Looking for a good 3 light starter set, help!

Maxathos

Maxathos

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Maxime Nadeau
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Hello,

I have a Nikon D90, and I'm looking for a begginer set (budget),
I'd like to find a 3 lights set, something like a soft-box, a hard light and maybe a honeycomb OR large softbox.

I need to have the whole kit ready to use, I don't mind wires because I can't afford powerboxes and poketwizards atm.

Can someone help me?
 
It would help if you gave some idea of budget. I got a very good 3 light set from Lencarta using their ebay shop, but they seem to be out of stock of those now, though you can go to their website and order their current models at a very reasonable price. Also, why specifically 3 lights? Many of the pro's round here do very well on two, and not even particularly powerful ones either.

edit: just noticed your location, not sure if buying 'at home' might not be your best move or imported european stock :shrug:
 
thanks for the link,
I would try not to go over 250$
But what I'm more concerned about is syncing all the lights, do you need something particular to do this? if I have three lights I can't plug all three cables on my D90, there must be some sort of console?

Wireless could be an option if I could have, say a two light setup, a softbox, and a hardlight (which you can mount much anything on, like an honeycomb), and some sort of console which can process the cables ?

You might have observed that I'm not very experienced with studio lighting! Anyway, I know how to measure stops and how to do basic setups, but it's just the preparation that I'm not too found of :S

max.
 
Maxathos said:
thanks for the link,
I would try not to go over 250$
But what I'm more concerned about is syncing all the lights, do you need something particular to do this? if I have three lights I can't plug all three cables on my D90, there must be some sort of console?

Wireless could be an option if I could have, say a two light setup, a softbox, and a hardlight (which you can mount much anything on, like an honeycomb), and some sort of console which can process the cables ?

You might have observed that I'm not very experienced with studio lighting! Anyway, I know how to measure stops and how to do basic setups, but it's just the preparation that I'm not too found of :S

max.
Click to expand...
You can wire to one light and this can trigger the others or use flash to trigger them all
 
Yv said:
dont worry, most lights acts a slaves to whch ever one is plugged into the camera, either by cable or wirelessly, so basically the linked one triggers all the others.

eidt: damn, jim types quicker then me :lol:
Click to expand...
Not bad for one finger;)
 
haha,

So you actually don't need to plug the others they start by a magically weaved wireless system? Or you have to plug light one on light two and light two on your DSLR?

Either way, COOL!
Thanks, that solved a lot of problems for me :)

Max.
 
Maxathos said:
haha,

So you actually don't need to plug the others they start by a magically weaved wireless system? Or you have to plug light one on light two and light two on your DSLR?

Either way, COOL!
Thanks, that solved a lot of problems for me :)

Max.
Click to expand...

Nope, they work wirelessly, no problems :thumbs:
 
Cool,

Another question, I see there are continuous lighting kits and strobes, I know strobes remain shut-down until you press the shutter and the flash shoots, but does the continous ligthing sets are always on and fire a stronger light during the flash, or they remain still?

And is there anyway to use a DSLR to meter the F/keys of your light if you want to make special lighting arrangments for fashion style photo? I heard some DSLR has build in sensors which can tell it to you, much like a posemeter.

Anyway, if this is impossible does a posemeter is really usefull for the begginer? and is it expensive?

Max.
 
Cant answer the metering bit, I just take a few tests an then off i go with those settings.

As for the other bit, continuous are the same amount of lght, constantly, and can tend to run vey hot, especially problematic for the model. Strobes, or 'flash', just output the power when triggered, and most have 'modelling lights', ie, a much lower powered light that stays on constantly, allowing you to position the light and the camera to focus properly.
 
Yv said:
Cant answer the metering bit, I just take a few tests an then off i go with those settings.

As for the other bit, continuous are the same amount of lght, constantly, and can tend to run vey hot, especially problematic for the model. Strobes, or 'flash', just output the power when triggered, and most have 'modelling lights', ie, a much lower powered light that stays on constantly, allowing you to position the light and the camera to focus properly.
Click to expand...

In theory continuous light of any given power produces as much light during a 1 SECOND exposure as a flash produces during the actual flash, normally around 100th sec - so in real terms the flash is around 1000 times more powerful.

As you mention a budget of 250$ I'm assuming that you're in the USA or Canada - look at the Alien Bees lights, popular with beginners
 
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