought the cheap “Neewer” LED ring light recommended by Kirk Tuck. Kirk (should I call him Mr. Tuck? I don't really know him although I read his blog regularly and recommend it. Also, I bought and liked his first book “Minimalist Lighting”.) has been working with continuous LED lighting and has a book on using LEDs in the works. I got the cheap ring light, fitted it to my G12 and have been enjoying tinkering with it for a week or so.

The Neewer LED ring light slides over a thin plate that is molded onto a filter-looking screw thread. Six such mounts are included in the package. One of those mounts had 58mm filter threads – just right for attaching to my Lensmate adapter (the others are 49, 52, 55, 62, 67mm). At first, I used both the “A” and “B” adapters but quickly realized that the “B” adapter produced vignetting so it was removed.

The battery case mounts to the G12 hotshoe but does not use the G12 battery.  The battery case can fit onto the hotshoe facing either way.  The kit includes an AC power supply.

From my early trials with the Neewer LED ring light, I discovered a few quirks:

• best to use reading glasses when doing close up work

• must actually be turned ON or will produce misleading results

• do not attached the connecting cable to the “DC 3V In” connection (no damage but lights do not come on)

• using old rechargeable batteries, lights blinked then went dim but remained lit

The level of lighting is not adjustable.  Neewer claims a 1-1/2 hour service time using the recommended NiMH batteries but I haven’t confirmed that (yet). 

Naturally, I had to “test” some aspect of the LED ring light. I suspected that the light output and color would vary with the type battery used. The battery pack holds two “AA” batteries. I tried conventional alkaline, NiMH and NiZn batteries in macro type close-ups. Note that these batteries each have differing voltage outputs. Although my tests were not particularly rigorous, I could not tell any differences in light output or color. The test procedure was to get a RAW image of red, green and blue pins (RGB – get it?) shown below and convert using Adobe Camera Raw. In the conversion process, the exposure adjustment (based on pushing the histogram to the right) and color temperature (sampled from the white base) were noted. Pictures were taken in three settings: 1) indoors using fluorescent lighting, 2) inside a light tent with overhead lights off and 3) outdoors under bright sunlight.

According to my simplistic tests, the Neewer LED ring light tends to have a color temperature of about 6000 K. As compared to normal room lighting, when used up close, the Neewer LED ring light provides about 3 stops of exposure. That is, instead of shooting at 1/25 second without the LED light, I was able to shoot at 1/250 second with the LED light. Outdoors was, of course, a different story. When used outdoors in bright light, the Neewer LED ring light reduced exposure by only about 1/3 stop. Remember that these results are with the light close to the subject.

 

The photo above was taken in RAW mode with lighting only from the overhead fluorescents.  Automated exposure in Av mode was f 3.5 at 1/25 second using ISO 80.

This shot was taken with the overhead fluorescents plus the LED ring light.  Notice the softer shadows but also notice that each pin shows a reflection of the ring light.  Automated exposure in Av mode was f 3.5 at 1/250 second using ISO 80.

I like the cheap LED ring light.  I wouldn’t have bought it at a higher price but it will be useful for getting macro photos.