Beginner wanting help

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Suarez85

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Marc
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Hi Guys :)

Iv recently gotten into photography (January 2016) and feel pleased enough with my progress to be able to think about taking it to the next level.

Im using a Pentax K5 mostly with a 50mm 1.8 prime, but also have a 16-45mm smc da in my kit bag.

Im wanting to start experimenting with strobe lighting and am considering a 900w strobe lighting kit from fotobyte-uk.

Question is should I be looking to add more to my lenses (a decent telefoto lens) or go for strobe lighting? Alot of my work at the moment is going to gigs, photoshoots and im studying portraiture so that I can hopefully start to sell my services to repay back some of the money iv paid out.

Thanks in advance
 
That kit is junk, so if it's a decision between wasting the money on it, or buying a new lens, you have an easy decision...
Slow recycling, inconsistent power, inconsistent colour temperature, very limited power adjustment, dim modelling lamps, no fan cooling and worst of all, the reflectors are non-removable and so only a very limited range of accessories are available and they can't even produce good results with softboxes.

However, a better kit would open up a whole new world to you, more lenses can help but they don't allow you to move into totally new types of photography, studio lighting does.
 
Can you therefore recommend a better kit I can get for around £200, remember I am a beginner
 
Bear in mind that I represent Lencarta, who sells this twin head kit...
But I would suggest this kit, which is just £20 more than the one you planned to get, and it's all that you need.
 
Firstly, Lencarta stuff is good and Gary gives first class advice. Secondly, if the budget is tight, you don't multiple lights to start getting the hang of studio lightings. One Lencarta Smartflash plus some sort of umbrella or softbox plus a reflector will do the job until you've learned enough to know you need more kit. IMO you get that hang of the basics easier with one light.
 
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Suarez85 said:
Iv recently gotten into photography (January 2016) and feel pleased enough with my progress to be able to think about taking it to the next level.
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Bought a camera to considering going Pro in under 2 months ??? That has got to be THE FASTEST development ever in the history of photography

Defo a superstar in the making :)

Oh, and if you really need studio gear do what Garry said

Dave
 
Not at all a pro in the making, far from it :) What i meant was that I want to add in an additional element and start to learn and add to my knowledge.
 

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Suarez85 said:
Garry, could you send me the web address for the kit you recommend? I clicked the link and its coming up at £320?

Additionally in my comments earlier it directs to the wrong page, this is the correct set i was looking at

http://www.fotobyte-uk.com/900w-fla...0w-heads-digital-led-display-p-300a-162-p.asp
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Ah well, that's where your link went to... This link is even cheaper, to even worse kit, if that's possible.

My response, pointing you to the Lencarta kit with 1 softbox and 1 umbrella for £320, is just £20 more than your original link.
If your budget is limited to £200 then you could get
1 x Lencarta SmartFlash, £110
1 x 60x60cm softbox, £45
1 x Light stand, £30
1 x 5 in 1 reflector, £15

Which will get you going, and it meets your budget. But, for another £120 you can get the complete kit, which includes the remote control/radio trigger set, which is much better value.

You can't do everything with just one flash head and a reflector, but you can do a lot, and as a reflector always reflects less light than a flash head, it makes the learning process easier.

I spent yesterday teaching product photography in our studio to a group of people from a large firm that does its own in house photography. Because they don't yet have quite as many lights as they need I never used more lights for any shot than they had, and used 5 in 1 reflectors, bits of white paper etc as necessary - knowledge and care always trumps gear:)
One of their problem shots was of a vacuum cleaner, in reality it needed just one light, in the right place. Many shots do.
 
[QUOTE="You can't do everything with just one flash head and a reflector, but you can do a lot, and as a reflector always reflects less light than a flash head, it makes the learning process easier.

I spent yesterday teaching product photography in our studio to a group of people from a large firm that does its own in house photography. Because they don't yet have quite as many lights as they need I never used more lights for any shot than they had, and used 5 in 1 reflectors, bits of white paper etc as necessary - knowledge and care always trumps gear:)
One of their problem shots was of a vacuum cleaner, in reality it needed just one light, in the right place. Many shots do.[/QUOTE]

I have re-reviewed what my needs are and I think I was being a bit premature with my needs. Alot of my projects is going to be out in the field and nearly, but all will not be done in the stuido....so...with that in mind I have decided to potentially go for speedlights (in particular the Yongnuo YN560 IV with the YN560 TX Wireless controller), starting with 1 speedlight and a 5 in 1 reflector.

