Sunpak Auto 16R Pro Ringflash

Comments about Sunpak Auto 16R Pro Ringflash:

Fed up with ugly direct flash and not always having a good surface to bounce flash onto, it was time for me to consider something different. I had tried a couple of flash reflectors, but found them to be largely cumbersome and ineffective.

This unit is great for people and product shots at short to medium range, providing truly soft and even lighting without ugly shadows. A slight but soft halo is all that can be seen around the subject, and the auto settings are effective in lighting the subject well.

Clearly this unit can be used directly, so although the guide number is not so high, the fact it doesn't have to be bounced makes up for this. It's worth bearing in mind that to date, this is the highest guide number available for a ringflash.

Another advantage is the fact that the unit is non-dedicated, so that apart from Minolta and Sony Alpha, this unit can be used with all makes and models (film and digital), saving you money in the long term if you change systems.

The flash has auto and manual settings, so use either in manual mode or aperture priority mode on your camera. But match up your apertures, and away you go.

Be aware that you will need a hotshoe, a lens that takes filters at certain sizes, and that at wider lens settings there can be some vignetting. If you intend to use this with a 77mm lens filter, then you will also have to buy an extra attachment - this is a bit annoying as many pro lenses have this filter size.

The fact that this is a ring flash makes it more bulky to carry than a standard flashgun, but the ring itself is lightweight and pretty robust. This said, the only other effective option would be lighting stands and umbrellas, so perhaps it's all relative.

So overall I am happy with this purchase, and gives me an extra option if I am using flash where soft lighting is vital.