Photo Accessories

Macro Ring Lite MR-14EX – for creative macro

The Macro Ring Lite MR-14EX is a dedicated ring flash unit for macro photographers. It offers a guide number of 14 and full ratio control between the two flash tubes.

Who is it for?

If you shoot macro subjects and are looking for either flat field or more advanced lighting, the Macro Ring Lite MR-14EX should be at the top of your list. It is a macro specialist unit and, while it can be used for portraits close in, the guide number of 14 isn't really powerful enough for long-range work. It is also useful for medical photography, especially dentistry where shadowless lighting is required for oral examination.

Key features

  • E-TTL II flash metering
  • Guide Number of 14
  • Wireless Master unit
  • Ratio control of flash tubes
  • Focusing light

Like the MT-24EX, the MR-14EX can act as a master flash unit to control one or more slave flashguns, like the Speedlite 580EX II or Speedlite 430EX II, allowing for more creative and complex flash setups.

 

Back view of the Macro Ring Lite MR-14EX flash unit.

The lens mount allows the flash tubes to be rotated around the front of the lens so that light can be directed from top and bottom, or left and right. The focusing lights located between the flash tubes make it easier to focus accurately on subjects when working close in. This, and the preview strobe flash activated by pressing the depth-of-field preview button on the camera, make using the flash much easier and more efficient.

The six-stop flash ratio available between the independent flash tubes allows you to create interesting lighting effects ranging from shadowless even illumination to very directional lighting quickly and simply. If this is combined with the master flash capabilities to control another flashgun as a third channel, very complex lighting can be created.

  • Ratio control between flash tubes

A six-stop ratio between the flash tubes makes the unit very creative to use. By rotating the flash head around the front mount of the lens is use, light can be directed accurately from the top and bottom or left and right.

POWER
Guide No. (ISO100).meters 14
ZOOM
Zoom head No
FLASH MODES
Auto exposure control E-TTL II/E-TTL/TTL
High speed sync (FP) Yes
Manual / output settings Yes - 1/1- 1/64
Manual steps 1 step
FLASH-RELATED FUNCTION
FE lock Yes
Flash exposure compensation Yes
Flash exposure bracketing Yes
Second-curtain flash sync Yes
Modelling flash Yes
Colour temperature info communication No
WIRELESS FLASH
Transmitter Yes
Transmission type Infra-red
Transmitter Max range approx. Indoors: 5m
Outdoors: 3m
Slave No
No. of groups 3¹
No. of channels 4
AF ASSIST
AF-assist beam No (Focusing lamp)
POWER SOURCE
Battery 4 x AA batteries
Minimum recycling time* Approx. 7 sec
External power supply Yes - CP-E4
CONSTRUCTION
Dust and water resistance No
Mounting foot material Plastic
MISC.
Custom function 7 (14 options)
Flash settings from camera menus** No
External flash exposure sensor No
PC terminal No
Compatible accessories Macro Lite Adapter 72c
Compact battery Pack CP-E4
EX Series Speedlite with Slave function
Dedicated flash bracket No
DIMENSIONS WEIGHT
Size (W x H x D), mm Control unit: 74 x 125.9 x 97.4
Flash unit: 235 x 90.4 x 25.6
Weight (Excluding batteries), grams 430g
No. of groups ¹ As default only flash in group C are triggered wireless, set C.Fn 5-1 to wirelessly trigger groups A & B.
* Time taken to recharge flash after full discharge using Alkaline AA batteries.
** With Compatible cameras only.