Chinky Chonky Macro "Flash"
Decided to have a play with the cheapest Macro ring "flash" that I could find on eBay.
This is the result.
Proper xenon flashtube based ring flashes are several hundreds of pounds. This cost about 20 quid and is LED based.
It's not really powerful enough for use as a flash as such but it does come in handy in constant on mode for getting uniform light onto the subject which is often quite hard without excessive shadows and glaring due to the very small distances involved. The lens itself often casts shadows on the subject. 
At macro distances with apertures as small as f/16 and smaller, the difference is between an exposure time of 20 seconds with no light and as fast as 1 second with the light on.

The unit attached to the camera hot shoe houses the controls and the 4 x AA batteries. The unit is supplied with a variety of different thread adapters for use with various lens'. I'm using the supplied 72mm adapter for use with this EF 180mm macro lens.

Chinky Chonky Macro "Flash"

Decided to have a play with the cheapest Macro ring "flash" that I could find on eBay.
This is the result.
Proper xenon flashtube based ring flashes are several hundreds of pounds. This cost about 20 quid and is LED based.
It's not really powerful enough for use as a flash as such but it does come in handy in constant on mode for getting uniform light onto the subject which is often quite hard without excessive shadows and glaring due to the very small distances involved. The lens itself often casts shadows on the subject.
At macro distances with apertures as small as f/16 and smaller, the difference is between an exposure time of 20 seconds with no light and as fast as 1 second with the light on.

The unit attached to the camera hot shoe houses the controls and the 4 x AA batteries. The unit is supplied with a variety of different thread adapters for use with various lens'. I'm using the supplied 72mm adapter for use with this EF 180mm macro lens.

IMG_8235.JPG IMG_8236.jpg macro.jpg pcledmod.jpg Photo_12-10-20212C_08_37_41.jpg
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Ash   [17 May, 2021 at 07:55 PM]
Wonder how much power could the LEDs survive if pulsed with a very short pulse so being more like a flash
Oliver   [17 May, 2021 at 10:14 PM]
If the voltage is too high, LEDs can burn out in a fraction of a second. Instead of them failing from overheating, they would probably just go open circuit or short rather than go dim.
FrontSideBus   [18 May, 2021 at 01:18 AM]
It works quite well tbh, at least on constant-on mode. Very good for getting even lighting onto the subject.
Ash   [18 May, 2021 at 10:24 AM]
It would be still be limited by overheating, but in this case by how much heat the chip and immediate area of the electrode can sink within their volume during the shot pulse, and not by how well the heat is dissipated to the outside in long time operation
FrontSideBus   [18 May, 2021 at 11:33 AM]
It uses PWM for dimming too btw.

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