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03/03/2008 11:49:48 PM · #1 |
Hi all I am looking to buy a beginner set of studio lights. I know nothing about them and want to learn just for fun. and maybe once i figure it out invest in the good stuff. has anyone ever tried an AIKIPHOTO KIT? i know it bottom grade, but is it decent enought to work with to learn for fun not as a career? just maybe a job here or there?
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Message edited by karmat - making link shorter. |
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03/04/2008 12:30:56 AM · #2 |
| Seems a very good price.....too good to be true??? I dont know about the quality of the items, but it seems to have everything you need to set up. I paid twice that much just for the flash units and the stands. So I dont know if quality of the unit and light strengths are what they should be. Wait for some feedback from those who might know the brands. |
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03/04/2008 09:08:49 AM · #3 |
There are a lot of things to consider. Consistancy of light, adjustability, flash tube life (those are only 30k flashes), build quality, recharge time just to name a few.
I would expect that if you bought this kit you will be replacing many of the components within a year if they see a decent amount of use. So the question them becomes do you want to toss away $400 now to learn a little and get btter lights later or use the $400 toward better lights to begin with?
Message edited by author 2008-03-04 10:32:07. |
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03/04/2008 09:38:02 AM · #4 |
Originally posted by Ebay seller:
3. Wirelessly triggered by your small on camera flash (All lights have slave sensor built in!) |
I'd personally be wary of any seller who calls this "wireless." |
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03/04/2008 10:01:03 AM · #5 |
I wouldn't buy it. The lights even look poorly made and the backdrop stand looks very unstable.
It's worth spending more money to get better lights. If the lights flash at different powers or with different color every time they fire, it'll drive you mad very quickly.
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03/04/2008 06:24:33 PM · #6 |
Well i need to buy SOMETHING this week. like I said I want it to kinda play around and learn with. But i do do a few little things outdoors, with kids and such. And I landed a daycare job.. and i was asked/told I was wanted to do a high school sporting team.. SO does anyone have any recomendations. i am okay with buying less now and spending more later to "upgrade"
i know the set up I asked about is bottom of the barrel equiptment but would it get the job done? someone told me that yes the lights weren't great but all the other quiptment that you get with it was worth the $300. I can't spend more than $400 right now.
also for you professionals out there, what do you usually charge for day care? or for a sport team that is only 9 people? and when someone asks you to put a bid in on a jr high school prom ( which i didn't take) but if asked again, what exactly does that mean?
I don't know a thing about lights, what any of it actually does, what's good quality, what's not. This is my hobby, and I used to just take some pics for free when people asked and slowly more and more are asking and so finally a friend said i needed to charge for my time, so i slapped a little $55 fee on there and got in contact with a printing company charge pretty much a $1 profit on the printing and now I have tons of people calling me wanting me to do pictures..
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03/04/2008 06:33:54 PM · #7 |
I bought those lights from ebay and they shoud be here soon. Ithought i would go this way, and learnall about how to use them and slowly upgrade when I needed too,.
I think it boils down to if you are a Pro these lights are too cheap,but just starting, then why not. Can upgrade each item when money rolls in |
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03/04/2008 06:34:56 PM · #8 |
| how long ago did you buy? |
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03/04/2008 06:35:12 PM · #9 |
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03/04/2008 06:41:59 PM · #10 |
lol, sis you buy the same set up or oneof the others?
somsone else i chatted with ina chat room said the bought this and then one ata tiem replaced the light stands, then the lights with alien bees and everything else worked fine. i assuemed before even asking I'd have to do that and eventually if i bought a few backdrops here and there have to get a real stand i'm sure that one is probably not really sturdy.
well as soon as you get it can you e-mail me and let me know how it is? tnnernhannahsmom@aol.com |
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03/04/2008 06:55:50 PM · #11 |
yeah of course. I do a totally different type of photography which only includes one light. So always been happy doing that, but after being here, I want to branch out a bit, I know they are not the best light system around, but for someone just starting to learn the lighting, i thought it would be great. That way, when I have got to the point of upgrading to $500 lights, I will know what I am doing with them, bar me just fumbling around right now. And with all that fumbling, it wont be such a heartache if one falls over and breaks, versus the $500 light.
