Lighting set-up

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ShaunHill

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I'm looking to get a decent studio light set-up at a reasonable price.

I found this: Flashpoint 320M Portrait Wedding Monolight Kit, with Two 320 Monolights,10' Stands,Umbrellas, Snoot and Carrying Case

http://www.jtote.com/product_info.p...onolights-stands-umbrellas-snoot-etc-p-505974

  • Does anyone have any experience with this kit, would you recommend it?
  • It says there is a modelling light, so presumably it provides a continuous light for getting shadows and highlights perfect?
  • Can anyone recommend anything equivalent sold in the UK and preferably on Amazon (I have vouchers)?
  • I anticipate using these in conjunction with Yongnuo wireless triggers, would there be any problems?


Thank you for your help in advance.
 
Sheepdisease said:
I'm looking to get a decent studio light set-up at a reasonable price.

I found this: Flashpoint 320M Portrait Wedding Monolight Kit, with Two 320 Monolights,10' Stands,Umbrellas, Snoot and Carrying Case

http://www.jtote.com/product_info.p...onolights-stands-umbrellas-snoot-etc-p-505974

  • Does anyone have any experience with this kit, would you recommend it?
  • It says there is a modelling light, so presumably it provides a continuous light for getting shadows and highlights perfect?
  • Can anyone recommend anything equivalent sold in the UK and preferably on Amazon (I have vouchers)?
  • I anticipate using these in conjunction with Yongnuo wireless triggers, would there be any problems?


Thank you for your help in advance.
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Don't know anything about that brand and I'm instantly concerned by the total lack of real information/specification contained within the 'ad'. Personally I'd go for a more recognized brand such as Elinchrom or Bowens if you are going through Amazon. Do a web search on either of these brands and you find plenty of information on them.

Paul
 
That is a great start, thanks! What are your tips for property white backgrounds during shoots?
 
Sheepdisease said:
That is a great start, thanks! What are your tips for property white backgrounds during shoots?
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White backgrounds - worry about the subject and and less about the background IMO, a pure white BG isn't the easiest to achieve I usually use grey or colours myself.

Sheepdisease said:
Any tips on the above? Just wondered what people thought of: http://www.fotobyte-uk.com/900w-fla...trobe-light-3-x-300w---120902298558-401-p.asp vs http://www.smick.co.uk/sonline/studio-flash-lighting-kit-3-x-heads-900ws/prod_366.html?added=1 vs http://www.lencarta.com/ as well. I am looking for a three light set-up really.
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Of those linked, the Lencarta brand probably has the best track record and support, though I've not used any of them myself.

Paul
 
Sheepdisease said:
Any tips on the above? Just wondered what people thought of: http://www.fotobyte-uk.com/900w-flash-kit-photography-studio-strobe-light-3-x-300w---120902298558-401-p.asp vs http://www.smick.co.uk/sonline/studio-flash-lighting-kit-3-x-heads-900ws/prod_366.html?added=1 vs http://www.lencarta.com/ as well. I am looking for a three light set-up really.
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Out of them 3 lencarta.

The smick ones don't have much info available and look quite expensive for what they are. The first link is cheap cheap, if your budget is very low and you don't want to buy any extra modifiers it would do for home studio.

Lencarta is your best bet
 
Sheepdisease said:
I'm looking to get a decent studio light set-up at a reasonable price.

I found this: Flashpoint 320M Portrait Wedding Monolight Kit, with Two 320 Monolights,10' Stands,Umbrellas, Snoot and Carrying Case

http://www.jtote.com/product_info.p...onolights-stands-umbrellas-snoot-etc-p-505974
Click to expand...


The website is not secure, it's the first sign.
The contact information is incorrect, the domain registrant is other than the written contact information on the website.
The domain registrant owns several other webshops that are pretty much identical to the one you listed here, all of them has one thing in common, they are all too cheap to be real.

My advise is to stay far far away from that website, it's far from legit. The owner of the domain is Rachitskiy R&D LLC, it's a guy in Russia who lives on scamming people.

:bat::bat: :gag::gag: nono: :nono:
 
Thank you all for your advice. I notice that you say 'out of the 3'. What would you choose if you needed a reliable but reasonably priced set of 3 light heads and stands, barn door, lighting gels, snoot, softboxes, wireless triggers and wanted all of this for a lot less than £600 preferably? I am going to need a boom arm too for top down lighting.

And I do want pure white backgrounds!
 
