srijan_roy_choudhury

I've found Godox stuff to be OK and a small, hard source like that COB LED will be much more versatile than a small video panel.

However a 60 watt COB chip still isn't that bright (just bought a 30 watt version to use in a 5x4 enlarger and it's not really bright enough).

 

I'm not sure why you're determined to use a feeble continuous source, when something like this can be bought at around the same price, complete with a modelling light that's almost as bright as the LEDs you're considering.

 

Thank you for the suggestion.

 

To be honest, I was looking at the continuous light sources for two reasons:

1. Cost-effective solution (this is the most important part)

2. WYSIWYG solution (not much of an important one)

 

For the light you suggested, I need to find out the cost, and I shall update it here.

 

Thank you again.

@AJG and [uSER=2403817]@rodeo_joe|1[/uSER] thank you so much for your inputs, I sincerely appreciate your help.

 

There is another option that I found after visiting the photo fair again today. There is a light from Godox model SL60 (Godox SL-60 LED Video Light (Daylight-Balanced)) which does not cost that much. With a stand and a softbox, I can get the setup complete for around $150. What would be your opinion about this light coupled with reflectors that I already have for food photography?

I wish him good luck in his hobby.

 

Thank you so much!

Thank you, everyone, for your replies and suggestion.

 

After some discussion, we have decided to take this route that I am going to lend him my 18-55 for the time being.

Today, at a photo fair, he tried his hands on the 20mm f1.8G and 24mm f1.8G, and he instantly fell in love with the primes. He is even thinking of going back to full manual focus as he feels that he can wield far more control of the scene.

 

Thank you all again.

[uSER=2403817]@rodeo_joe|1[/uSER] @mikemorrell Thank you so much for your assistance and time.

 

In the meantime, I have come to know about a small light setup for about US $40 available in my local market. It includes two C-stands, two umbrellas/small softboxes and two halogens. Would you advise for it? I have not seen it myself yet, I expect to get more details in a day or two. The light sources have specific Kelvin temperatures though I can not guarantee the constancy.

 

There is one more light setup I have come across an inexpensive continuous light setup, the details are as follows:

 

https://www.amazon.in/dp/B09X39CFWV?ref_=cm_sw_r_cp_ud_dp_2EM6HC2RR3TA0FBSVP73

 

What is your opinion about this? The manufacturer is claiming that the lights have CRI >=95%. I am not sure how can use a diffuser/light modifier with these flat panel lights!

 

Regarding the LED bulbs that I first thought about, I have checked the PHILIPS website for details. PHILIPS is claiming that their 20W bulbs have CRI>=90%, though I could not find this specific bit of information while browsing the specification detail about the LED bulbs.

 

Thank you again.

Thank you [uSER=2403817]@rodeo_joe|1[/uSER] , @AJG and @mikemorrell for your replies.

 

@mikemorrell If you have shared any links, I am unable to view those. I do not know why. Could you please check again?

Thank you all for your kind words and assistance. I have bought a few sheets of white foam boards which I am planning to use as reflectors.

 

@mikemorrell I have searched on YT for DYI light solution for photography, but haven't come across anything worth it. If you can point me to any link, that would be really helpful.

 

Thanks again.

I can appreciate your situation--when I got started 40 years ago here in the US I likewise didn't have a lot of money for equipment. Given that many people who need this kind of photography also don't have a lot of money to pay for it it will be important for you to be expert in lighting since that is where non professionals will lack relevant skills. I would strongly recommend that you get a copy of Light, Science and Magic which is the book that I use with my students in the studio lighting class that I teach. One of the things I like about this book is that it doesn't presume that you have infinite cash to buy equipment.

 

Inexpensive LED lights are likely to have a discontinuous spectrum, as noted in earlier comments. I don't know about costs in your country, but starting with inexpensive flash equipment would be a better way to go for accurate color. It will also be critical to have a camera with full manual control of exposure and focus. An older DSLR with a kit lens would be adequate to get started, with better macro lenses added later. A solid tripod, which could be bought used for less money, will also be very helpful. Good luck!

 

Thank you for your kind words and understanding.

 

The problem that many like myself face is, that we can not spend a lot of money at one go and we need to build on something small. As you have rightly pointed out, there smaller client base which I would like to tap. Though, I can not compromise on the quality of the work as I also need to improve my portfolio so that I may approach bigger clients.

 

I do have a Zomei 888C tripod and a macro lens (90mm), so I am somewhat covered on that front. I have two small flashes, SB600 and a Simpex flash (full manual without any other way to control the output but to increase the distance from the subject- inverse square law). Though I have to have a trigger and proper diffuser to go with these flashes.

 

Do you think that these flashes are going to be enough as a start and could you please suggest suitable diffusers (I can take the DYI route if it is not that difficult to pursue)?

 

Thank you again.

Thank you all.

 

I am trying to set up a small home studio to taste the market which is not as mature as the first world countries. Moreover, the costs are very high when it comes to photography equipment and payments may not be forthcoming from the very beginning.

