Modeling Lights

I am trying to make a decision on a power pack to use in portrait

studio and wedding type work. I have pretty much narrowed down my

choices to two models. The major difference is that one model has

proportional modeling lights and the other doesn't. They're either

on or off. The model with proportional lights is about 300-400.00

higher and I am on a somewhat limited budget. How important do you

think proportional modeling lights are to the type work indicated

above? Should I spring for the model with proportional lights?

Thanks for your time. Ron

Howdy,

For a long time I worked with a Flash Master outfit from Photogenic Co. It did not have proportional modeling lights. Also the modeling lights that it had, were very dim. I found that the only way to use it was to leave the flash unit always on Full and move the lights to increase or decrease the output. It was the only way to even get a rough idea of what the flash was going to do. I actually added a small flood to the top of each light because of the low light output

from the modeling lights. How bright the modeling lights are,is a factor that you may want to look into.

Particulary when you use umbrellas or soft boxes.

I switched to White Lighting units which have very bright modeling lights that are proportional and I am much happier now.

I still use the other system for acc. lighting, such as hair lights

etc etc.

 

Russ

Ron, I have owned several brands of studio flash systems, and in every case I found that proportional modeling lights were all but useless. The lamps used are simply not powerful enough to see the effect unless you are shooting in virtual darkness.

Getting adequate output from them for positioning lights, pre-visualing the lighting effect, and focusing, are much more important issues.

My Dynalites have proportional capability, but I never use it. I keep those suckers cranked up full all the time so I have highlights in the eyes to focus on.

Your light meter and Polaroids are the tools you have to master in order to know what your lighting will look like BEFORE the film comes back.

Happy hunting!

Proportional modelling lights are fine but not unmissable. If your strobes have modelling lights proportional to the flash output you can SEE the ratios of the flashlight power on the subject. But if modelling lights are just on/off type, you must IMAGINE the effect by knowing that 1/2 flash power is 1 stop less than 1/1, 1/4 is 2 stops less etc. You can set one main light and measure it and then just add a fill light one or two stops lower. Once you will see that effect on a face in the picture you won't need/want proportional modelling lights anymore. I think proportional modelling lights are not that importaint in wedding/people as they are in still-life photography.

 

The wrong approach is to move flash backwards and forwards to make the light less powerful (it is OK for checking the approx. ratios though) because when having the softboxes or umbrellas on you lose softness in shadows. I suggest a Polaroid for the beginning and non-proportional m.l. flashes. In a short period of time you will learn to envisage the ratios no matter how the modelling lights are shining.

Modeling lights are not going to help a bit in a lit church. However, in a studio, for a number of reasons, you should be able to control <i><b>all</b></i> lighting in the shooting area. That being the case, the proportional modeling lights are very helpful.

White Lightning claims to have the most accurate modeling lights in the industry. They claim this is due to the regulation circuitry used on the modeling lights. Most manufacturers have a simple rheostat-type dimmer circuit for the modeling light power which will give you significantly varying output depending on the voltage available at the outlet. With the regulated circuit, White Lightnings achieve a more constant voltage to drive the modeling lamps, independent of the outlet voltage.

 

As an electrical engineer, I can endorse their theory. But I'm not sure how much real voltage difference you will find in various areas of the country. I own White Lightnings, and I'm very happy with them, but it is true that you can't use accurate proportional modeling lamps to judge lighting ratios unless you are working with no other lights on in the studio. I have never had that luxury in my make-shift home studio. Careful metering of the flash is the way to go.

I don't find porportional modeling to be of that much help. Of more importance to me is power (250 watt halogens, minimum) and accuracy of placment relative to the light produced by the electronic flash. i have limited experience with White Lightning, but the claim repeated in the above post about theirbeing no.1 in accuracy is suspect as long as Profoto flash eqipment is availible.