Promaster SystemPRO Basic 3 Light Studio Lighting Kit

[AndyNJ]

Has anyone used these kits? Is this a good deal? Worth the money? I'm mostly looking to use for nude/erotic/lingerie shots in my home. I don't have an actual studio to work with.

Promaster SystemPRO Basic 3 Light Studio Lighting Kit* - eBay (item 260570228280 end time Oct-12-10 15:19:29 PDT)

[zona5101]

I have not used that kit but it should be serviceable. It has varible output which is good. Guide number of 120 (like a typical large shoe mount flash). So when you add modifiers like umbrellas and softboxes you will need to have the flashes pretty close to the subject (under 10') or use a fast lens and get limited depth of field. Both of those constraints seem workable for your intended purpose. Probably the big hang up would be selection of light modifiers that are available. Certainly folks have started out with kits like that then sold them when they were ready for more sophisticated lighting set ups.

[Tamster]

Originally Posted by zona5101

I have not used that kit but it should be serviceable. It has varible output which is good. Guide number of 120 (like a typical large shoe mount flash). So when you add modifiers like umbrellas and softboxes you will need to have the flashes pretty close to the subject (under 10') or use a fast lens and get limited depth of field. Both of those constraints seem workable for your intended purpose. Probably the big hang up would be selection of light modifiers that are available. Certainly folks have started out with kits like that then sold them when they were ready for more sophisticated lighting set ups.

Hi! I'm kinda in the same boat except i havent found a kit as of yet. What would you recommend outside of this, on the more sophisticated side of things? I don't want to purchase something then in a few months upgrade. I'm new to the lighting side of things i have nothing along the lines of lighting as of yet, this will be my first purchase. Thanks!

[zona5101]

A good way to start is with a single light kit with an umbrella or softbox, a lightstand and a trigger. Add a reflector and maybe a reflector arm & stand and you have a kit to handle most portrait situations. A good light, something you can grow and expand: Alien Bee 400 or 800; Photoflex Starflash 150 or 300; Calumet Genesis 200 or 400 or any of the Travelite series. All will have plenty of power with pro features and you'll find lots of light modifiers like different sized softboxes, beauty dishes, grids, snoot, barndoors, gel holders...
Our favorite DPS'r, SusanH, uses the Alien Bee gear and I can attest to the quality of the Photoflex stuff.

[scootermcq]

[QUOTE=zona5101;1098590]I have not used that kit but it should be serviceable. It has varible output which is good. Guide number of 120 (like a typical large shoe mount flash). /QUOTE]

It is 160 w/s, which is about double the high end flashes on the market today. They will register 1 full stop higher than an sb800/900 fired into an umbrella.

I have tried these and they are fine, variable power, optical slaves, modeling lights etc. No, they are not high end, but for shooting nudes in a bedroom if you get over 1/8th power, I would be surprised.

What I would say is the build quality of things like the stands are crap and you will be replacing those in the near future and to add things like softboxes and beauty dishes you will be more limited in the future, unlike if you go for a major brand.