Renting this equipment or a studio is not much of an option too, mainly when I am in need to create a portfolio first.

I understand that the path is steep but I do hope to scale that with the help of the fellow photographers like you.

 

For me, the two main issues that I need to sort out to start with my home studio are- 1. Basic lighting equipment (including a small diffuser/softbox) and 2. A portable(and foldable) work bench/table.

 

Any suggestions/ advice in this context would be highly appreciated.

 

Thank you all again.

Hello friends and fellow photographers

 

I hope this is the right section to post my question.

 

I was wondering whether cheap LED bulbs of 28W (cost around $4 in my country) can be a good cost-effective solution for small product photography, provided a large white diffuser is used in front of the light bulb? If possible, this should provide an excellent and easy WYSIWYG solution. I understand that one may need to fix the WB in PP if an LED bulb is used.

 

Hopefully experienced members can shed some light on this idea.

 

Thank you all.

Hello friends and fellow photographers

 

This is for my son who is extremely interested in street and candid photography. He mainly uses my old D90 coupled with my AF-D 50mm lens or AF-S 55-200 Dx lens. Sometimes he uses my D7200 with the same lenses. I am planning to gift him a lens for his photographic journey, and together we have short-listed the following.

 

AF-S Nikkor 24mm f/1.8 G ED

AF-S Nikkor 20mm f/1.8 G ED

AF-S Nikkor 28mm f/1.8 G

AF-S Nikkor 35mm f/1.8 G ED

AF Nikkor 20mm f/2.8 D

AF Nikkor 24mm f/2.8 D

AF Nikkor 28mm f/2.8 D

AF Nikkor 35mm f/2 D

20mm f/2.8 Nikkor

 

It would be a great help if the members here may comment on these lenses and point me to the best possible lens, keeping the price in mind.

 

Thank you all in advance.

<p>Hi Margaret<br /> For BIF shots, do not use all the sensors, only use the <strong>cross-type sensor/s</strong> that you have. Switch to <strong>AF-C mode</strong>. If you have adequate Cross type sensors available, try AF-C Dynamic Area combo, works great. I tried the 3D- Tracking, but found it to be a bit erratic. Though you can surely give that option a try too and see how good it works for a beautiful piece of hardware like D7000 of yours.</p>

<p>Happy shooting :)</p>

<p>Thanks for your responses.<br>

I have bought the Tamron 90mm (272EN) model. (Neither the Sigma or Tokina 100mm were available.) It's the latest one for Nikon with no aperture ring (having that would have been little batter I think). I never received any low battery warning, unduly. So, at least it seems that there is no conflict of this lens with my copy of D90 (cross my fingers).<br>

Sharpness is great, but I need a little time to completely grasp the best possible way to use it, focus it and achieve the optimal DOF.</p>

<p>Thank you Randy and Robert. I would request you to answer my doubts specific to my questions, that would help me immensely.</p>

<p>Hello fellow members and dear friends<br /><br />Let me admit at the very beginning that I am still a learner when it comes to PP and I consider myself a complete novice.<br /><br />Recently I read an article in a very reputable Photography Magazine regarding settings that Photographers should use in ACR.<br /><br />Under the <strong>Workflow options</strong> in ACR it suggested that "<strong>Adobe RGB (1998)"</strong> option should be chosen and the same Color space should also be set in CS5. Now I have the following doubts:<br /><br /><strong>Please Note</strong>: I use D90 and I <strong>exclusively shoot RAW (NEF) and looking forward to edit RAW (NEF) files only</strong>. My favourite subjects are nature, wildlife, landscapes, but I shoot all the other types of photos too. I publish these shots to web and also send some to stock agencies.<br /><br /><strong>1</strong>. I use LG 225V IPS LED monitor which has it's <strong>built in Hardware Profile set, and sRGB is the active profile</strong>. So will changing the ACR color space option give rise to a conflict situation?<br /><br /><strong>2</strong>. My camera Profile is set to sRGB. As I shoot RAW only, do I need to change the in-camera profile too?<br /><br /><strong>3</strong>. If I change the color profile in ACR to ARGB (2008). must I set the same in CS5 too?<br /><br />Please help me out. I am really confused <img src="http://www.nikonians.org/forums/images/sad.gif" alt="" /> <br /><br />Thank you.</p>

<p>Hi folks<br /><br />Thanks a lot for your help, and after waiting about a year for a second hand one to surface (in proper condition and good price), I ultimately bit the bullet and bought the <strong>Nikkor AF-S 300mm D f4 IF ED</strong>, which seems to be the unanimous choice in terms of IQ. I have put on hold of my plan to buy a TC till I can save enough to buy a original Nikon 1.4x (14EII) one which seems to be nearly of the same price as the Kenko Pro 300 1.4x DGx TC. <br /><br />Thanks again...</p>

<p>Thank you so much for your responses.<br>

The working distance for 1:1 is obviously a very important factor but I would not want to compromise IQ for that. But after reading your responses it appears that both these lenses as well as other Macro lenses are very good in quality and I can't loose on IQ with either. Hence now my emphasis is on minimum working distance for 1:1 magnification. And it appears that the Tamron SP 90mm f2.8 Di Macro would be a better choice.</p>

