studio light

[korys_ins]

I’m looking a new light studio light set I remember seeing a set of two softbox with built in flash inside the soft box

and its triggered remotely through the camera I currently using a canon 20d and considering of purchasing the new

5d model when it becomes available any recommendation, wattage, make, model, pros or cons on this system will

be appreciated .

[leicaglow]

It depends on what your subjects are. Products? Fashion? Personally, I think the minimum you should be looking at is two 3200 ws monolights. For the money, I like the SP Excalibur line, but other brands are more popular like Alien Bees, White Lightening, etc.

[rudi_vavra]

3200Ws monolights? Are you kidding? How large a studio do you think the guy has?

 

Two 400Ws monoblocs should be more than enough for most studios. Elinchrom D-Lite4 kit, or the Calumet Genesis 400 two-light kit are

two good-quality yet affordable outfits that you can build on. As for remote triggering, there are several options out there, from Pocket

Wizards to Elinchrom Skyports, and the new Cybersyncs from Alien Bees.

[tim_ludwig2]

John,

 

I have White Lightning Ultras from the past (as they are no longer made) but have used my business partner's

X3200's as well. When I replace (if ever) that's the way I'll go.

 

I only have a small garage studio and yet I often need full power for my big Larson soft box for depth of field

on some of my table top work. I miss having more power at times when I work in the field.

 

So for my circumstances, the more power the better. I can always use power down at the low end when needing less.

 

If you are just doing portraits and are limited to single head shots, very low power will work. Bigger groups,

more power is needed. Location work of families in homes, hope for power in reserve because some living rooms

feel like gymnasiums in size.

 

I vote strongly for White Lightning products due to location (Nashville) for quick and easy repairs, reliability

(3 repairs in 25+ years and very, very fast) and in all that time no replacement of any flash tubes except on the

I stupidly broke, very long warranty, and the ability to take many modifiers. Their flash tubes are also user

replaceable so you don't have to send in the unit, just order the part and plug it in.

 

There is also one thing that I can't speak for on other systems, but I find it incredibly helpful on the White

Lightnings. You can easily change the position of the stand clamp to allow for the change in center of gravity

with big soft boxes or an Octabox so you have much less chance of tipping over on a tall stand.

 

Ultimately it (power) depends on your needs, so figure what you are going to shoot. Don't just figure on your

average day, but what is the most "out there" project and what will it need in power. If that is going to be

somewhat often and if there's no place to rent heavy duty gear nearby, go for the bigger guns for when you need

them. Power in reserve is a huge safety margin, not an expense.

[brooks short]

I can see where a White Lightning 3200ws unit wouldn't be too much light since it's really only 1320 real

wattseconds.

 

Sometimes you need to shoot with a longer lens and tighter f-stop AND you need more depth of field. Table-top work

would be a prime example. Or sometimes you need to light a large area or set or compete with daylight outside with

a generator.

 

I have 3 4800ws (real wattsecond) power packs and 9 heads. I also have 3 800ws power packs. I shoot lots of table

top photography of products both food and catalogue work.

 

Often I'm using a medium 3'x4' softbox overhead, a small 2'x3' softbox for a key light, a 13" fresnel spot as a kicker

which really eats up the power, and a 11" 20 degree grid spot for a background splash. I can plug all 4 lights into the

one 4800ws pack and shoot at f/22.5 on a 110mm or 250mm Maimiya lens w/ an RZ and MF digital back, at 100

ISO with enough power to bracket 1/3 stop in both directions with the power variator knob on the power pack.

 

Or, I can get 100 ws into one head or 4800ws into a single pop with a 4800ws head.

 

If I'm shooting a food shot where I want really thin DOF, I can shoot wide open at 2.8, using just the 250w modeling

lights.

 

Bigger power is bigger options.

 

Here's a studio shot done with a 250mm Mamiya lens on a MF back at f/22.5<div></div>

[korys_ins]

can some one give me more make and models so I compare i will be using it for family portraits head and full body shot as well as group pictures and is it a flash trigger light or a constant light and would two be enough

[brooks short]

John,

 

Google Alien Bees, White Lightning, Speedotron, Dynalite and ProFoto.

 

Some of these are monolights and some are pack and head systems. All of them are electronic flash with modeling lights.

[rudi_vavra]

John, if you're gonna Google all of those, you might as well include Elinchrom (you wouldn't want to leave one of the best brands out, would

you?), Bowens, and Broncolor (scary expensive! :-) ).

[rudi_vavra]

P.S. While you're at it, make sure you read this thread: http://www.photo.net/photography-lighting-equipment-techniques-

forum/00QawA

 

There is such a thing as too much power...