Strobist.com / Discuss

Excerpt from Flickr posting: http://www.flickr.com/groups/strobist/discuss/72157615628714673/

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A first ordered the Ray Flash. It's beautifully packaged and carefully crafted. However, the attachment head is far too limiting and doesn't fit my Pentax AF-540 flash. After an email exchange, they have no plans to produce a model that does. I did enjoy the gummy frogs before I shipped it back for a refund.

So, I ordered the Saturn Ring Flash (part # SATRF165) and received it quickly. It came in a box roughly half the size of the Ray Flash and arrived in perfect condition. Nothing fancy about the packaging. It made me realize the Ray Flash uses excessive packaging... just not environmentally conscious.

The fit and finish is close to the Ray Flash. They don't put as much attention to detail into the logo. The logo on the front is also smaller, and perhaps less in-your-face than the Ray Flash. The part number is just taped on crooked, underneath some clear plastic, beneath the logo. Doesn't bother me a bit, just gave me a little chuckle seeing the crooked part number slapped on there.

The Saturn has a far more versatile attachment head that tightens with a hook-and-loop strap. If fits the AF-540 snugly and I feel no danger of it falling off. Atop, the K20D, the entire combo works quite nicely. Obviously, it's a bit more cumbersome than I'm accustomed to, but I'll get used to it.

With the Pentax DA* 16-50mm 2.8 lens, it all makes for a great combination. With smaller lenses, like the FA 31mm 1.8 Limited or FA 77mm 1.8 Limited, the ring flash needs to be held in place with a spare finger, as it's weight will turn the swivel head of the flash when changing camera orientation. Not a big deal, but something to be mindful off. But, on the 16-50 zoom, the ring flash stays in place nicely. I have yet to try it with the DA* 50-135mm 2.8 lens.

So... the Saturn may have a bit more light loss than the Ray Flash, but it fits my gear. The fact that it's $120 less than the Ray Flash doesn't hurt either. For Pentax, the Saturn is the only game in town (OK... so, there's the Orbis, but I'm NOT holding onto that thing!).

I am so very much enjoying the ring flash. I have already used it in a number of different shoots; from some choice photos at weddings to macro shots at home, and am so happy that it has worked out so very well. Thank you!

Hey there,

Your Ring Flash Adapter is amazing .... I'm so glad I had the sense to purchase it.  I just posted 14 images on the Flickr site:  http://www.flickr.com/groups/965364@N20/

Hope you like them, I sure do.  The flower shots were ambient light with the the ring flash adapter on an Olympus FL50 flash.  The portraits were a combination of my studio lights with the ring flash adapter/FL50 as the fill light ... Sweet light :)

Thanks,

John