Studio starter kits ??

Ruffy

Ruffy

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Would like to know if there are any decent budget type studio kits around, I would like to set this up in my garage.

I'm guessing I'm looking at backdrop, white would do, a couple of flash heads with wireless adapter to fire them ???

As you can see, I don't have a clue with regards to the equipment required lol

Any ideas ?
 
I guess a budget would help lol

Around £500-£600
 
Plenty of threads on this, but also a lot of 'it depends' type answers.

Assuming this is for basic portraiture, at least for starters, my advice is to get just one light, a decent softbox, and a reflector, plus background etc, and get a good grip on that first. You can do a lot more than you might think, and using two or three lights before you've properly got the hang of things will only create messy lighting and confusion.

At the budget end, look at Lencarta. For a little more money, Elinchrom.
 
Jaisus said:
I bought one of these a while back Studio Kit on ebay for about £130
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There are some good value kits on eebay that often get dissed a little unfairly, but unfortunately that is not one of them. Really poor.
 
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I thought the lastolite Hilite systems are surposed to be very good?
 
Grjones said:
I thought the lastolite Hilite systems are surposed to be very good?
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Lastolite Hilite is a background system. Their products are mostly very high quality, but the Lastolite Lumin8 range of studio heads is distinctly average.
 
Grjones said:
I thought the lastolite Hilite systems are suposed to be very good?
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As Grjones says Hi-lite is a background. It is effectively a giant softbox to produce a 'high key' (i.e. pure white) in a small space. May need to cost in a white vinyl train for full length shots. You can also get 'bottle tops' which are covers for different colours.

For high key you'll probably need 3 strobes - 2 for either side of the highlite and another to light the subject. All depends on what you shoot.
 
HoppyUK said:
...but the Lastolite Lumin8 range of studio heads is distinctly average.
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I find that a little unfair :lol: They still knock spots off of similar kits from Interfit. My Lumen8 200ws are perfect for shooting at home, take the standard S-type bayonet fitting. They're by no means perfect, but I'd still say they're better than average. I'm not looking forward to when the tubes go though...they have to be returned to Lastolite to be changed :eek:
 
I use lastolite lumen 8's for school photos, they are tougher than you think and reliable, not as good as Bowens but still good. He buying for a garage setup now I would be looking at strobeams.
 
ChrisMClark said:
I find that a little unfair :lol: They still knock spots off of similar kits from Interfit. My Lumen8 200ws are perfect for shooting at home, take the standard S-type bayonet fitting. They're by no means perfect, but I'd still say they're better than average. I'm not looking forward to when the tubes go though...they have to be returned to Lastolite to be changed :eek:
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At 400Ws, I would put the Interfits comfortably ahead of Lumin8, and neither can match Elinchrom D-Lites that are only a little more expensive.

In particular, Lumin8 has the longest flash durations I've ever tested (1/200-1/350sec in real terms), the modelling light is nowhere near proportional, they're heavy and not fan-cooled.
 
Lumen8 come in a 400ws flavour too, and I absolutely hated the Interfit heads I had. I'll admit I didn't have a great experience with them (both heads developped a fault with the voltage regulator within 2 weeks) but I still prefer my Lastolites. They feel better put together.

I suppose it comes down to what you like. The fan-cooling issue is something I'd forgotten about and it's never caused me an issue. I don't normally use the modeeling light proportionally anyway so I admit I hadn't thought of that either. I still think they're good heads though, and I certainly wouldn't touch Interfit again. When I bought mine the D-Lites were quite a bit pricier, but I wouldn't argue for a second that they're better. I've used them in a rental studio before now and got on well with them, used alongside BRXs (if memory serves me).

I'll meet you in the middle Richard; for the price the Lastolites should be better, but they're still not bad by a long shot.
 
ChrisMClark said:
Lumen8 come in a 400ws flavour too, and I absolutely hated the Interfit heads I had. I'll admit I didn't have a great experience with them (both heads developped a fault with the voltage regulator within 2 weeks) but I still prefer my Lastolites. They feel better put together.

I suppose it comes down to what you like. The fan-cooling issue is something I'd forgotten about and it's never caused me an issue. I don't normally use the modeeling light proportionally anyway so I admit I hadn't thought of that either. I still think they're good heads though, and I certainly wouldn't touch Interfit again. When I bought mine the D-Lites were quite a bit pricier, but I wouldn't argue for a second that they're better. I've used them in a rental studio before now and got on well with them, used alongside BRXs (if memory serves me).

I'll meet you in the middle Richard; for the price the Lastolites should be better, but they're still not bad by a long shot.
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Interfits do have a bit of a rep for unreliability, but all these things basically flash alright - and you can mostly work around some of the other features, or lack of.

But if you get a chance to test the Lumin8 flash durations against Elinchrom, just have a go for interest, waving your arms about or something. The Lastolites are incredibly tardy, and if you need something to freeze kids jumping about that's something you can't work around.

As I said earlier, and having tested all of these things extensively for reviews in Advanced Photographer magazine, IMHO it runs something like this: Lencarta are pretty much untouchable for the money; for a bit more Elinchroms have the edge (both D-Lites, and excellent BX-Ri heads) then at the top end Profoto is superb.
 
A lot of info coming here, having trouble to get anything out of it so I will try to simplify things...

A want too take some portraits and I will be using my garage, I would like a backdrop some flash softbox/umbrella ! I will also need some sort of wireless hotshoe adaptor to fire them

Can either buy as a kit if there is one or single items
 
I still think you should look at the strowbeams
 
Ruffy said:
A lot of info coming here, having trouble to get anything out of it so I will try to simplify things...

A want too take some portraits and I will be using my garage, I would like a backdrop some flash softbox/umbrella ! I will also need some sort of wireless hotshoe adaptor to fire them

Can either buy as a kit if there is one or single items
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Make a brew, sit somewhere quiet and read this thread. http://www.talkphotography.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=357748

It's long, but well worth it and is packed full of information from guys that have done just want you say you want to.

For what it's worth, after reading it I bought 3x Lencarta Smartflash 200 and a Hilite! :)
 
Not too big for use in a confined space, an excellent remote control system that allows you to control individual lights, light weight so good if you want to take them to events, S fit, why not? I know a few people who have them and they love them.
 
HoppyUK said:
The Lastolites are incredibly tardy, and if you need something to freeze kids jumping about that's something you can't work around.
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Can't say fairer than that Richard; it's not something I've had masses of experience with. I only break them out for shooting at home where's there's no room to jump around :lol:

I do like that if I have issues with them I can tie in a visit to Lastolite (in Coalville) with a trip to see family (in Thringstone, just down the road)!:lol:
 
Levidog said:
Having read that, I'm after a couple of Lencarta Smartflash 200 heads, however it appears they are pretty hard to get and not available from Lencarta at the moment.
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There will be a few available at the end of the week, the main delivery is coming by sea and will take a few weeks.
 
Lencarta for me. Brilliant kit and very good value. Sure, if you have mega bucks to spend and want a 'better name' then look around, but at £500 you can get great kit with them.
 
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