Studio lighting newbie needs advice!

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MrsReid

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Hannah
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Hello. I've just joined the site although I have been lurking around the forums reading all you lovely peoples threads.

I need to invest in some lighting, it will be used once a month (at the most).

I would like to use continuous lighting as I am keen to use my lens wide open to achieve a shallow DOF.

I am planning to keep it simple, one large key light above and a reflector from below, as shown in this video here:

http://wn.com/Portrait_Photography_using_continuous_lighting

I don't want to buy something so cheap that it needs to be replaced anytime soon and I would prefer to buy from one company so that I can add to it in the future should I need to evolve how I work.

I was considering buying the lightbank softbox by Micansu used in the video above. I could buy it here:

http://www.smick.co.uk/sonline/lightbank-softbox-continuous-lighting-head-for-digital-and-video/prod_480.html

But after further research (on this forum in particular) I am hearing good things about Lencarta and in particular the QuadLite Continuous Light

So right now I am thinking of investing in the QuadLite and a few other Lencarta items (Studio boom arm, reflector holder boom, light stand, background support system. etc).

So my questions are:

1. Would you recommend Lencarta products and them as a company?

2. Would the QuadLite be as good as/better than the lightbank softbox by Micansu?

I have done a lot of research, but I think I just need confirmation before I invest money & time into a product line.

I would be so grateful of any comments - thankyou for your time!
 
Sounds like you have done your research :) QuadLite is the one to go for.

It's decently made, a bit brighter than the one you have linked (you will not have too much light!), has half power setting, and will be a bit easier to put up/down with only four softbox rods instead of eight.

One thing might be the difference between a square light and octagonal. Only real change is to the shape of the highlights in the eyes. Some people prefer round, others square that looks a bit more like a window. Both softboxes are a very similar overall size.
 
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Thank you for your help. I hadn't even thought about how the different shape would affect the catchlights, luckily, I think I prefer square so it looks like a window! Thanks again.
 
mike weeks said:
You can use large apertures by turning down the power of your flash and turn it up for smaller apertures - try that with continuous lighting.

Mike
Click to expand...

Change shutter speed/ISO?
 
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