It was just a day or two ago that I was recommending Brando’s flash accessory kit to someone. Among the many (many, many) products at that online shop, their photographic accessories are some of the best deals, because even the most basic softboxen and other photo extras are ridiculously expensive elsewhere. Sure, they may not be as high quality as the “real” versions, but they do 90% of the job for 50% of the price.
This LED kit is a bit specific in its applications, but if you take a lot of macro shots you know that lighting is hard to get right on tiny subjects, and having a one-sided light source like this can add some much-needed contrast to what might otherwise be a flat-lit shot.
It’s basically a donut flash like the one Dexter uses (that’s all I can think of, I’m catching up on the latest season) but not nearly as bright — up close, that could totally blow out a macro subject (or scare it off). You can control which side of the donut is lit, or have it fully on. There’s a diffuser so you don’t need to worry about bulb rings, and at $58 it’s cheaper than a flashlight with a comparable number of LEDs. Check it out over at Brando.