Sheepdisease said:
Also, what do you think of this? http://www.srsmicrosystems.co.uk/4710/Pro-Line-Apollo-300-Creative-Studio-Lighting-Kit.html
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I've used those Proline lights, in fact I reviewed them alongside a bunch of others for Advanced Photographer magazine (Dec 2011 edition).

And TBH, they're not bad. They're basically what are known around here as 'e bay specials' and they're available under all sorts of brand names, in the same spec or very similar, for a wide variety of prices. I've seen some packages cheaper than that and you certainly get a lot for your money.

But as I said in the magazine, there are better ways of spending £400. While they work well enough (and I tried quite hard to over-heat them by firing 100 full power flashes in quick succession) they are pretty basic and lightly built. The recycle time at full power is very slow and the modifier fitting is unique to this type of light rather than the much more popular S-type or Einchrom EL fitting. The softboxes are small and flimsy.

But if that's all I had to work with, I could get by. As could anyone else that knows about lighting and how to work around limitations.

For that kind of money though, the Lencarta Smartflashes at £110 or something per head are better. Also Elinchrom D-Lites are now down to £125 each, which is what I personally use. I also have Elinchrom BXRi heads that are more money but really good. Lights like these are the entry into a professional calibre system, and when you get past the basics, that's at least as much about the modifiers as the lights themselves. Like if the flash head is the camera, the modifiers are the lenses.

For white backgrounds (loads of threads on this) you need three lights, but it's not an easy style to do well. Best avoided until you've got a good understanding ;)
 
HoppyUK said:
I've used those Proline lights, in fact I reviewed them alongside a bunch of others for Advanced Photographer magazine (Dec 2011 edition).

And TBH, they're not bad. They're basically what are known around here as 'e bay specials' and they're available under all sorts of brand names, in the same spec or very similar, for a wide variety of prices. I've seen some packages cheaper than that and you certainly get a lot for your money.

But as I said in the magazine, there are better ways of spending £400. While they work well enough (and I tried quite hard to over-heat them by firing 100 full power flashes in quick succession) they are pretty basic and lightly built. The recycle time at full power is very slow and the modifier fitting is unique to this type of light rather than the much more popular S-type or Einchrom EL fitting. The softboxes are small and flimsy.

But if that's all I had to work with, I could get by. As could anyone else that knows about lighting and how to work around limitations.

For that kind of money though, the Lencarta Smartflashes at £110 or something per head are better. Also Elinchrom D-Lites are now down to £125 each, which is what I personally use. I also have Elinchrom BXRi heads that are more money but really good. Lights like these are the entry into a professional calibre system, and when you get past the basics, that's at least as much about the modifiers as the lights themselves. Like if the flash head is the camera, the modifiers are the lenses.

For white backgrounds (loads of threads on this) you need three lights, but it's not an easy style to do well. Best avoided until you've got a good understanding ;)
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Thank you for your great reply. I wont be purchasing that kit then. I checked amazon and the cheapest Elinchrom D-Lites were £230 each (Elinchrom D-Lite 2 it). Where are they that cheap? Sound like good lights.

Do you know where I can get a good modifier bundle cheaply from?
 
That's a pretty good price, thanks. Shame they don't come with stands! Showing at £50 per stand. Gets expensive.. What stands would you get which are reasonably priced?

Where would you get the modiifiers from cheaply as a good bundle deal?

Would you recommend the Elinchrom 16cm reflector?
 
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Sheepdisease said:
That's a pretty good price, thanks. Shame they don't come with stands! Showing at £50 per stand. Gets expensive.. What stands would you get which are reasonably priced?

Where would you get the modiifiers from cheaply as a good bundle deal?

Would you recommend the Elinchrom 16cm reflector?
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Light stands are universal fit. You can get the same ones as in the Proline kit on Amazon for about £11 (Konig). I have several, very good they are too for the price, though you would want something with a wider spread for a bigger softbox. Lencarta stands are very good, and well priced.

16cm reflector is the basic spill-kil used with umbrellas. I like umbrellas a lot - great light, cheap, versatile, three basic types, instant erection (:D), fold up small. Good place to start. Elinchroms can take 8mm or 7mm umbrellas, though the 7mm mounting is better placed.

Softboxes are nice, similar light to umbrellas but with more control, though they're way more expensive, take up more room, and the cheaper ones are a pain to put up and down. Look at the Lencarta Profold softboxes, most of which have interchangeable mounts, including EL, though there are loads of others around.
 
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