I'm looking for a macro flash for my canon AE-1 but I don't know what kind of flash goes with the camera... If someone could help me Thank you

-- Gilles HERBIN (herbin@istar.fr), March 15, 2002

Answers

The only Canon Macro light that will work with the AE-1 is the ML-1. The ML-2 & ML-3 only work with T90 and EOS cameras.

I saw a Vivitar 5000 macro flash in a store about a year ago. If this is like the vivitar 3500/4600 or 5200/5600 flash systems there should be a module available to use the flash with the AE-1.

I believe other macro flashes are available from Sunpack and perhaps Metz. Note that most modern flashes that are compatible with Canon EOS will not work with the AE-1 unless they have a manual mode.

Cheers,

-- Duane K (dkucheran@creo.com), March 15, 2002.

On the chance you're new to "macro lights," you might want to read John Shaw's "Closeups in Nature" (Amphoto) about flash brackets and why *not* to use a macro light before you undertake the effort and expense. Unless you're a dentist and you need that kind of flat, featureless illumination, you may do better to avoid it.

-- Robert Segal (robertsegal@juno.com), March 15, 2002.

BTW: That book will pay for itself many times over by helping you avoid unnecessary purchases for macro work. It's a gizmo-filled world out there in Macro Land, most of which you won't need.

-- Robert Segal (robertsegal@juno.com), March 15, 2002.

I have used the dedicated cord made by New Ideas for many years with great success on my Canon Speedlite 199A. It is a simple cord with the three terminals, and I have used the strobe on the "Manual" setting. I have copied negatives in a home-made slide copy setup using a macro lens and macro rings, taken insect photographs, etc. with this cord. I simply hand-hold the strobe most of the time, and do have a handle I can put it on. I think I saw one used in a photo repair store recently for abou

-- John Ratliff (cratliff@easystreet.com), March 16, 2002.