Lighting kits - DPChallenge Forums

12/26/2011 10:46:47 PM · #1

Question 1: What's the difference between having a light flash and a continuous light? I know that heat can be an issue with some lights, but there are lights that are cool so the subject doesn't get all hot. Other than that, is there a difference?

I want to buy a light kit. I want to be able to use it for video as well as photography. Video requires continuous lighting with control of lighting output. So, I'm wondering if anyone out there has lights that do this.

These Lights have a dimmer on them. The only thing I'm wondering is if they would be useful for photography in a studio setting or if I'm missing something about the 'flashing' component of flash photography. I'm also wondering if those barn doors can be taken off and replaced with softboxes or not...or umbrellas.

Lighting equipment in Japan is so expensive...I don't know what to invest in. That's why I'm looking around on ebay.

12/26/2011 11:06:17 PM · #2

The main issues people can have with continuous are heat, power consumption (and therefore portability), power of light, and the look that they generate (extremely small pupils).
Some people don't care about the super small pupils, some prefer them, some hate them.
I don't even know how to compare continuous with flash in terms of power though to determine how comparable they are to each other, but I know that watts and watt seconds are NOT equivalent. You can figure out the lumens produced by each, I guess, but finding those numbers might be hard.

Don't really know much about video stuff though... sorry.

Nikon AF-S Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8G ED VR II

12/26/2011 11:39:27 PM · #3

When using flashes, strobes etc, is the environment important? What I mean is I've sometimes waited until it was dark outside, closed the curtains to the empty room I have, made sure it was pitch black, put up a white sheet but still get shadows coming from i-don't-know-where...it's kinda hard. I try to balance things out with a reflector etc but it's just not working. I end up having to do so much in post.

MattO

Nikon D4

12/26/2011 11:55:58 PM · #4

Lighting whether it's about continuous or flash is all about control. Modifiers are your friends, sometimes less light is more.

This is three strobes with grids to control where it spills and turned down in power.

having too much light is easy to do, having it where you don't need it is easy to do. Once you learn to control it, you will wonder how you ever learned to live without it.

this is one strobe in a softbox on a boom.

12/27/2011 12:00:46 AM · #5

Originally posted by heavyj:

Yes and no. It depends upon the size of where you're shooting. If you're in a white room, sure, you can get TONS of reflections. Just think about the inverse square law to see how big a deal it is. If your light to subject distance is 5m and the white wall is 2.5m away, then you'll get that wall acting as a reflector a decent amount. You can alter the color of your walls, but be careful, as this also effects how things may look, because your reflected source is different. A black matte wall would swallow this. The white sheet you mention is acting like a GIANT light source and blowing that light up all over the place likely.

Nikon AF-S Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8G ED VR II

12/27/2011 12:32:22 AM · #6

OK...I'm going into town and seeing if I can find something to play with.

I need 3 lights (3 point lighting) for video. Key light, fill light and hair light. I need to be able to control the output of the light so as to get the fill and hair light lower in power. All of these need softboxes. I have light stands but no boom stand. I'm gonna look at the black/white portable backdrops too.

This hobby just keeps getting more and more expensive...

MattO

Nikon D4

12/27/2011 12:36:40 AM · #7

What sort of video are you doing that you need that much light? How are you going to power all of it? Will it ever be portable enough for video?

Nikon AF-S Nikkor 17-35mm f/2.8D IF-ED

12/27/2011 10:31:11 AM · #8

The video is 'interview style'. With 3 lights I can do the 'infinite white' look or a 'film noir' look as well. I plan on taking video of students doing presentations and then allowing them to share with other students their progress.

I saw some lights that would do the trick but I'm still looking for something cheaper on ebay. A lot of the lights I've seen come with carrying bags that look easy enough to lug around. Power comes from the walls. Nothing outside.

tanguera

Nikon D750

12/27/2011 12:00:30 PM · #9

Softboxes/umbrellas are great if you want wide, even bands of light, but unsuitable for isolating anything. If you want a lit head but not the background, softboxes won't work, unless you're a good distance from the background. You'll need grids/barndoors/snoots for that.

I am likewise not a techie, but I believe the lumens output of one flash is significantly higher than any continuous light. The heat issue, I've recently learned, is no longer, well, an issue, since the introduction of LEDs.

12/27/2011 09:54:34 PM · #10

Here's the idea behind the 3 lights for lighting interviews

Three point video lighting tutorial

and for extra video lighting techniques

This video is on Vimeo

and part two to that video just in case you liked it

Part 2 on Vimeo

I was shown some LED lights by another cinematographer that are cheap on ebay, but I haven't found them being used in the way the first video is run...but if it can run this way, I would most certainly invest in LED lights. Cheaper (The ones I was shown), portable etc. It's just a matter of whether or not they output enough light or not. I might have to just buy 1 (75 bucks) and see for myself. They are attachable so you can make a large one of four etc. and you can attach them to light stands etc.

The equipment I saw in town was good. Continuous lighting head with 4 bulbs and a dish around the bulbs (And a diffuser to place over the head of the dish) was 120 bucks. 3 of these would also work for video...but I'm not sure about photography when compared to an actual strobe/flash. I did ask about the output of light vs the continuous lighting. He said it was stronger for that shot. Also, at this big shop, all the softboxes/grids etc were built and made only for these flashes. The cheapest brand was called Comet (Anyone heard of them.) In Japan they were THE choice for strobes but have apparently SIGNIFICANTLY reduced their product lineup.

I also saw a nice book there (In Japanese unfortunately) that had different lighting setups showing what the visuals look like with each light on it's own and then combined. Looked like a really nice book to have as a reference for trying out different types of flash photography...anyone know a good book in English that is like this?

12/27/2011 10:04:40 PM · #11

The Strobist Lighting in Layers DVD's pretty much go through things in this approach, and are really good.
Pretty sure they ship international with open discs for every region.

Not familiar with Comet, but you MIGHT be able to check out the speedrings on them and swap them out for something else with some finagling.

Nikon AF-S Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8G ED VR II

12/28/2011 12:32:25 AM · #12

What are the big differences between the nonbrand lights on ebay that sell for way way cheaper like THESE compared to the more expensive name brand lights?

MattO

Nikon D4

12/28/2011 12:50:14 AM · #13

Originally posted by heavyj:

What are the big differences between the nonbrand lights on ebay that sell for way way cheaper like THESE compared to the more expensive name brand lights?

You realize that is a flash system and not constant light right? If you are doing video you need constant light only.

The difference will be quality for sure. With lighting you get what you pay for.

Message edited by author 2011-12-28 00:50:40.

12/28/2011 04:58:54 AM · #14

Yeah, I know this is flash and not constant. I have a different set I intend on purchasing for constant, but I'm wondering about the differences in flash quality...where can I see the difference or where would it be noticeable?

12/28/2011 05:02:43 AM · #15

Originally posted by heavyj:

Constancy of color temperature, power output, repeatability, power, "quality of light," compatibility with modifiers, huge variance in quality of said modifiers.