Orbis Ring Flash – Review
A little while back I reviewed the “Ray Flash” A very cool “hook on the front of your flash, ring flash” A lot of people commented that it was expensive and so on… Well, here’s an alternative model, the Orbis Ring Flash Attachment, for Use with Existing Flash / Strobe,
It’s only $10.00 cheaper but hey, it’s an alternative! Make sure you read all the way to the bottom for my verdict! You may be surprised, considering I loved the Ray Flash SO much!
Orbis Ring Flash
The first thing I noticed with the Orbis Ring Flash was that it’s a “jam it on your flash” it has something like a plastic claw inside the base, you slide that part over your flash unit, in my case a Canon 580EX II, and it sits on top. I have to say that I really felt for my hot shoe, I don’t know why, but even more so than with the RAY Flash.. It just seemed to move around a bit more and to me, it felt like I was carrying a huge “tower of camera” I must say though, that with the flash off the camera, using my Alien Bee triggers to fire it remotely as I held it in my hand, it was fine.
You can see in the image (My ugly mug!) below that the Orbis gives off a nice even light and, by way of the catch lights in my eyes, an almost full even circle of light.
In addition, the Orbis actually flew off my flash at one point – not sure why, was being very gentle! Honest! but all in all, I’d say that the Orbis Ring Flash does exactly what it’s mean to do. And that if I were in the market for one of these types of ring flash that I’d seriously consider the Orbis.
You get another self portrait of me now, taken again with the Orbis Ring Flash, You can see that the device produces a nice even light. I realise that I don’t look happy, I was, really! This photo is taken at f8 / 1/125th at 70mm with a Canon 5D MkII and a Canon 24-70mm f2.8 L series lens.
I think I’ve scared you enough now!
I liked the Orbis and I think given that there is only $10.00 in it that I would go for it over the Ray Flash and I’ll tell you why – When you have the Ray Flash on the front of your Flash, it covers the IR sensor that your camera uses to focus in darker conditions when it has the flash unit on… With the Orbis, this is not the case. It stands straight up and out of the way.
I’d suggest that the well built Orbis Ring Flash is a FOUR star add on – I still think that as a device that’s essentially a piece of plastic, that it’s a little bit too expensive. 4/5****
Sime
Tags: Orbis
10 Responses to “Orbis Ring Flash – Review” - Add Yours
May 24th, 2009 at 8:55 am
I have an Orbis as well, and must say that I agree completely with everything in this review. I have experienced having the ring flash part pop off my speedlight a couple of times, but never in a way that damaged the unit. It’s not the handiest thing in the world, but it works fairly well and is still way cheaper than buying the real deal.
May 25th, 2009 at 12:53 am
I also have the Orbis, and love it, and I have (lightly) modified with self-adhesive Velcro like this: http://www.darjanpanic.com/photography/orbis-ring-flash-adapter-and-a-little-mod/ and now it’s even *better* :)
May 25th, 2009 at 3:23 pm
I made a bracket for mine… http://www.flickr.com/photos/tcdk/3513234644/
May 29th, 2009 at 2:06 am
From what I’ve read you’re not supposed to keep the flash on the hot shoe with the orbis attached. I think it’s in the instructions, in fact. That’s too much weight for the hot shoe. It’s designed to be attached to the flash and triggered remotely, with the lens through the hole…. anyway, I have one, and need to take some more pics with it… just looking for some models at this point. lol.
May 29th, 2009 at 2:15 am
Hi Susie – I’ll pose for you :-)
Yes, It is too much weight – I used it both ways (on and off the hot shoe)
A great device, nonetheless.
Sime
May 29th, 2009 at 5:26 am
I must try it. Very good idea to my photography.
I tried to searching Orbis Ring Flash in Polad. I Think that I can by it to much chipper e.g. on allegro:
http://www.allegro.pl/item642850185_nasadka_ring_flash_f175_canon_nikon_i_in_wawa_lodz.html
all cost is only 70 US.
Thank’s Sime.
Jacob
June 5th, 2009 at 2:15 pm
I do very impressed by the image taken with orbis ring flash.
But I still have some consideration upon this product, that is,
will it change the color temperature of my strobe so I have to
tune the setting of white balance ?
July 2nd, 2009 at 6:50 am
Works for me. Fits most flash guns unlike Ray Flash where you have to get a specific model.
Big problem for me was that the flash flies out of the opening….
Check out my really cheap way of fixing the Orbis and flash together to stop it popping out:
http://brownphotographic.com/blog/blog.php?id=8790897217406695329
January 23rd, 2010 at 2:24 pm
I always thought the reason portrait ring flashes (including the pricey studio strobe types) are designed to encircle the lens is because the effect of the circular catchlight as well as the best angle for softening occurs when the ring is concentric to the lens axis. I mean, these units are all designed to mimic the units used on madison avenue for magazine cover shots, but the Orbis seems to be the only one that is essentially deesigned the wrong way. No?
January 25th, 2010 at 8:38 am
hi f8lee, the orbis™ does indeed work in the same manner as studio ring flash systems; the concentric positioning around the lens, the catchlights and the lighting effect. it differs in three important respects from the “madison avenue” versions in that it doesn’t have any bulbs, it works with the detachable SLR flash that you probably already own and that consequently it costs a lot less but casts indistinguishable shadowless light.
the orbis™ doesn’t fit to your flash while it’s in the hotshoe for two important reasons; the hotshoe isn’t designed to carry the weight and leverage of large accessories and the orbis™ leaves all the sensors in front of your flash fully functional.
of course the high end studio systems can ultimately push out a lot more power, to light the other side of the street or a vast studio set, but for every practical application the orbis™ is literally “ring flash for the real world”.
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