Canon MR-14EX Macro Ring Lite for Canon Digital SLR Cameras

by Canon

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 10 x 6 x 5 inches ; 14.1 ounces
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• ASIN: B00004WCI7
• Item model number: MR14-EX
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank:
  • #14 in Camera & Photo > Accessories > Flash Accessories > Adapter Rings
• Date first available at Amazon.com: August 17, 2000

Product Description

Amazon.com Product Description

Canon's Macro Ring Lite MR-14EX for close-up and macro shooting comes equipped with many features and capabilities. Utilizing E-TTL (enhanced through- the-lens mode) technology, it takes full advantage of the flash performance of the Canon EOS-1V, EOS-3, and other E-TTL cameras, and also supports E-TTL wireless auto flash, when used with at least one Canon 550EX Speedlite flash. The circular twin flash tubes of the MR-14EX can fire at even power, or vary between themselves over a six-stop range. The controller unit has an illuminated LCD panel, and the MR14-EX also accepts optional high-capacity battery packs.

The MR-14EX attaches directly to Canon's EF 50mm f/2.5 compact macro, EF 100mm f/2.8 macro (both versions), and MP-E 65mm macrophoto lenses, and can also be used with EF 180mm f/3.5L macro USM via the Macrolite adapter 72C.

Product Description

A Macro Ring Light that ensures correct exposure for extreme close-ups; Twin tubes fire together or independently.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

140 of 142 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Awesome flash unit, July 2, 2004

By A Customer

This review is from: Canon MR-14EX Macro Ring Lite for Canon Digital SLR Cameras (Electronics)

This flash unit is by far one of the best camera accessories I've purchased...macro shots are much easier with this flash and I don't have to worry so much about blurry pictures. The bulbs can be set to fire at different ratios and it's possible to turn one side off completely, allowing for nice shadows that give your images more depth. The ring itself can rotate, so the flash can highlight any side of the subject. It has two small focusing lamps that illuminate your subject while you focus, which makes it a lot easier to see what you're doing. It even comes with a nice padded carrying case. This flash gets a lot of use and it's now a major asset to the rest of my gear...it's definitely worth the money.

62 of 65 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The perfect flash for macro photography in lower light conditions, June 6, 2007

By 

ƒůŽźŸ ωŬ&#... (Denver, CO) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Canon MR-14EX Macro Ring Lite for Canon Digital SLR Cameras (Electronics)

Fuzzy Wuzzy's Summary:
***** Highly recommended with warm fuzzies!

Canon packages their macro ring lites with an EOS camera and macro lens for use by dentists for good reason: for close-up macro photography inside someone's mouth where you want to be able to either avoid or control shadowing effects, this is an indispensable flash that provides better close-up illumination than you can get with just a hot shoe flash. I am using this on an EOS 30D (updated posting: and also 40D) with their excellent Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 Macro USM Lens for Canon SLR Cameras and Canon MP-E 65mm f/2.8 1-5X Macro Lens for Canon SLR Cameras along with a Canon Macrolite Adapter 58C for Canon G2, G3, G5, G6 & Pro1 Digital Cameras

Even though the "Canon Macrolite Adapter 58C" says that it is for G2-G6 cameras, it fits their 65mm and 100mm Macro Lens also due to its 58mm size. The flash secures onto grooves in their 100mm Macro Lens, but if you prefer to leave a UV-haze filter on that lens, the filter covers up the groove. Therefore, to not have to remove the protective UV-haze filter lens in order to attach the ring lite, you need to screw the "Canon Macrolite Adapter 58C" onto the end of the filter lens, which then provides the grooves that the ring lite then attaches to. Yes, $15 is still a bit pricey for a skinny little ring of plastic adapter, but comparable to how Canon prices their lens hoods also... and it is the only way to attach the ring lite to the macro lens while still leaving a UV-haze filter screwed on (without resorting to black duck tape :-)

I use this ring lite for both indoor and outdoor nature macro photography and it is the perfect flash when the natural lighting is less than optimal. A macro ring light like this is optional equipment if you use Canon's 50mm, 60mm, 100mm, or 180mm macro lenses. But either this flash or the more expensive Canon MT-24EX Macro Twin Lite Flash for Canon Digital SLR Cameras macro flash is really absolutely required equipment if you use the Canon MP-E 65mm f/2.8 1-5X Macro Lens for Canon SLR Cameras lens, especially if you do not always use a tripod. The diffuser plastic that is on this flash gives it a nice soft warm light that is not too harsh. You can adjust the "ratio" so that one of the half-circle ring's flashes are brighter than the other half-circle flash, to get better shadow contrast (when zooming the MP-E 65mm between 3X to 5X, I like to use a ratio of 3:1 or 4:1). The MT-24EX does have a distinct advantage over this MR-14EX when using Canon's MP-E 65mm at magnifications of 4X or 5X because the MT-24EX's two flash heads can be positioned and angled more directly at the subject. But I find the MT-24EX's light to be more harsh than this MR-14EX, unless you create your own diffuser setup for it.

July 22 2010 update: Since my original writing of my review, I sold my Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 Macro USM Lens for Canon SLR Cameras and bought the newer Canon EF 100mm f/2.8L IS USM 1-to-1 Macro Lens for Canon Digital SLR Cameras. In order to use this new version of Canon's 100mm macro lens with the MR-14EX, you need to also purchase the pricy Canon Macrolite Adapter 67.

31 of 39 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars is a MUST HAVE, February 29, 2008

By 

CoYoTE "D.D.S. M.S." (Mexico) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Canon MR-14EX Macro Ring Lite for Canon Digital SLR Cameras (Electronics)

Im a dentist and i need to take around 20 intraoral pictures each day. I used to have a point and shoot camera, it was worthless. I decided to take the SLR big step, and i bought a Canon rebel Xt, a 2.8 100mm usm Macro, and this ring flash, I LOOOOOOOve my ring flash. You dont want to have the camera and the macro without it, taking pictures now its fun and fast. The set up its kind of heavy, and you need an assitant to hold the mirrors and the retractors (dentist stuff sorry about that) and thats why i think its better than the TWIN FLASH also by canon because the twin itsheavier and bulkier. For those like me who have a point and shoot camera, and think that upgrading to an SLR wit macro and ring flash would be hard because of all the options , BELIEVE ME its WAY EASIER with my current set up. The ring flash works perfect i would recomend it even better than the twin flash version (and its cheaper). I hope this helps to all the slr newbiees like me.