Starter kit

i5te

i5te

Suspended / Banned
Messages
8
Name
Stephen
Edit My Images
No
Hi all,

I've been looking at and literally have my bank card in hand ready to buy a decent starter kit for the lighting / mini studio setup as to speak. Ive found one on eBay which seemed to sound decent and have a reasonable price if anyone could advise me or suggest any others?

It's a few pence under £130 and free postage ... Help a newbie please heh :)

Thanks in advance.

eBay link: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Photo-Stu...r-Backdrop-Support-Stand-3x2-8M-/170750381886


kezpS0.jpg


Specification:

1. Non-woven fabric backdrop:

Colors:green， black & white
Size:1.6m x 3m
Note: For long distance delivery and this have to be folded up in packs， the backdrops may crease up， if it need to be ironed， please before to lay a cloth over it to avoid being burnt.
2. Background support system:

Height: 0.8m~2.8m
Width: 1.5m， 2.25m or 3m (4x 0.75m)
Max load: 6kg
3. Lighting kit:

Light stand: 0.8m~2m
White umbrella: D=33''(84cm)
E27 bulb holder
E27 tricolor bulbs: 2x 115w， 5500k
Voltage: 180-240V/50Hz
Package:

1 x background support system (2 support & 4 cross bar)
3 x non-woven backdrops
2 x light stands
2 x white umbrellas
2 x E27 bulb holders
2 x 115w bulbs
1 x carry bag
 
Hi Stephen,

I think you may quickly find that these are very limiting for you...especially if you take a shine to studio type shots and want to progress further.

I would try and have a go with some before you purchase if that is possible.

Don't buy in haste and regret it later.

Good Luck
 
This thread is asking the same question about the second biggest pile of junk you can buy. I say the second biggest, because unfortunately the stuff you're looking at is even worse... What you're looking at is a very low powered CONTINUOUS LIGHTING kit that just isn't suitable for people photography, even if you ignore possible fire and electrical safety issues.

Sorry, but you're going to have to spend about £300 to get something usable. The Lencarta SmartFlash 2 head kit will be fine, there are other makes too at similar prices but personally I wouldn't spend a penny less.
 
Thanks for the comments, given negative or suggesting illegal and unsafe fire risks...

However it's use would be portraits really, pictures of my daughter, a friend for some promo shots, and general family ones.

To cater for light before I've used the tall lamps, at an angle, pointed at the subject, however they are far to bright and let's face it, they're home lamps for a reason, lol.

I'm no professional by any standards, simply trying to achieve good photographs that I can put more on a canvass.

Would you suggest I get a decent flash to go on the camera? I've had some excellent results with one I had previously when I had the canon setup, however it did seem to take a long time to 'charge' the flash back up if anyone can recommend any for a Sony a290.

Which route would you do? Bare in mind the use above. Thanks
 
I'm not too sure what you mean...

Yes, you can use ordinary room lighting if you want to, but it will be very difficult to control so you won't get the best from your subjects. It's also very dim, so you'll have to use very high camera ISO, which will impact heavily on the image quality.

An on camera flashgun? Definitely not. You'll get very flat lighting and harsh shadows, your family will never talk to you again:)

It's do-able as long as you move the hotshoe flashgun off camera, but you won't have anywhere near as much control as a simple studio kit will give you, you won't have much power and you won't have the all-important modelling lamps that studio flash has. By all means get one, for other uses, but don't get it as a cheap alternative to studio flash. In fact, by the time you've got two, it's cheaper as well as better to get studio flash.

It really boils down to this question: Are you trying to USE AND CONTROL LIGHT to get good results, or are you just trying to get ENOUGH light to actually take a photo of some sort? In other words, quality or quantity?
 
Sorry the reply doesn't seem as clear as I intended to type after a second read.

I'd used room lighting before, as a sort of 'try' however the initial post on this topic was to refer to it being better than using things around the house and having the dedicated lights there.

After some searching around I think I may be more partial to using the flash guns, perhaps in the softbox or umbrella and making use of the cameras wireless connectivity to trigger them.

I'd used the horse-shoe style that slid on top of the camera body on my previous canon 400d which I'd got some really good results from by using that so I may be partial to find one for this Sony camera too.

I apologise for the not very technical terms for things, been on and off the hobby for a couple of years and really eager to make this time a good start on it to get some shots I can claim bragging rights to, ha.

Quality over quantity every time, aslong as its affordable.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top