4 Cheap tungsten lights or 2 AB B400's for portraits?

[andreamarie]

I would like to set up a in home studio to do children/baby portraits, so I wanted some studio lighting

(Budget $600 max). I shoot with the Fuji S3, Nikon D70, and SB800.

 

I came across someone selling 4 JTL 500 Watt continuous lights. They come with two softboxes (medium),

one shoot through umbrella, and a bounce umbrella. Also comes with 4 stands and 1 carrying bag. He's

selling them for $350 used...

 

If I don't get those I will probably 1 AB B800 ($360) or 2 AB B400's ($600). I have window light available,

so I might not even need two flashes, I can just use window as fill. I also have my SB800 that I've

considered just buying a stand for, and I have a reflector.

 

What do you think I should do? Do you think the continuous lights would get too hot? Would it be

awesome to have the 4 continuous lights because I could use one for a hair light?

[garry edwards]

This should answer your questions

 

http://www.photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=00Futx&tag=

[vcallaway]

To actually answer your question. I would buy the biggest monolight you can afford, a good reflector, holder and a couple of stands.

 

Tungsten lights have their place, but doing portraits is not one of them.

 

You might also be suprised at what you can do if you get that sb800 on a stand with an umbrella. A monolight is really only going to give a modeling light and an ac cord. Since you are doing digital you can play around more using the LCD to work out light balance. Mastering using the sb800 will just make you that much better when you are ready to by studio lights.

[twmeyer]

Vince has given you good advice... t

[jacull]

Ditto on avoiding tungsten lights for portraits. They're just way too hot and you'll find the strobes much more useful. Alien Bees are great to start out with, but if you can save a little more, White Lightning are made by the same company and are a sturdier product.

 

JC

[trev_fenner]

Definitely, do not buy the tungsten lights. They're not bright enough to stop the motion of a kid who doesn't sit still, and they will certainly get too hot. With one studio flash and your SB800 you should have plenty of options for making good portraits. get a stand for you your SB800 -- make a snoot for it, and you've got your hairlight. With a softbox, a studio flash, and a bunch of black and white foam core, you'll be set.

 

--Trev

[adrian_byng_clarke]

<p>I would go with the alien bees. Ditto on the posts about continuous lighting. Its just

too hot, too weak. They also can have color temp issues but that's less of an issue since

you are shooting digital. The nice thing about continuous light is you can see the effect of

lighting as you are setting things up. </p>

 

<p>I would go with the <a href="http://www.alienbees.com/beginner.html">beginner

bee</a> kit for about $360. Using one light and reflector is the best starting point and

you can really do a lot. Plus you have other options for fill. You may want consider getting

a couple of additional stands, perhaps for the SB800 as fill an/or to hold the reflector up.

Or you can use the window also. Starting off with too many lights, hair lights kicker etc..

isn't really productive if you are just getting started. You have to learn how to use one

light before you can effectively use 4.</p>

<p>You are probably going to want to get a flash meter also.</p>