I got me some money...what now...

Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS

08/12/2005 11:27:35 AM · #1

I finally got some money for equipment ( and to become a member here when paypal verifies me)and I need you all to check out this stuff I am thinking about purchasing and give me your opinions. I will be doing portraits indoor ( at the clients location)and outdoor to start with. I intend to set up a studio in my basement eventually and buy more thigs as time goes on.Right now I need to be portable. I will also be purchasing a reflector of some kind or making one. I have a tripod and a white umbrella that I have had for awhile. I am looking at the equipment in the links below, but I am overly cautious about everything I purchase, that's why I want opinions. Also does anyone know where I can get another light stand that is less than $30.00 ( this includes shipping).
Please check these links for me.

softbox kit

and this

background kit

if anyone else knows anything else I may need, let me know.

Canadian_eh

Canon EOS-450D Rebel XSi

08/12/2005 11:54:23 AM · #2

this is kind of hard to give input on... it really depends on what you are going for. Personaly, i would go for the soft box kit, for one, the components in the kit looks great for the price, and secondly, if your are going to be shooting at your clients location, you could go for a room portrait. if i were buying, i would go for the soft box kit~!

08/12/2005 12:01:09 PM · #3

Wow, I didn't think this question would be that tough. Thanks for the input Telephoto. I have been checking prices for a while and I thought it was a good price too. the shipping on these things are alittle though., but may be normal.
I have enough money for both items, or does someone think that some of the money would be better spent elsewhere.

08/12/2005 06:21:53 PM · #4

bump for second/third shift, no one else has an opinion? Money is burning hole in my pocket, not really, but I do need to quit procrastinating.

08/12/2005 06:26:22 PM · #5

The light is for video...and won't even come close to having enough power for you to get decen illumination...

remember, a 500w/s flash probably puts out abut as much light as a 3000w tungsten bulb.

art-inept

Olympus C-5060WZ

Canon EF 35mm f/2.0

08/12/2005 06:28:00 PM · #6

i've never heard of this skaeser place. you probably want to check out alienbees or some other places. check out www.bhphotovideo.com or www.adorama.com for more of a selection. ya.

Message edited by author 2005-08-12 18:28:17.

08/12/2005 07:04:40 PM · #7

Originally posted by art-inept:

i've never heard of this skaeser place. you probably want to check out alienbees or some other places. check out www.bhphotovideo.com or www.adorama.com for more of a selection. ya.

I know a million people are going to tell me how they are satisfied and so on... But alien bees are really not very good, they are quite innacurate and rarely have the same output from trig to trig.... regardless of how many people say they are great... for just a little bit more a person can get a Aurora system or a Multiblitz and have a product that is very reliable. AlienBees have made a masterful use of the internet and this is why so many people on forums have them Forums are on the internet too!

art-inept

Olympus C-5060WZ

Canon EF 35mm f/2.0

08/12/2005 09:00:16 PM · #8

Originally posted by Gil P:

Originally posted by art-inept:
i've never heard of this skaeser place. you probably want to check out alienbees or some other places. check out www.bhphotovideo.com or www.adorama.com for more of a selection. ya.

I know a million people are going to tell me how they are satisfied and so on... But alien bees are really not very good, they are quite innacurate and rarely have the same output from trig to trig.... regardless of how many people say they are great... for just a little bit more a person can get a Aurora system or a Multiblitz and have a product that is very reliable. AlienBees have made a masterful use of the internet and this is why so many people on forums have them Forums are on the internet too!

arghhhhhh im in the same predicament (buying lights) and i'm so new to this. i can't seem to balance a quality light with my budget. :'(

Sigma 24-70mm f/2.8 EX Aspherical DF for Canon

08/12/2005 09:43:37 PM · #9

Originally posted by Gil P:

The light is for video...and won't even come close to having enough power for you to get decen illumination...

remember, a 500w/s flash probably puts out abut as much light as a 3000w tungsten bulb.

