Studio light recommendations?

[PleasantPeasant]

Hello guys,

I've been doing ball / event photography at University for a while now and am thinking of investing in some studio lights with umbrellas or softboxes.
The current lights I'm borrowing are generic cheap Chinese lights and I'm having to use the flash sensors since they can't be externally triggered. They also don't have modelling lamps and only support umbrellas.

I'm looking to spend no more than about £600 and for that I would like to get 2 lights with stands, a radio triggering device and some umbrellas or softboxes.
The Elinchrom D-Lite 4it Studio to go seems a very popular choice at about £640. Any other ideas?

I'm by no means a professional and the lights will be used maybe twice a month tops. Most of the stuff I do is event portraiture with a backdrop. Do you think umbrellas or softboxes would be better? I'd quite like to do some product / food photography in the future too. I'm leaning towards softboxes, what do you think?

Many thanks

[budfox]

Take a look at Lencarta.

www.lencarta.co.uk

They make decent kit at fair prices, and support/advice is very good. The guys at Talk Photography seem to regard them highly too.

I have a couple of flash heads, reflector, stands, trigger and brollies from them. All works well for my basic portrait work.

Soft boxes are certainly preferred I think, but they can take a little bit of setting up, whereas brollies are instant.

You should be able to buy all you need within your budget, and if you ever want to go for more expensive gear you should be able to shift the Lencarta gear without difficulty.

[Simpo Two]

I use Elinchrom and softboxes so will naturally suggest the same

If you get the Elinchrom Skyport remote and the right model lights, you can control the power remotely, which I didn't get but which in hindsight would have been useful.

[PleasantPeasant]

Thank you guys.

Budfox I will definitely check out Lencarta, thanks for sharing.

[markmullen]

I use Elinchrom kit, Ranger Quadras, they're well made, good value and the customer service through The Flash Centre is superb.