So that is my reasoning behind getting a cheaper all inclusive package to start off with. It is from teh same guy, and he has pretty good feedback too, so that helps.
You get what you pay for is what I am going to hear, BUT I know what I got and I know it is not top of the range. One is definelty going to be screwed over though if one thinks this is the Bees Knees of the lighting system. |
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03/04/2008 07:09:06 PM · #12 |
yeah see I'm on the same page as you. i know me, and i'm not the most....gracefull person in the world.. I'm on my second reble because my first my 2 year old knocked over the tri-pod.. and the rest is history with that.
I looked at your work, how did you do the nudes with that lighting that you used? I have someone that has asked me to take some picture similar to that and I have no idea how to pose someone for that or get the ligts right or anything. mind sharing? |
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03/04/2008 07:36:51 PM · #13 |
pitch black room, exposure about 25-30 seconds, have one hand held light source and 'paint' the light onto the body, h and the subject can not move at all, otherwise it shows in ghost effects
Message edited by author 2008-03-04 19:38:07. |
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03/06/2008 05:42:51 PM · #14 |
Well, the LIght set has arrived, it took what, 2 days to get here. Amazed. Everything is packed nicely adn everything is in tact.
Now I just haveto figure out how to set it up lol
Off to find the Instruction book! |
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03/06/2008 06:59:42 PM · #15 |
| cool I ordered it with a 30 day money back agreement. so it was shipped yesterday and i'm leaving tomorrow to go out of town for a few days damnit it will get here b4 i get back..lol i didn't expect it to be just 2 days.. |
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03/06/2008 07:47:57 PM · #16 |
yeah it would help if it came with f**********g arse instructions on how to set it up. I have spent the last 2 hours just trying to figure out how to put one of the soft boxes. And it aint round!!!!!!!!!
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03/06/2008 07:49:07 PM · #17 |
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03/06/2008 08:15:13 PM · #18 |
Dude, you are like my Hero right now
that is awesome, thank you sooooooooooooooooo much,you just saved me from like 2 hours of cussing!! |
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03/06/2008 08:58:41 PM · #19 |
| Haha, it had those on the site you bought it from silly. Let me know how it works as soon as you get it up.. did it come UPS or snail mail? so I know who to call tomorrow to hold it till I get back in town cause our mail lady and UPS driver will just throw your stuff on the porch, in the yard. where ever they feel like it |
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03/06/2008 09:20:43 PM · #20 |
Oh I was meant to read the whole thing
Crap. I NEVER do that!! |
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03/06/2008 09:21:36 PM · #21 |
| brown van, not the good looking one either |
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03/07/2008 03:27:06 PM · #22 |
Originally posted by JulietNN:
yeah it would help if it came with f**********g arse instructions on how to set it up. I have spent the last 2 hours just trying to figure out how to put one of the soft boxes. And it aint round!!!!!!!!! |
Hehe, once of the many things you get (or should I say dont get) when you skimp. In the end as long as your happy with them thats all that matters. For me personally I view lights like I do tools and if its worth buying its worth buying a decent tool. Thats not to say I am gonna spend 4x as much for a snapon or MAC when a craftsman will do but at the same tile I wont buy some cheap imported tool when I know it simply wont last.
In the case of lights, there are a lot of things to consider, weather your learning or not, and the kit you high lighted falls short in many areas where a more moderatly priced light would acell and still not cost an arm and a leg. |
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03/10/2008 06:31:06 PM · #23 |
| so how are they? I still haven't gotten mine in yet.. according to the UPS it's in Misquite Tx.. |
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03/10/2008 07:03:11 PM · #24 |
MIne are good, they look great in the garage/studio, at least half of the neighbourhood has come to have a look.
I have a hotshoe thingy and some wires and a box thing that I don't know where to put though, I can plug it into the lights, the shoe box thingy and other box didnt come wth instructions either. I NEED PICTURES, why can't people just have instructions in pictures, or instructions period would help!
SO apart from not making that thing all flash at the same time, It makes good lights, I can now see in my garage.
Message edited by author 2008-03-10 19:05:16. |
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03/10/2008 07:06:39 PM · #25 |
| did you try e-mailing them? they are really fast at responding? i e-mailed a few times before buying and always got an answer within the day. |
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