DIY Portable Ring Light

Step 1: Step 1

I started with the plastic top from some blank CDs

Step 2:

Divide the surface into quadrants. I used a lens hood that came with my lens to trace out the hole for the lens. Put about 10 LEDs per quadrant

Step 3: Step 3

Drill out the holes and cut out the middle

Step 4: Step 4

Paint it. Make sure you use a spray paint that works with a soft plastic

Step 5: Step 5

Drying

Step 6: Step 6

LEDs in all the holes

Step 7: Step 7

All the LEDs need to be soldered in parallel and not sequence. Working with a 9 volt battery i split the LEDs into groups of 3. Take the positive and negatives from all the groups and solder them togeather.

Step 8: Step 8

Should look something like this

Step 9: Step 9

Added a push button to turn it on/off

Step 10: Step 10

Battery clip

Step 11: Step 11

The hood from my lens is just epoxy'd into the center. Also added an inch of a chopstick with epoxy to the right side for stability when pressing the button

Step 12: Step 12

The final product was a little too bright so i added a potentiometer to adjust brightness

Step 13: Step 13

Step 14: Step 14

Step 15: Step 15

Step 16: Step 16

All done

Step 17: Test

Comments

[toni.ivos]

What kind of potentiometer did you use? Ohms?

[rendly]

There are three sets of LEDs. Each LED in each set is wired in Parallel, that is (+) to (+) and (-) to (-). Then each of the sets are wired to the next set (+) to (-) in series. The two remaining leads from the end two sets are wired to the battery. Thus, each set is only connected to one third of the 9V battery, or 3Volts.

[StraydogEOD]

Did you put any resistors in to prevent the LEDs from being burned out by the 9V? If so, what value, how many, and where?

Thanks for the write up, looks awesome!

[agis68]

excellent!!!

[zieak]

Cool use of an old cd spindle cover!

[NikonDork]

Any shots with this in the dark or sample images to see how much light this thing throws off?

[chrismillar]

put a few test shots up. Step 17

[chrismillar]

i'll throw a few up tonight or tomorrow ;)

[chrismillar]

Test shots. Works great in light, a bit too bright at night time though if your eyes are adjusted to the dark. Haven't messed around too much with the dimmer at night time but its a must.