A couple of days ago I ordered a new flash system – a Godox MF12-K2 twin flash kit that’s specifically designed for macro photography, plus the wireless controller you need to make the thing work. It arrived yesterday, but I didn’t get around to unboxing it until this afternoon, and by the time I’d figured out the instructions (with the help of several YouTube videos) it was too late for me to take it outside and test it in the wild. So this is one of the test shots I took around the house, in a darkened room using the MF12’s built-in modelling lights to help me focus. Things I have learnt so far:
1. This is a good system, and I’m pleased that I finally took the plunge and bought it. You can move the lights around the mount ring and angle them in various ways, or even take one or both off the camera and mount them on stands to give directional light. I tried a number of configurations in shooting this jewellery dish, and found it quick and easy to move between them.
2. Even after getting the thing working, I still don’t understand 90% of the manual, which I think was written by someone who’d never used a flash system themselves, but had once heard one being described.
3. I’m going to need better diffusers on the flash heads than the basic ones supplied in the kit. They’re better than nothing, but the highlights and shadows are still pretty harsh.
4. My watch glass is at best very badly scratched, or possibly even cracked. I’ll have to take a look at it through a loupe tomorrow, to see if it needs replacing.
5. I really must get round to doing some dusting. Next year at the latest.
This was one of the videos I found most useful, if you’d like to see the Godox MF12-K2 being used by a more competent person than me.