Now see, this is why I need experienced opinions. I can only go by what I read and don't fully understand sometimes. It is advertised that this lighting is for digital photography and video and that it is 3200K tungsten. I checked out similar lighting equipment with adorama and bhphoto and they all advertise that similar lighting is good for the beginning photographer in a basic studio, are they all blowing smoke? Also,I did notice that bhphoto would show a picture of two lights at times but when you actually read the description it appears you are only purchasing one, I didn't like that, it seemed very misleading.
I am not looking to do too much full length photography like swimsuits models just yet, just some basic portraiture close ups.
So you think this lighting is worthless for this?

hdogg4u

Canon EOS-20D

08/12/2005 10:18:59 PM · #10

This was done using this kit
COMPLETE HOME STUDIO PACKAGE#3

I am still learning the techniques of lighting and the positioning of lighting equipment. I also used a silver reflector.

Sigma 24-70mm f/2.8 EX Aspherical DF for Canon

08/12/2005 10:30:38 PM · #11

I do think purchasing HOTLIGHTS is a serious mistake, there are many reasons for that. They are very hot and generate a lot of heat, they consume a lot of power and offer very little output in return, because they are continuously one, they will make your models squint.

However, if your intent is to shoot objects and not people than hotlights would work because you will be able to do longer exposures.

A decent started kit, consisting of 3x 250w/s heads, 3 tripods and 3 umbrellas will run you about 1200$ us www.nadel.ca offers a brand called OpusPro which are made in china but that are "cloned" from Profoto flashes.

The Idea of having 3 lights is more important than getting a backdrop system...which you can manage without if your budget does not permit the full monty.

hdogg4u

Canon EOS-20D

08/12/2005 10:45:26 PM · #12

Originally posted by Gil P:

I go fully agree with Gil on the heat that these lights create. When I was shooting this girl we had to take breaks to get away from the heat as you could tell there was discomfort in the subject. I too was feeling the heat. I set this up in a pole barn that is 40feet by 40 feet long so there is good ventilation and lots of room. I can just imaging it in a small room or within a basement. I bought the kit as I thought it was a resonable deal and I didnt understand the whole sync thing for strobes. I am working on understanding strobes so this light kit will still get used as secondary lighting as I once heard someone say there is just no such thing as too much light.

Carl Zeiss 35mm f2.4 Jena/Flektogon MC

08/13/2005 09:17:39 AM · #13

Originally posted by hdogg4u:

Originally posted by Gil P:
I do think purchasing HOTLIGHTS is a serious mistake, there are many reasons for that. They are very hot and generate a lot of heat, they consume a lot of power and offer very little output in return, because they are continuously one, they will make your models squint.

However, if your intent is to shoot objects and not people than hotlights would work because you will be able to do longer exposures.

A decent started kit, consisting of 3x 250w/s heads, 3 tripods and 3 umbrellas will run you about 1200$ us www.nadel.ca offers a brand called OpusPro which are made in china but that are "cloned" from Profoto flashes.

The Idea of having 3 lights is more important than getting a backdrop system...which you can manage without if your budget does not permit the full monty.

I go fully agree with Gil on the heat that these lights create. When I was shooting this girl we had to take breaks to get away from the heat as you could tell there was discomfort in the subject. I too was feeling the heat. I set this up in a pole barn that is 40feet by 40 feet long so there is good ventilation and lots of room. I can just imaging it in a small room or within a basement. I bought the kit as I thought it was a resonable deal and I didnt understand the whole sync thing for strobes. I am working on understanding strobes so this light kit will still get used as secondary lighting as I once heard someone say there is just no such thing as too much light.

to much light? no there isn't but composed light is best! sadly, mixing strobs and hotlights won't work.... even if you place conversion gels on your hotlighst (tungstent to daylight) the problem is that your flash will over powerthem and that in order for your hotlights to have any type of effect...you'd need to shoot at 1/60 or slower.

Having access to many flash heads is great (we have 9) but the idea is to create drama...and for that, 3 is more than enough!

Uusilehto

Canon EOS-1D

08/13/2005 10:18:33 AM · #14

//cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=7537274927 + a 350W halogen

:D