Macro lens with which flash?

[kevinarchaeo]

I have recently converted to digital with a Canon 30D. I want to get back into macro, mainly insects and flowers. I am looking to buy either a 50mm or 100mm dedicated macro lens but not sure if it would be better to buy a ring flash or twin flash macro unit. All options would likely be Canon.
Has anyone had any experience of similar?
I favour the 100mm lens which means I would be further from the subject and less likely to scare the subject off but not sure which type of flash would work best from a longer distance.
Advice appreciated.

[Griffin2020]

This is simply guesswork, as I have no practical experience with either type of macro flash. It would seem to me, though, that the twin flash unit would give you better coverage, especially at longer distances. However, with the power of the flash units today, this may be a completely erroneous thought.

However, a flash such as the Nikon SB-800 has the ability to act as a remote slave (I am sure that Canon has a similar unit), and the onboard flsh can be used as the trigger for the remote. This type of setup would eleminate the necessity of an expensive macro flash unit (unless you are doing mainly macro work).

[mdwsta4]

why not just a single flash mounted to one side of what you're trying to shoot and a reflector on the other?

as much as i'd like a ring flash, i think day to day use is limited; especially for the price of them.

[Quamen]

Read my comments in this thread.

If you go that route you'll end up with a much more flexible every day kit which you can adapt for macro shots when required. It's going to be a lot cheaper too.