How to Choose Studio lighting kit?

02/11/2013 01:29:44 AM · #1

I am planning to buy studio lighting kit. Plz suggest me how to choose the lighting kit. What is the difference between stepless lights and full to 1/16 adjustment lights. Which is best. Plz suggest me.

smardaz

02/11/2013 02:40:12 AM · #2

You're going to get A LOT of varying opinions on this. I have a light kit that I really like, but if I could do it all over again I would go rent a few types of lighting setups before I decided.

02/11/2013 03:05:26 AM · #3

Depends mainly on three factors:
What are you going to shoot (people or pets, stills or food)?
Where are you going to shoot (small room, large room, just indoors or also outdoors)?
How big is your budget?

02/11/2013 05:26:41 AM · #4

Originally posted by smardaz:

You're going to get A LOT of varying opinions on this. I have a light kit that I really like, but if I could do it all over again I would go rent a few types of lighting setups before I decided.

Thanks for your reply, what kind of light you have? plz tell me for Product Photography which is best?

02/11/2013 05:28:07 AM · #5

Originally posted by h2:

I am going to shoot Products and Peoples.

Room is small. only indoor. max 350$ budget.

02/11/2013 05:39:48 AM · #6

Originally posted by saraclicks:

Originally posted by h2:
Depends mainly on three factors:
What are you going to shoot (people or pets, stills or food)?
Where are you going to shoot (small room, large room, just indoors or also outdoors)?
How big is your budget?

I am going to shoot Products and Peoples.

Room is small. only indoor. max 350$ budget.

IMHO the only way to go is:
2 speedlites (can be cheap ones like Yongnuo), 2 umbrellas (white with removable reflector, likethese + swivel adaptors and light stands.

There are, however, lighting kits at that price, but you would be disappointed.

02/11/2013 06:16:10 AM · #7

Thanks H2, what about this Lighting kit

smardaz

02/11/2013 06:24:11 AM · #8

Originally posted by saraclicks:

Thanks H2, what about this Lighting kit

I'm no expert, but I think at that price it would be a piece of crap, I would go with speedlights for prodduct photography like H2 said and maybe a light tent

Tamron SP 24-70mm f/2.8 Di VC USD Canon Mount

02/11/2013 06:40:12 AM · #9

Originally posted by saraclicks:

Thanks H2, what about this Lighting kit

Each flash only has 180W, from my experience that would be sufficient for about f/8 to f/11 in table top photography, usually not enough for a decent DOF. Way too low also for full body shots of people.
Also, you have to order 50sets to get that price and shipping is not included.

Light tent is a good idea for small products.

MinsoPhoto

Canon EOS-7D

Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 USM

02/11/2013 07:08:34 AM · #10

You would be better off starting with one good off camera light, learn how to use that and once you understand it add in a second light and repeat. You can do a great deal with just one light source.

Spork99

Canon EOS M6 Mk II

Canon EF-M 22mm STM Lens

02/11/2013 07:16:11 AM · #11

Originally posted by MinsoPhoto:

You would be better off starting with one good off camera light, learn how to use that and once you understand it add in a second light and repeat. You can do a great deal with just one light source.

Agreed, unless your main goal was to learn traditional portrait lighting. In that case, I'd start with 2 lights, one main and one fill.

Message edited by author 2013-02-11 07:16:25.

Mike

Canon EOS-5D Mark II

02/11/2013 07:32:50 AM · #12

i suggest speedlights and stands

you need this:

//www.amazon.com/ePhoto-Camera-Photography-Umbrella-Adapter/dp/B003QRX4PC/ref=sr_1_10?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1360585056&sr=1-10&keywords=flash+stands

these :

//www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias%3Delectronics&field-keywords=flash+radio+triggers

and two of these,
//www.amazon.com/Yongnuo-Flash-Speedlite-Yn-460ii-Pentax/dp/B003IZ9XTI/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1360585341&sr=1-1&keywords=yong+nuo+flash

i would go with 460ii as are cheap and reliable, you don't need to pay for eTTL for studio work. if you want get an eTTL flash for your main light and for other uses just get one and use cheap ones for the second or third lights in your setup.

that should fall well under your budget. you don't have to buy a kit, you can piece it together.

with stands you need the stand and a bracket to hold your modifier and flash. i suggest starting out with an umbrella since they are cheap and then working up from there. preferably one of each (bounce and shoot through)

if you are staying mainly indoors, these are fine, if you plan to use them outdoors you need more durable ones.

whatever you use, power is the key, continuous light may easier to work with and setup but it needs to have a lot of power. speedlights will require some trial and error in setup but they will throw out much more light.

Message edited by author 2013-02-11 07:33:54.

markwiley

Fujifilm X-Pro2

Fujifilm XF 10-24mm f/4 R IOS

02/11/2013 10:32:45 AM · #13

Originally posted by mike_311:

i suggest starting out with an umbrella since they are cheap and then working up from there. preferably one of each (bounce and shoot through)

Regarding bounce and shoot-through, how are they different / when would you prefer one to the other?

smardaz

02/11/2013 10:41:35 AM · #14

i was under the impression that bouncing off an umbrella gives more direct light than shoot through

Promaster 28-200mm f/3.8-5.6 XR IF

02/11/2013 12:50:39 PM · #15

Originally posted by smardaz:

i was under the impression that bouncing off an umbrella gives more direct light than shoot through

More light & more directional

atupdate

Pentax K-R

02/11/2013 01:07:34 PM · #16

Originally posted by markwiley:

Regarding bounce and shoot-through, how are they different / when would you prefer one to the other?

Here are a couple of links I found useful when I was researching this topic.

Link 1
Link 2

I ended up choosing the best of both worlds (Softbox Umbrella). This provides the soft lighting of a shoot through with less light loss. However, you can't get as close to the subject.

I even made my own flash bracket to help center the flash unit.

DIY Horizontal Flash Bracket

Tim

Mike

Canon EOS-5D Mark II

Tamron SP 24-70mm f/2.8 Di VC USD Canon Mount

02/11/2013 07:42:16 PM · #17

Originally posted by markwiley:

Originally posted by mike_311:
i suggest starting out with an umbrella since they are cheap and then working up from there. preferably one of each (bounce and shoot through)

Regarding bounce and shoot-through, how are they different / when would you prefer one to the other?

There is a lot of light loss with shoot through. I use my shoot through instead of a reflector for soft fill. My main light is the bounce umbrella. I keep telling myself I'm going to get a soft box but I'm still happy with the umbrellas.

BrennanOB

Canon EOS-1D Mark II

Tamron SP AF 28-75mm f/2.8 XR Di for Canon

02/11/2013 08:54:19 PM · #18

How many people use their ETTL in multiple remote flash setups?

I always end up clicking over to manual settings to get what I want and ended up supplementing my on camera flash with a few brute Vivtars that will fry my camera if I ever used it on my hotshoe. I end up clicking in my best guess for power setting and then fine tune by walking the stands back and forth, but is t really easier to use the in camera controls these days?

Basta

Nikon D4

Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 24-70mm f/2.8G ED

02/11/2013 09:25:46 PM · #19

Originally posted by BrennanOB:

personally I'm like you, walk to the stand and walk back to the camera ... rinse....I think of it as an exercise