Bowens Ringlite Converter Review

Ring flashes are used in fashion, glamour and beauty photography, as they are excellent for ‘wrapping’ the subject in a flattering, even light. Other light sources can cast shadows under the eyes and nose, and wrinkles and blemishes can show easily.
A ringflash eliminates this, as the light is dispersed around the face from all angles, and reduces red-eye. There is a number of small, affordable ringflashes on the market, but their low power means that they are mostly suited to close-up photography. A good quality ringflash for portrait and fashion work usually costs around £1,000, and once you add the generator you need to power it, you’re looking at around £1,600 to £2,000.

The Bowens Ringlite Converter is designed as an affordable yet effective solution for those who can’t justify the expense of a dedicated ringflash and generator. It is designed to fit any Bowens flash head via its an S-type fitting. Due to the small size of the unit though, any modelling lamps must be removed first. In my experience, the larger the inside diameter of a ringflash, the better quality results it gives.
This converter is quite large, but ‘d have liked it to be slightly larger still – probably a limitation of using reflected, rather than direct light. However, the results I got back were surprisingly good, a little softer but not far off what I would have expected from a specialist ringflash.
Because I tend to focus and then re-frame my shots, 
I don’t use a tripod with my fashion or portrait work. Here, the light stand acts as a tripod, holding the camera in one position, so for my style of shooting I found it easier to just pick the whole unit up. Ringflashes are heavy anyway, but with the light and stand attached, it really was quite cumbersome.

Another inconvenience was that in order to change from landscape to portrait format, I needed to adjust the fitting, which is not practical when shooting models. Photographers who shoot from a tripod would not find this an issue, and for those who don’t, it is a small price to pay considering the price difference. However, you best be aware that it handling is quite clumsy.
The best thing about the Ringlite Converter is that it works with the Gemini lights, so can be powered by the Travel-Pak. This is not possible with standard ringflashes, and is a huge advantage when shooting outdoors. It also allows the flash to be used off-camera, and triggered remotely. Due to its size and weight, I actually found it preferable to a softbox for outdoor off-camera work, as it is less likely to blow over in windy conditions.

Verdict
While the Ringlite Converter has its constraints; such as not being able to quickly switch between portrait and landscape formats, and that I had to pick the whole unit up to re-frame my shots, I would still say that this is an impressive piece of kit. It is important to consider that if you already have Bowens lights, it is much, much cheaper than buying a dedicated ringflash and generator. The fact that it can be used with the Travel-Pak makes it great for location shoots too. Despite its limitations, this is an excellent piece of kit for those who cannot afford a conventional ringflash.

Specifications
Height: 35cm;
Width: 22cm;
Depth: 11.5cm (Including S-type adapter, not including the stand bracket);
Weight: 1450g 
(including stand bracket);
Required: Any Bowens S-Type monobloc studio flash lighting unit;
Contact: 0870 4585 258
www.bowens.co.uk