Studio Lighting purchase.. input needed...

[xerubus]

Hi All,

I am going to spend some money on a simple studio lighting setup. I am not going to spend huge amounts of money as if I do not end up liking 'people' photography I will continue to concentrate on landscape and nature. So please don't recommend $$$$ equipment

What I am after is some input from people that have experience in using studio lighting. Here's what I am going to get from B&H. Prices quoted are obviously in american dollars. (Add a couple of quid to get the correct sockets attached.) Any help greatly appreciated.



$200US + fees .. item includes:

• 3 x Ceramic Sockets with Line Switches and 110V AC Cords
• 2 x 10 or 12" Aluminum Reflectors
• 5" Aluminum Reflector
• 2 x 45" White Satin Umbrellas
• 2 x Swivel Umbrella Brackets
• 3 x 8' Light Stands
• Mini Boom Arm
• 250 Watt Light Bulb
• 2 x 500 Watt Light Bulbs
• Kit Case

I have set aside a room in my house to be a small home studio.. dimensions are approximately 3x3m with a 10ft ceiling . Purpose of the lighting is model shots, portraits, etc.

Cheers and thankyou

[JordanP]

I would look at trying to swap one of the umbrellas for a soft box but otherwise for a starters kit in a studio of that size I would say you are more than covered.

Cheers,

[xerubus]

Thanks Jordan...

I'll check out a softbox option.... Would you say the lighting power/temperature right for what I'm looking at doing? Does the price look okay to you?

thanks mate..

[W00DY]

I have no experience in studio lighting but that price sounds VERY good. I would have expected to pay a lot more for this sort of equipment.

Or is this the normal going rate for studio equipment? Is this something you could pick up second hand next to nothing?

W00DY

[JordanP]

Price looks fine to me.

I would want to know whether the lights have 1/2 and 1/4 power settings as you would probably have an issue of too much light in such a small area.

It would olny be the 3x3 that would be my major worry.

What are you thinking of doing for a background? You will need depth between the subject and that - then you will probably need a pretty wide angle lens as you will be shooting close.

[sirhc55]

Hi xerubus

Depends on what you are going to shoot! For a room 3x3 it’s a bit of overkill in the lights. If you have the SB800 I would get a stand with umbrella and one strobe light with softbox. This is basically what I use plus for cocoon shots I use Bowens Trilites but they are bloody expensive. The other thing to watch is the 110V - you would either need a stepdown transformer (expensive) or make sure the units can handle 240V

But in saying all that the price is not too bad but would watch the globes they would possibly break in transit. The umbrellas appear to be soft diffusers as they do not have reflectors on the inside.

Chris

[xerubus]

I have another room which I can use if needed... it has 12ft ceilings and the area measures 6x6 approx....

regarding backdrop I have already made a stand out of some pine.... looking at buying some rolls of cloth this weekend. After looking at the price of real backdrops i thought i'd buy some cloth... if i like the whole studio thing i'll invest in better lighting and better backdrops.

one thing that someone has mentioned, is the 110V going to be a problem, or is this just something that can be rewired by an electrician friend...?

[xerubus]

Hi xerubus

Depends on what you are going to shoot! For a room 3x3 it’s a bit of overkill in the lights. If you have the SB800 I would get a stand with umbrella and one strobe light with softbox. This is basically what I use plus for cocoon shots I use Bowens Trilites but they are bloody expensive. The other thing to watch is the 110V - you would either need a stepdown transformer (expensive) or make sure the units can handle 240V

But in saying all that the price is not too bad but would watch the globes they would possibly break in transit. The umbrellas appear to be soft diffusers as they do not have reflectors on the inside.

Chris

The other setup I was looking at was from vanbar... benefit being it's in aus and now electrical issues to deal with....

$660AU gets you "Complete starter kits with stands 3200K heads, lamps and brollies are available offering all that is needed to light the simple home or workplace studio. 3200K Tungsten & Lamps X2 Halogen Air cushioned stands X2 Silver Umbrella X1 Translucent Umbrella X 1 "

Would you think this may be a better option?

[sirhc55]

Hi xerubus

Depends on what you are going to shoot! For a room 3x3 it’s a bit of overkill in the lights. If you have the SB800 I would get a stand with umbrella and one strobe light with softbox. This is basically what I use plus for cocoon shots I use Bowens Trilites but they are bloody expensive. The other thing to watch is the 110V - you would either need a stepdown transformer (expensive) or make sure the units can handle 240V

But in saying all that the price is not too bad but would watch the globes they would possibly break in transit. The umbrellas appear to be soft diffusers as they do not have reflectors on the inside.

Chris

The other setup I was looking at was from vanbar... benefit being it's in aus and now electrical issues to deal with....

