envy_inc

Charissa, I think you'll find a better value with an Alien Bees kit. They're rock-solid consistent in regards to output, very tolerant of voltage differences in line supplies, they're less expensive than most other brands, and I can tell you from first-hand experience that their customer service is second to NONE. A complete kit with an AB1600 (640 true Ws, available 150W modeling lamp, 5-stop power range), a 10' stand, 48" shoot-through umbrella and a monolight carrying bag can be had for under $450 INCLUDING shipping. The B1600 also has a shorter flash duration than the Flashpoint (1/1600sec vs. 1/1000sec), more adjustment range (full-1/32 power vs. full-1/8), weighs less (3.7lbs vs. 5.25lbs) and is 6" shorter (9" vs. 15").

 

I've bought two of the AB800 lights, and also added a White Lightning X1600 recently, which is every bit as good as the Alien Bees lights and then some. If you want to step up to the White Lightning unit (5 years warranty vs. 2 years for Alien Bees, 7-stop adjustment range from full-1/128, audible fault alarms, extruded aluminum housing) an X1600 with the same starter kit is around $550 including shipping.

There are a great many factors involved in studio lighting issues. Are your lights strobes (short-duration flash device) or hot lights (continuous output)? How close are they to the subject? What kind of light modifiers are you using? Umbrellas? Softboxes? Reflectors? Are your lights a good, quality light, or are they a no-name brand eBay kit? With a better idea of what kind of lighting you're attempting to use, we can give you better advice as to how to solve your problems.

You should try using your 550EX in a larger softbox. The Guide No. on the 550EX is better than an Alien Bees B800 strobe. It can be attached to the softbox with a Chimera speedring. In a pinch, you could also pick up a shoe flash adapter for a light stand and use a 60" Light Gear umbrella for a nice, large, rounded light source.

You can always email the manufacturer to get exact specs for your strobe. You can also look into possibly getting a power inverter to use with your car's battery. This would invert your battery's DC energy into AC power at the correct voltage for your strobe. (I currently use a Light Gear Vagabond 150 power pack to power two Alien Bees B800 strobes and a White Lightning X1600, and I can fire away for a couple of hours with no worries, and that's a lot less power storage capacity than a car battery.) If you're not familiar with electrical circuits, however, you would be well advised to either use house AC power or rent a generator.

 

Judging from the Ws ratings of the Elinchroms, I would say that you would only need a maximum of a 2500W generator if you were using all four lights at their maximum power setting. Since you probably wouldn't be doing that, it will give you plenty of buffer wattage, and would also allow you to plug in a laptop or other moderate electrical appliance if necessary.

Ian,

 

I'll second Mike Sea's suggestion. If you're familiar with the equipment, and your business is increasing while using it, you'd be well advised to buy that particular equipment. There's a reason more people are coming to you. When you become more familiar with different types of lighting, and how they affect the final image, then you'll KNOW what kind of lighting you'll need for a particular situation. Until then, experimentation could hurt you.

 

As for mixing equipment for outdoor shooting, there's no need for it. Build yourself a couple of inexpensive light panels (simple translucent white rip-stop nylon) and pick up a couple of 5-in-1 reflectors with stands and grip arms. With some smart shopping, you'll come in well under your $1K budget. With a quick browse on eBay, I put together a simple kit like I've stated for under $300 total. Two 7'x5' scrim panels, two 5-in-1 42" circular reflectors, two basic light stands and two grip arms. Voila! Inexpensive professional outdoor portrait studio.

 

If you want to budget even further, you can use foamcore and other materials as substitutes. I prefer to use manufactured equipment because it presents a more professional image, but the results are pretty much the same.

If you already have Minolta lenses, buy yourself a 7D. Cheaper than either of the two alternatives with the added benefit of having built-in AS which is good for up to a 3-stop advantage.

Everyone here has already expounded well on the merits of one camera vs. another. I'll avoid that part of the initial question. What I'd like to point out personally is the user-friendliness of the 5D vs. the 350D. Changing settings on the Canon is difficult at best, as nearly everything is accessed through menus on the sometimes difficult-to-read LCD display. The 5D, on the other hand, has nearly all of the often-used functions on the camera body in the form of buttons and dials. Spend an hour with the 5D and you know how to adjust nearly everything. An hour with a 350D is a lesson in patience and tolerance.

 

Dmitry, the Minolta has nearly every lens you could want available for it. (Save for a few obscure lenses such as the tilt-shift.) 28mm f/1.8, 35mm f/1.4, 50mm f/1.4, 85mm f/1.4, 70-200mm f/2.8, etc, etc, etc. Add third party lenses (such as the Sigma 14mm f/2.8, 18-50mm f/2.8 or 20mm f/1.8) and the possibilities are nearly endless.

 

That's my $0.02 on the situation, for what it's worth.