Lighting decisions, need opinions and help !

<p>Have 580 EXII and Metz 58AFII Speedlights, having shades when used one on camera and the other speedlight off the camera.</p>

<p>1) I can buy one or two cheapy speedlights (may be Yongnyo?), umbrellas and triggers and will have a decent set of interior flash lights. (which brand to go for additional speedlights, triggers pls).</p>

<p>2) Can buy LED photo lights, not so expensive and tricky like speedlight, umbrella flash combination and can use them together with camcorder too...</p>

<p>Which looks more sensible for portrait and interior/people pictures? May be having both and try to get familiar with both to see the best result?</p>

<p>Opinions and experiences welcome please</p>

<p>Forget LED lights. They're nowhere near bright enough (yet!) to give sensibly short exposures. Maybe in 3 or 4 years time they'll actually be useful.</p>

<p>Get more speedlights or a cheap studio monolight kit. There's not much difference in light output between top-end speedlights and low-end monolights, except that you get a modelling light with the monolights and they have built in stand adapters. Monolights will also take a wide range of modifiers - Tip: Get ones with a Bowens 'S' fitting.</p>

<p>For triggers; some monolight kits come complete with a set of radio triggers, but almost any cheap radio trigger will be more reliable than optical triggering or so-called 'wireless lighting' options.</p>

<p>If you're finding speedlights 'tricky' it's either because you haven't practised enough with them and/or you don't have a flashmeter. A used flashmeter, like a Shepherd FM1000, can be got very cheaply and will quickly repay its cost in saved time.</p>

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<p>Forget LED lights. They're nowhere near bright enough (yet!) to give sensibly short exposures. Maybe in 3 or 4 years time they'll actually be useful.</p>

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<p>There are useful LED lights today, they just are not affordable. Check out the Wescott Ice Light. Over 1100 lumens, but $$$.</p>

<p><Chas><br /><br /></p>

<p>I'm not familiar with the Metz but if it's as powerful as the Canon you've got a pretty good start with the two you have. It's a matter of how many lights you want to work with -- you've got a main and a fill, so one or two more would give you the option for a hairlight and a background light.<br /><br />Rodeo is correct on LED lights. Affordable ones don't put out enough light to be of much use, especially in an umbrella or softbox, and the ones that do put out some light are very expensive. Stick with flash. <br /><br />Rodeo likes some of the lower cost radio triggers but I prefer the PocketWizards (around $100 each for their basic model) or the Paul Buff CyberSyncs (around $70 each).<br /><br />A flashmeter is handy. I have one and I use it but with digital you can get by without it by chimping your exposure and lighting ratios.</p>

<p>Thank you for contributions.<br>

Want to go with cheapish Chinese speedlights (around 60-90 $ on ebay). You think they will do the job?<br>

I will need tripods, umbrellas for speedlights. Any advice on them?</p>

<p>Will need a trigger for each speedlight? If I use one on camera and 3 additional ones, will I need 3 triggers?</p>

<p>I think PocketWizard basic with 100$ each good but expensive..</p>

 

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<p>"There are useful LED lights today, they just are not affordable. Check out the Wescott Ice Light. Over 1100 lumens, but $$$.</p>

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<p>Sorry Charles, but that kind of proves that they're <em>not</em> very useful.<br /> I have in front of me, in its small box, a domestic 70 watt halogen lightbulb with a stated output of 1200 lumen. It only cost me 80 pence UK (~ $1 US), but there is no way that I would try to use it for portrait photography on a regular basis. Over 400 times the cost for slightly less light output than a standard domestic lamp? That doesn't sound like a very economical or sensible way to light your pictures!</p>

<p>Sami, you'll need proper lighting stands - not tripods. A tripod won't go high enough unless it's very expensive. You'll also need tilt/brolly adapters for the speedlights. As a starter outfit, get a couple of <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/BestDealUK-Umbrella-Softbox-Brolly-Reflector/dp/B009N7Z6RI">softbox-umbrellas like this</a>. Anything else, like snoots or reflectors, you can improvise with black card or styrofoam.</p>