Ringflash
RingflashThis is a highly evolved, self-contained ringflash system designed to meet the challenges of the new-generation creative professional photographer. It is extremely compact, lightweight and easy to use with professional or semi-professional cameras with lenses up to 4 inches in diameter. A studio ringflash is an invaluable and instantly favorite tool of the professional photographer due to its ability to produce essentially shadow-free lighting, revealing unique catchlights in the eyes of subjects when used with fashion and portrait work.
| ||||
| |
| |||||||||||||||
|
The Moon Unit is a unique softbox-like accessory that attaches to the ringflash unit with its own quick-release rotating speedring. Unlike conventional softboxes, the camera lens can "see" through the center of the Moon Unit, thereby achieving a unique large-source light on the camera axis. Using the ringflash with the Moon Unit produces subtle, controlled, almost indiscernible shadows and large appealing catchlights at modest camera-to-subject distances. Its minuscule depth and weight allow hand-holding right along with your camera, or you can use it as a conventional off-camera compact softbox.
The Moon Unit is extremely lightweight, compact and easy to assemble. The Moon Unit consists of a reversible gold / silver reflector surface in an octagonal shape, a removable front nylon diffuser with center hole, a removable black fabric mask to convert the octagonal shape to a perfect circle, a rotating speedring, assembly rods and a special reflector that properly bounces the flash energy into the Moon Unit instead of forward. If all the above elements are used, the result is a round, soft 30-inch aim-through light source - thus the name "Moon Unit." Remove the black mask and it becomes an aim-through 31-inch octabox. If the diffuser is removed, it becomes a silver or gold umbrella-like source for increased specularity. Finally, removing the center reflector yields an intense center light source surrounded by a dimmer 30-inch round or 31-inch octagonal halo of light, either diffused by the front fabric or bounced directly from the gold or silver umbrella-type surface. Each configuration yields a different catchlight structure as well as different styles of light formation on the subject.
The Moon Unit Mask Set
The Moon Unit Mask Set alters the shape of the light from the ringflash to become a giant ring, stars, half-moons, sunburst, clouds and a host of other shapes including your own custom creations. The mask set consists of twelve die-cut black paper masks that fit over the face of the 30-inch Moon Unit where they are retained by the black fabric circle mask. There are eight masks with predefined light patterns and four blank masks the user can cut with scissors or with a knife to create custom shapes. Some masks are designed to produce more light at the top than at the bottom to produce subtle modeling shadows that define facial features in a brand new light. Then there are the catchlights. Instead of the time-worn rectangular or round eyelights that appear in uncontrollable positions, you can have any shape you want, perfectly placed.
The 56” Moon Unit is perhaps the most exciting lighting modifier in recent lighting history. This highly adaptable accessory provides these functions and more:
- an extremely low weight, ultra thin 56" Octabox with front diffuser fabrics for 50" perfect circle softbox/beauty dish, Square Box, Window Pane Box or Giant 50" ringflash for conventional use or mounted on-camera for shadow-free aim-through use
- halo light in various shapes with a variety of degrees of diffusion and blocking of direct flash
Because of it's miniscule 5 1/2"depth (including RingMaster flash head) and 30oz total weight, the 56" Moon Unit can be easily hand-held on the camera or can be used in small studios with low ceilings where other modifiers of this size won't fit.
What is it?
The 56" Moon Unit is specifically configured to augment the ringflash system. It consists of a speedring that wraps the Moon Unit around the ringflash to maintain a thin profile and optimal center of gravity.
Eight fiberglass rods and a reversible silver/white fabric forma thin, umbrella-like structure. A system of reflectors and diffusers is attached to the ringflash with its quick release mechanism. These may be used in a variety of configurations for differing degrees of diffusion.
Different front diffuser fabrics with silk-screened pattern masks are available with a center hole for on-camera "aim-through" use, and without the center hole for conventional off-camera applications. When configured as an aim-through or conventional softbox of various shapes the light quality and evenness rivals that obtained with conventional softboxes weighing considerably more and having five times the physical depth.
Components:
The 56" Moon Unit Foundation Package forms the basic Moon Unit. Add to this your choice of Front Diffuser Fabrics to complete your Moon Unit. Or choose from the 56" Moon Unit Super Kits for big savings.
The 56-inch Moon Unit Foundation Package
MU56 Foundation Package Front diffusion fabrics sold separately. |
Includes the speedring, 8 fiberglass rods (plus two spare rods), the reversible silver / white outer fabric, the primary and secondary diffusers and the reflector / diffuser holders for both aim-through (on-camera) and conventional "no center hole" configurations for off-camera use.