$660AU gets you "Complete starter kits with stands 3200K heads, lamps and brollies are available offering all that is needed to light the simple home or workplace studio. 3200K Tungsten & Lamps X2 Halogen Air cushioned stands X2 Silver Umbrella X1 Translucent Umbrella X 1 "

Would you think this may be a better option?

Hi xerubus

Can you give me link on the Vanbar site and I will have look - went in but could not find anything

Chris

[xerubus]

http://www.vanbar.com.au/catalogue/inde ... CONTINUOUS

2nd item down....

if you would recommend anything else please let me know.... just need to be able to light a smallish area to start with....

cheers

[Glen]

Xerebus, I don't even know how to use a flash yet, but these guys had specials from $299 in a mag I was reading, look at the bottom of this page for a $300 kit or I could fax you the add. I think it would cost a lot of money to convert 110 to 240 especially relative to the value of the goods

http://www.dragonimage.com.au/specials.html

[sirhc55]

http://www.vanbar.com.au/catalogue/index.php?id=203.47.239.1291105073842&brand=&user=&end=1&Item1=LIGHTING&Item2=CONTINUOUS

2nd item down....

if you would recommend anything else please let me know.... just need to be able to light a smallish area to start with....

cheers

Thanks for the link xerubus. I had a look, and as always with Aus prices high, but in saying that $200 US is around $262.00 Aus plus the cost of a decent stepdown transformer would take you up to around $400.00. I will go into eBay and have a look for you as sometimes there are some real bargains from decent distributors. I will get back to you on what I find.

Chris

[xerubus]

Glen... thankyou for the link....

Chris.... thanks for your help.. I owe you a beer some time...

cheers

[Glen]

Also Xerebus, those guys are round the corner from Chris and I, I could drive Chris there (as he knows whats what) to check it out for you. After I get back from Thailand, which is two weeks Monday

[sirhc55]

xerebus

Firstly, what you have been considering is tungsten lighting in your above threads.

I went into Ebay and there is something of interest there. A studio strobe with softbox, snoot, barndoors, coloured gels and stand for a buy it now price of $277.00 The dealer has 100% rating and is based in Melbourne. Now there is one small problem with this system - the D70 does not have a sync connection. Two ways around this - add a Nikon AS15 so that you do have sync or (and this is what I do) use the SB800 (or other flash) to trigger the strobes cell. It is an alternative and personally I do not like tungsten lighting.

The link is:

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=30088&item=3864676591&rd=1

It would be a good idea if you are interested to email the seller and check on the remote flash enabling i.e. cell

Hope this has helped

Chris

[JordanP]

Chris, that looks like a much better option.

Definitley check that one out xerebus. Snoot and barn doors are very handy. I also use the AS15 and have used the SB800 to trigger the strobes - both has worked fine for me ... the AS15 is a pretty cheap addition and would free your SB800 up for some more creative lighting so I'd go that way.

Also if realestate is not too much of an issue in your house I would defenitley go the 6x6 over the 3x3 room.

cheers,

[xerubus]

thankyou guys.. i appreciate it....

i don't have an sb800.. so the sync would be the go... regarding realestate, it just means i'd have to kick my wife and her comfy couches out of the way

cheers

[toddster45]

Hi,
I was thinking of purchasing this lighting set ..i,m new too portrait photography was hoping this would be ok too start me off

[Yi-P]

Poon's special listed here is pretty damn good value for the money. Price listed with shipping (and these things ain't light). PM Gary for details of what's included in those kits.

[gstark]

PM Gary for details of what's included in those kits.

But please do NOT do this unless and until you have read and complied with at least some of the basic requirements as laid out in the FAQ and the portal page.

[PiroStitch]

Why not go with SB 800 or 900s first, practice with that and then work your way up to the studio lighting if you need it. Even in a 6x6 room, you don't need studio lighting unless you're planning on lighting a car (even then, there are neat tricks to get around that with an sb800). It's cheaper and better bang for your buck which is what it looks like you're wanting to achieve here.

You will need the transformer seeing that the lights are suited for 110V.

[gstark]

Why not go with SB 800 or 900s first,

For probably less than the price of just one SB800 you can obtain a whole two head lighting kit with stands, brollies, shapers, and maybe a radio trigger. That would be "why not".

I think the SBs are overly complex, and especially for a beginner. KISS is important, and the value one can get from some of these kits is really quite exceptional.

[soarer]

When I have my post count high enough, I will be purchasing the golden eagle set from Gary. Till i get my post count up i gotta sit here and wait

[surenj]

I vouch for the golden eagle or equivalent because Tungsten will get too hot... Would be good for nude portraits though

[soarer]

Does anyone have a picture of the whole Golden Eagle setup, I saw a post by Gary and it had a few of the items. Just would like to see the whole thing if possible

[gstark]

Does anyone have a picture of the whole Golden Eagle setup, I saw a post by Gary and it had a few of the items. Just would like to see the whole thing if possible

The Golden Eagle kits are in this thread.

The Qihe kits are in this thread.