Need to buy a studio flash kit set-up

[Cardifftomo]

Hi members, first of all would like to say hi and welcome myself to this fourm. I have had a look around this site and fourm about my above title but want this forums expert advise please.

Well I'm looking to buy a studio flash lighting kit for my home. Maybe looking at a 3 light set. It will be used to take photos of my own family of 2 boys and a new born baby. Got a white backdrop already but looking to add a flash set up. As I am new to all of this photography I an still learning with settings on my camera.
I have a 600D.

Been looking on eBay at set ups price under £200 please as a whole kit.
Any links would be great thanks guys

 

[domino1999]

The studio kits on ebay have been discussed many times before on this forum, just look at the threads or do a search, there's plenty in the first couple of pages here.

There's also been plenty of debate and discussion about these cheap ebay kits versus slightly more expensive / more versatile kits from better known brands. At the end of the day, you get what you pay for.

If you can't find the threads yourself, then I'll post some links to them when I get home.

p.s. Hi & welcome to TP forums

p.p.s. If you're after opinions of a particular kit on ebay, then please post the link to it. I expect you'll get very similar views on those kits which will go something like this: they mayor may not live up to the specs, they may or may not accept various standard lighting modifiers, they may or may not last very long, they may or may not give consistent colour temperatures, might be difficult/costly to return if they fail within the so-called warranty period - especially if they have to be sent abroad (HK or China)..etc.etc.

Darren

 

[Cardifftomo]

Thanks for the quick reply Darren. I'll take a look back in these pages to search abit more. I did have a look last night but most of the links on eBay were broken as the item had ended.

Yeah I understand if you buy cheap you get cheap and as always with eBay you don't have any trading standards backing you up lol. Thanks

 

[rainhill photo]

would recommend you look here....
www.photomart.co.uk

These guys deal in 'proper' pro kit as my wallet has discovered on many occasions!

 

[Russ77]

Welcome to TP Craig

I asked exactly the same question a few months ago..........

The general concensus was that the cheap lighting kits from eBay *migh* be OK, however they are often made from reconditioned parts, aren't quality/safety checked and will often give different coloured light and/or inconsistent outputs (as said above).

I got myself a backdrop kit from Amazon which was £79 http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0072FZCH2/ref=oh_details_o01_s00_i00 and the Lencarta Starter Kit http://www.lencarta.com/lighting-store/flash-heads/flash-heads-1/twin-head-mains-powered-starter-kit with 2 white umbrellas.

Only used them once but they're very well built and are fan cooled

Also, steer clear of continuous lighting, it's not particularly safe and is unlikely to be bright enough either.

 

[ferret1981]

If your new to photography a good way to figure out if its worth forking out for studio lighting kit is to go to a studio workshop first. They start as cheap as £20 a session and you'll get a feel for if studio photography is actually for you before shelling out hundreds of £££'s. Good, fun and natural looking family portraits don't need to be taken in a home studio environment.
I'm fairly new to this forum, but not photography and lots of people who are still learning to use their camera seem to think they need to buy studio lights to make their pictures better.
My opinion is that someone still learning to use settings on their new camera should learn the functions of their camera inside out before feeling the need to buy lots of kit which they won't really know how to use properly. Learning the principles of studio lighting before knowing how to fully use your camera is like running before you can walk.
I attended studio workshops for around 18 months and hired studio time and experimented before considering buying my own studio lights. Although I'm very happy with the kit and the results I feel for an amateur portrait photographer its a bit overkill and would deffinately advise hiring studio time first so when you do pull the trigger you know its right and how to use the kit effectively.