Advice.. Which Starter Studio Kit?

A

Adamannowi

Suspended / Banned
Messages
8
Name
Adam
Edit My Images
Yes
Hi Im sure this has been asked before, but I don't know much about it (other than leaning a little at college of using a studio setup in college).
Can anyone recommend a two head studio flash kit for under £300 to get me started out??
Also whats the different advantages between a flash set up or continuous lighting setup?

Its for portraiture and would like it so i can move it about to different indoor locations etc...

Thanks
 
Last edited:
HoppyUK said:
Yes, great value.

Main problem with continuous lighting is feeble brightness, plus most of them are very limited in the modifiers and attachments you can use.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the tip, sounds like it's definitely better to stick to flash lighting then.
Sorry I'm quite useless and new to all the studio lighting side of photography.
 
I have looked at that Lencarta kit.

I know nothing about studio lighting but I want to have a play, why would you choose two umbrellas over one umbrella and a softbox?
 
My general advice is to get a kit with 1 softbox and 1 umbrella - much more versatile than a twin softbox kit, cheaper too.
 
Adamannowi said:
Thankyou i will look into that tomorrow when i have more free time, I was looking at a starter kit like this
http://www.fotosense.co.uk/falcon-eyes-ssk-3150d-studio-flash-deluxe-triple-head-set-150w.html

But I'm not sure if i can get decent equipment for £300 or if this stuff is any good
Thanks
Click to expand...

I've not used that kit so I may be mistaken but it looks like cheap junk, cheap junk has its place but not at over £300.

The nice thing about the Lencarta kit is it's directly comparable to other high end brands and gets you a standard fitting which lets you buy s-fit modifiers. You may not understand the importance of that now and you may never take advantage of it but if you want something later on it makes life much easier and cheaper.

It's hard to recommend something other than Lencarta as they are cheaper than the closest alternatives new and I'm reluctant to recommend second hand equipment to a beginner.
 
simonbarker said:
I've not used that kit so I may be mistaken but it looks like cheap junk, cheap junk has its place but not at over £300.

The nice thing about the Lencarta kit is it's directly comparable to other high end brands and gets you a standard fitting which lets you buy s-fit modifiers. You may not understand the importance of that now and you may never take advantage of it but if you want something later on it makes life much easier and cheaper.

It's hard to recommend something other than Lencarta as they are cheaper than the closest alternatives new and I'm reluctant to recommend second hand equipment to a beginner.
Click to expand...

Thank you all for your great advice so far, really helping me out, as I've rushed into purchases with past lenses when I started out, spent a fortune on something I could have got far better with that money. I think I'm going to go with the Lencarta kit as sounds great and everywhere I've looked recommends lencarta for its money etc...

Just one question, do you think if I contacted them they would change one umbrella to a soft box and I pay the difference?
 
2 white brollys with black covers and 2 flashguns
very light very portable easy to store and carry
no cables to trip over
sorted
 
Raptor Mike said:
They do a set with one soft box and one brolly
Click to expand...
Ahhhh I missed that, right think that may have to be the one then, just gotta find the money now, thank you everyone for your advice, much appreciated from a newbie

Just last thing now, where's the cheapest place to get a backdrop with the stands? Can you get any cheap ones off eBay or?
 
Last edited:
You should give them (Lencarta) a call and see if they have any advice before going ahead.

Regarding backdrop stands, it depends on what you intend to use it for as most eBay jobbies are perfectly good indoors for lightweight materials like fabric or paper but are less suited to vinyl (although many will work just about if the roll is under 2m). This kind of question comes up a lot and you should search the forum as there's a fairly cheap set someone recommended which is slightly better built than the average.

Most of the non-woven fabrics they include are terrible though.
 
Wex did have their own background stand for £99 (which was what bi was going to get eventually) that would take a roll of vinyl, but its not on there now. Looks like the interfit one is there instead but there's no specs :confused:
 
Raptor Mike said:
Wex did have their own background stand for £99 (which was what bi was going to get eventually) that would take a roll of vinyl, but its not on there now. Looks like the interfit one is there instead but there's no specs :confused:
Click to expand...

http://www.interfitphotographic.com/sections/background-support-systems.html#.VGyokfmsWfZ

They do a fair few different ones but I'm pretty sure I've used the COR755 and COR756 models, the 755 has medium quality stands which are superior to the stuff sold on eBay and the 756 model has fairly nice medium/heavy duty stands.

They are quite expensive new but you can find them or the Calumet alternatives (which I quite liked) second hand for a steal if you're lucky. If you've already got light stands you could just buy a support pole (Calumet do the small and large ones for £25/40).
 
simonbarker said:
http://www.interfitphotographic.com/sections/background-support-systems.html#.VGyokfmsWfZ

They do a fair few different ones but I'm pretty sure I've used the COR755 and COR756 models, the 755 has medium quality stands which are superior to the stuff sold on eBay and the 756 model has fairly nice medium/heavy duty stands.

They are quite expensive new but you can find them or the Calumet alternatives (which I quite liked) second hand for a steal if you're lucky. If you've already got light stands you could just buy a support pole (Calumet do the small and large ones for £25/40).
Click to expand...
The wex pro one that used to be on there (I looked at vit over the weekend) would take up to 20kg, so could take a vinyl roll. The interfit ones don't. Although I wouldn't spend out on a vinyl roll too start with, its nice to have the option. I don't know why wex have dropped the wex pork one.
 