<p>Thank you so much <a href="../photodb/user?user_id=5189561">Wouter Willemse</a> for such a well thought out and well explained response. It is so much helpful. I would search for the Tokina lens but the chances are high that I would not find it. Even if I do, I think the street price here for Tokina is higher than Tamron. So I shall go for either of the two lenses. Sigma Macro lenses are also very hard to find...basically the availability is controlled by the demand, and in my country the grey market still rules the Photographic equipment market.</p>

<p>Thanks for the replies....<br>

Between Sigma and Tamron, I would prefer to go with Tamron, considering their quality control is better than Sigma (this seems to be a pretty established idea in the web communities of photographers) moreover, Sigma Macro lenses are pricier I think and less available.<br>

The Tokina 100m is not available, so it is also out of question. Moreover, I remember seeing a review in some reputed site mentioning that Tokina 100mm is weaker in terms of contrast and has a little bit more pronounced CA- though I have no intention to get into a battle for this as I have not used it.</p>

<p>Tamron 60mm appears to be offering quite a bit of less working distance in case I would like to take a 1:1 shot of a live subject, but obviously it's a great lens...</p>

<p>Thanks so much for the excellent responses.<br /> My sincere apologies for not mentioning my intended use. To be honest, I want to use the lens as many different ways (subjects) as possible. Though being a Nature photographer, I would mainly use it for photographing bugs, flowers and as well as some People and portrait photography. If possible, I shall use it for still-life too.<br /> Considering all these aspects and the possibility of producing 1:1 shots more easily, will the Tamron be a better choice because it would almost work like a 135mm lens with my DX body, <strong>increasing the minimum focusing distance</strong> in comparison to the 90mm for Nikkor? <strong>Will the IQ be same for both the lenses wide open?</strong><br>

I would not invest in a DX lens because if I upgrade later, it would be an wastage. Buying lenses are pretty costly affair in my country and I can not afford to change the lenses often :(</p>

<p >Hello friends<br>

Please help me to choose between these two lenses. Both lenses cost more or less the same. Both these lenses sports an in-body motor. And both are quite highly rated by different reviews. I intend to use the lens with <strong>Nikon D90</strong>. Unfortunately, I can not afford the 105mm VR Micro.</p>

<p>Thanks Matt....excellent response...<br>

I would be hanging it on the wall, most probably the wall beside the staircase with my other photos. The lights will be natural, but not direct sunlight.<br>

Regarding framing, I would be giving it to a shop, and I hope that they would use Acid Free pH, but honestly, I can not be sure. Frankly speaking, in my country these trades are still traditional and mainly done by artisans who are doing it for generations. So they are good on "skill" but not knowledgeable about the nuances of the trade...sadly.</p>

<p>Please tell me whether I should print from TIFF or best quality JPEGs saved from RAW files? Secondly, whether I should change the color space to AdobeRGB from sRGB? Thirdly, should I reduce the resolution to 240dpi from 300dpi? And finally, is there anything that I should do before printing which I might have missed to ask you?<br>

Thanks again Matt....</p>

<p>Thanks for the Link Matt.<br>

I am thinking of "Framing" the final print. What do you think about the prints suitability (in terms of print quality) to frame, provided I print on a good quality photo paper? Moreover, is it not better to print on a Matte paper if I intend to frame the photograph?</p>

<p>Thanks Matt<br>

No the photos were neither dark nor overtly bright. The exposure was reproduced fine (to my untrained and inexperienced eyes at least). Though there was lack of color gamut, I mean all the color ranges were not printed, as I could see on my CRT monitor.<br>

I told the "Printer Driver" that "Normal Paper" was being used and chose "Normal" quality print. It seems that the paper might have soaked some ink, as the papers are not that thick...I can partly see through the paper if I look at a light source (like a 40 watt fluorescent light).<br>

So exactly what type of paper I should use? Will this printer be good enough to reproduce a photo 8"x10" suitable for framing? And should I lower the dpi to 240? Well, as I said this is first time I am trying to print photos with this printer and unfortunately I can not afford to experiment much as the printer cartridges are very costly. :(</p>

<p>Hello friends<br /><br />I own a <strong>Canon Pixma MP180 printer</strong>. Recently after acquiring my D90, I have decided to take some print out of the photos rather than going to any Photo Lab.<br /><br />I have never printed photographs with this printer of mine, so please help me out in printing, <strong>how exactly should I approach the whole thing so that I get best possible result out of this printer</strong>.<br /><br />To test, I have taken print outs of 4 photos on a A4 Photocopier Paper (ordinary paper, mainly suitable for document printing), through Picasa3 but the colors do not look great, I would say that colors look blotchy.<br /><br />I shoot RAW and save the files to highest quality JPEGS with 300dpi resolution. <strong>The color-space I use to save JPEGs is sRGB</strong>.<br /><br />Please help<br /><br />Thank you</p>