Has anyone had any experiencce of the Yongnuo's, iv seen a few reviews via google and youtube and they all rate them.
 
via amazon the IV's are £3 more expensive per unit than the III's so thought why not :)
 
Lads of experience with Yongnuo, they're great.

But before you hit the 'buy now' button,what exactly is it that you're trying to do?

A Speedlight isn't much use as a primary light source in daylight. You'll need a lot more power that that if you want to create something great in daylight.

However, wait till dusk and the speedlight can work wonders, it's technical issues like that you really need to understand before using.
 
I will be working alot in rooms, office's, general location work. Out in parks in daylight etc, I probably wont use speedlights until its overcast and the golden hours where I can hopefully get some awesome shots with those red / purple skies.
 
Suarez85 said:
I will be working alot in rooms, office's, general location work. Out in parks in daylight etc, I probably wont use speedlights until its overcast and the golden hours where I can hopefully get some awesome shots with those red / purple skies.
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You'll want to add one of these to your want list then.
 
Iv got one of those on my to buy's :) as well as a 5in1 reflector :)
 
Maybe you could consider spending that £200 on a photography course at a local college.

I suspect that will improve your photography far more than any new equipment at this stage.
 
I would counter that by saying there's so much comprehensive material online for all levels via b and h video on youtube, saving £200 on a course and buying kit instead would mean I have the ability to refer to the webinars and then put it in practice.
 
Suarez85 said:
Im wanting to start experimenting with strobe lighting and am considering a 900w strobe lighting kit
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About 3 years ago I was asked along to an event to help in a media course for some students, where the Photographer hosting for the students bought a long the above that you linked too, and what a load of crap they where, misfires terrible syncing to mention a couple, fortunately I bought most of my kit including my Lencarta studio lights, which where a godsend, I'm a great believer in buy crap buy twice or maybe 3 times in some cases, Lencarta are a very decent product which have also certainly improved over the last couple of years, and you also have to remember they also come with a 3 year warranty which is excellent in this day and age, and just go's to show they have confidence in there own products, if your budget is low better to get one light a brolley a softbox and a reflector to start, then just build on what you have, also starting with one light is always advisable anyway, one will be enough to keep you going experimenting for a couple of months :)
 
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Yongnuo flashguns, and some of their other products are fine. The company is now moving over to what appear to be exact copies of lenses, By all means get their flashguns while you still can.

But, be aware of their limitations, which also apply to other hotshoe flashguns - low power slow recycling, built in reflector. Vital for adding a touch of light outdoors, OK for actually controlling the light, up to a point, when there is very little ambient light. Pretty much essential kit, but no substitute for mains powered flash.

By all means go on a course, But only if you can find a course where the tutor knows more than you do, sadly that doesn't always happen.
Suarez85 said:
I would counter that by saying there's so much comprehensive material online for all levels via b and h video on youtube, saving £200 on a course and buying kit instead would mean I have the ability to refer to the webinars and then put it in practice.
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Some of the online tutorials are good, many or not.. Before the internet, vanity publishing was very expensive and only dedicated idiots paid to have their "work" published, but now everyone can put their opinions out there, and share their "knowledge" - which is fine if you can tell the difference beetween wheat and chaff, but most people can't.

My personal view is that the best course for most people is to get an understanding of the principles of lighting, which we try to cover on the Lencarta lighting blog, or you can buy a book such as Light: Science & Magic, and then just practice, practice, practice.
 
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I think one TTL speedlight, trigger, stand and smaller modifier is a good starting point. And a TTL flash has other uses for which it's nearly indispensable (so ti's a good purchase regardless).

But, a speedlight in a smaller modifier is of limited use. And a speedlight in a larger modifier isn't a very good match.
 
talking of smaller modifies, has any one had experience with rogue flashbenders?
 
When I said "smaller modifier" I wasn't meaning anything nearly as small as a flashbender.
I have/use them, but I would call it more of a flag/directional tool rather than a modifier/diffuser as such.
 
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