Raptor Mike said:
The wex pro one that used to be on there (I looked at vit over the weekend) would take up to 20kg, so could take a vinyl roll. The interfit ones don't. Although I wouldn't spend out on a vinyl roll too start with, its nice to have the option. I don't know why wex have dropped the wex pork one.
Click to expand...

Are you certain? The larger Interfit kit had some pretty big stands, from memory they might have been bigger than the Calumet heavy duty ones and the only larger stands I've seen are Cine/Senior type so I'd be surprised if they could take less than the Wexpro model.

Wex did source some of the Wexpro bits from Viewfinder photography, I wouldn't be surprised if this is the same model: http://www.viewfinderphotography.co.uk/products/Pro-Secured-Heavy-Duty-Background-Support-Stand.html
 
simonbarker said:
Are you certain? The larger Interfit kit had some pretty big stands, from memory they might have been bigger than the Calumet heavy duty ones and the only larger stands I've seen are Cine/Senior type so I'd be surprised if they could take less than the Wexpro model.

Wex did source some of the Wexpro bits from Viewfinder photography, I wouldn't be surprised if this is the same model: http://www.viewfinderphotography.co.uk/products/Pro-Secured-Heavy-Duty-Background-Support-Stand.html
Click to expand...
When I read your reply I took a look at both large stands. Under the specs tab it says the take 7kg and are for paper and textile :( http://www.interfitphotographic.com...-5--w-10-3---h-2-6m-w-3-2m-.html#.VGzRccnm68A

Thanks for putting up the Viewfinder link (y)
 
simonbarker said:
http://www.interfitphotographic.com/sections/background-support-systems.html#.VGyokfmsWfZ

They do a fair few different ones but I'm pretty sure I've used the COR755 and COR756 models, the 755 has medium quality stands which are superior to the stuff sold on eBay and the 756 model has fairly nice medium/heavy duty stands.

They are quite expensive new but you can find them or the Calumet alternatives (which I quite liked) second hand for a steal if you're lucky. If you've already got light stands you could just buy a support pole (Calumet do the small and large ones for £25/40).
Click to expand...

Thanks for the info r.e. The backdrop, I've looked at a couple forum topics on it that I could find, all suggest don't get something cheap and nasty basically haha..

I've checked out the interfit link but I see no prices?
The background and stand is something I'd rather get as cheap as possible to begin with and can always upgrade at a later date.
 
Last edited:
Adamannowi said:
Thanks for the info r.e. The backdrop, I've looked at a couple forum topics on it that I could find, all suggest don't get something cheap and nasty basically haha..

I've checked out the interfit link but I see no prices?
The background and stand is something I'd rather get as cheap as possible to begin with and can always upgrade at a later date.
Click to expand...
There's a lot on Amazon, but make sure you read some of the reviews, including any low star ones.
 
Ive just bought the lencarta set up posted above along with an octobox.

Im very much a n00b but am learning and enjoying the results i have been getting.

A
 
Garry Edwards said:
My general advice is to get a kit with 1 softbox and 1 umbrella - much more versatile than a twin softbox kit, cheaper too.
Click to expand...
Garry I have a question about this. If you were using a two light setup would you be able to do this with one softbox and one umbrella. I understand their different effects, just, and that if you're using single lighting its nice to have the option, but if you're using two lights do they need to be the same?
Thanks :)
 
I mailed them to check.

Yup still holding it its been up and down a few times too.

A
 
Raptor Mike said:
Garry I have a question about this. If you were using a two light setup would you be able to do this with one softbox and one umbrella. I understand their different effects, just, and that if you're using single lighting its nice to have the option, but if you're using two lights do they need to be the same?
Thanks :)
Click to expand...
My 'real' answer, for people who have a studio the size of an aircraft hanger, an unlimited budget and the skill and knowledge to get the benefit from having a lot of different gear, would be to buy everything there is, which will remove all limitations - but in the real world, that answer would be ridiculous so I suggest a 2 head kit with 1 softbox and 1 umbrella...

Even a small softbox can produce a lot of very different effects, all dependent on position, height, angle and distance.
So can an umbrella.
Use the two in combination and the versatility is much greater.

If you're using 2 different flash heads, it doesn't make much difference whether they're the same or not, as long as they both have the same accessory fitting and produce light of the same colour.
 
Garry Edwards said:
My 'real' answer, for people who have a studio the size of an aircraft hanger, an unlimited budget and the skill and knowledge to get the benefit from having a lot of different gear, would be to buy everything there is, which will remove all limitations - but in the real world, that answer would be ridiculous so I suggest a 2 head kit with 1 softbox and 1 umbrella...

Even a small softbox can produce a lot of very different effects, all dependent on position, height, angle and distance.
So can an umbrella.
Use the two in combination and the versatility is much greater.

If you're using 2 different flash heads, it doesn't make much difference whether they're the same or not, as long as they both have the same accessory fitting and produce light of the same colour.
Click to expand...
Ahh thanks for clearing that up Garry. I'm planning ahead at the moment and I do like the look of the smart flash 2 kit. I like the way their site has a page specifically for kits :thumbs:
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top