Opus Pro Umbrella Kit - Opinions?

[chad_worthman1]

Hi there,

 

I'm considering getting an Opus Pro umbrella kit from an internet

dealer to have a go at "studio lighting". Instead of buying a

monolight kit, I thought I might pick up this kit which contains a

stand, 46" convertible umbrella, and a hot-shoe adapter to use with my

Nikon SB-26 speedlight.

 

It's the kit at the bottom of this page. With a current promo, it

will cost about $100 USD.

 

http://www.opusprophoto.com/products/lighting_kits/m_series_kits.html

 

I plan on using it mostly to take photos of my wife and baby daughter

with my Nikon D70s. Am I crazy to buy this kit in order to start

learning some lighting techniques? If it works out, would I be crazy

to buy a second kit and a second used SB-26, for a grand total of

about $200 ($300 with the first umbrella kit)? I think it could make

a very portable setup for pretty cheap. Any advice?

 

Thanks,

 

Chad

[garry edwards]

Chad,

 

You can use this type of kit and it may give you OK results - good photographers don't need a lot of expensive equipment to get good results but good equipment does make life easier.

 

Here are the problems you will have to encounter:

 

1. Even with the flash zoom set to throw the widest beam, it may not spread enough to cover the full size of the umbrella

 

2. You won't have a modelling light, so you won't get an indication of the result

 

3. You may be a bit short of power - umbrellas diffuse and spread the light and 'lose' power in the process

[michael_madio]

If you are just looking to learn, minimize your investment by using natural light (a softbox emulates a window). Get a silver reflector (automotive windshield ones work well) and you can produce portraits that rival commercial studios.

 

If you want to try artificial light, the umbrella kit will work so long as you respect the power limitations. Use the flash on manual and increase the camera ISO to give you more effective flash range. If you need more power, add a second flash to the umbrella (doesn't have to be Nikon - Vivitar 285/Sunpak 383 will work). You will want to add a modeling light so you can see the light pattern. The simplest way is to get a cheap clamp fixture and 100W light bulb from the hardware store and place it beside the flash.

 

Once you master this arrangement, I doubt you will want a second umbrella.

[ess pea]

If you are shooting digital you have a built in 'modelling light', just take a shot and look.