Studio lighting on a budget.
Discussion
I've been considering getting a basic set of studio lights for a little while now and have just come across this. Now I know the the old adage of buy cheap, buy twice but budget is tight at the moment and I'm not sure that the kit will ever get used beyond the occasional family portrait.
So is this kit a waste of money? Can anyone find me a similar kit (2 or 3 lights) from a well known manufacturer for a max of £300ish? Or will this kit be ample for scratching my itch and be a good starting point for learning studio lighting?
So is this kit a waste of money? Can anyone find me a similar kit (2 or 3 lights) from a well known manufacturer for a max of £300ish? Or will this kit be ample for scratching my itch and be a good starting point for learning studio lighting?
They'll pop bulbs fairly often if anything like the set a mate has. Only other downside is that they're proprietary fit on the modifiers, which restricts you to whats in the bag. Fine of you're not feeling like going out and buying an S fit beauty dish, or wanting to add another softbox etc
Having said that, it's probably cheaper to buy another head with modifier than buy a Bowens softbox looking at those prices
Having said that, it's probably cheaper to buy another head with modifier than buy a Bowens softbox looking at those prices
andy-xr said:
They'll pop bulbs fairly often if anything like the set a mate has. Only other downside is that they're proprietary fit on the modifiers, which restricts you to whats in the bag. Fine of you're not feeling like going out and buying an S fit beauty dish, or wanting to add another softbox etc
Having said that, it's probably cheaper to buy another head with modifier than buy a Bowens softbox looking at those prices
Thanks for that. I guess by the time I've out grown the modifiers that come with it I'll probably be looking at getting a better setup anyway.Having said that, it's probably cheaper to buy another head with modifier than buy a Bowens softbox looking at those prices
Btw, how much are bulbs for these things?
Dogsey said:
More than happy to go secondhand, it's just finding the right kit.
A few years ago someone more knowledgable than me sent me a link to a used 3-head Elinchrom kit on eBay for £500. So I bought it. There's not much of it left now but I'm glad I started with a 'proper' brand that you can develop and get parts for. Just like someone buying their first DSLR, you don't really know what you want/need until you start playing with it.Ok, Bowens and Elinchrom both seem to be at the higher end of the market and probably out of my reach at the moment (unless anyone can find a kit that is worth looking at). Any other names to look for? Are Interfit or Lastolite worth considering?
Also, is it worth going for a three head set of a cheaper brand against a two head set from a bigger brand? In other words am I likely to be so restricted by two heads that I won't get the results and therefore less likely to take it further?
Also, is it worth going for a three head set of a cheaper brand against a two head set from a bigger brand? In other words am I likely to be so restricted by two heads that I won't get the results and therefore less likely to take it further?
I think the point of going Bowens/Elinchrom (and lets not even start on Bron/ProPhoto) is that you get high quality, consistency and scalability. It comes with a price tag.
The Interfits/Bessel/Elementals of this world are the half way house for people who want adaptability (ie S fit heads) but dont have the reach in cash terms to buy Bowens. There's nowt wrong with that either, I've got a set of Interfit heads that although crappy on power output do the job just fine.
The Interfits/Bessel/Elementals of this world are the half way house for people who want adaptability (ie S fit heads) but dont have the reach in cash terms to buy Bowens. There's nowt wrong with that either, I've got a set of Interfit heads that although crappy on power output do the job just fine.
Dogsey said:
Also, is it worth going for a three head set of a cheaper brand against a two head set from a bigger brand? In other words am I likely to be so restricted by two heads that I won't get the results and therefore less likely to take it further?
It depends what you want to do. I find that in a small studio with white walls and ceiling, two heads is fine, either 2x 400W or 400W + 100W for tabletop (plus softboxes/reflectors). However you have to find your own formula. It's when you decide you need something to project *darkness* that it's time to take a break 
Dogsey said:
I've been considering getting a basic set of studio lights for a little while now and have just come across this.
You seem to get quite a lot for your money on that (not that I have a clue what I am talking about). And for £200-odd it's in the region of almost disposable when you want to go on to something bigger and better. hilltop said:
Constant light from LED panels is worth looking at. I've no experience just yet but I'll be getting a 160 LED panel to play around with. They are cheap and many people rate this type of lighting.
They are quite good for photographing watches or jewlery. Also ok for close video work. For any other still photography they are horrible.
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