Best umbrella/lighting kit to buy at a decent price?

[Candipoox]

Im just getting started with lighting setups. I was thinking of buying an umbrella kit of some sort online that would include all the basics I need for a good price. Anyone have suggestions/reviews of some kits they've actually bought?

[Rentham]

MPEX Strobist Kits

[GreggObst]

I'm not sure if you have a speedlight(s) or not yet. The strobists kits on MPEX are great but they all assume you need everything including a flash.

If you have a flash then here are links to the component items you may want to consider:

LumoPro LP605 7ft. Compact Light Stand

LumoPro LP633 Umbrella Swivel w/ Flash Shoe Adapter

Westcott 60" Optical White Umbrella with Removable Cover

Not sure what your budget is but if you have some extra dollars to spend, then I would substitute the following for that cheap umbrella swivel above. The cheap bracket works well but the one below is built like a tank and is a little more versatile for re-positioning the umbrella quickly.

Manfrotto Umbrella Bracket/Swivel 026 Replaces 2905
Stroboframe Bracket Shoe Mount F/ System 2000

[jr247]

Greetings from Sydney

I am in a similar situation to Candipoox.

I have no experience in lighting but would like to purchase a kit that is transportable and can be used for the following:

- Human and pet portraits
- Video interviews

I've heard that Bowens provide the best lights but I have found the below kit which seems to be a bargain for the price but would appreciate some comments from experienced members:

Portable Professional Light Flash Kit S-180 Three Soft Box Kit - Ozinnovations

Thanks in advance

JR

[dakwegmo]

Originally Posted by GreggObst

I'm not sure if you have a speedlight(s) or not yet. The strobists kits on MPEX are great but they all assume you need everything including a flash.

Every kit has a with and without option. For example, this one, Strobist 1 light Kits, has the Strobist Starving Student SX1 lighting kit for $289.99, and Strobist Starving Student SX2 Lighting Kit (no flash) for $134.99.

[Candipoox]

Thanks for the replies

What do you guys think about the cheapo kits that are on ebay etc? I just saw some for 50-100 bucks. Im not sure if they are complete junk or not. I am a novice though so I don't need anything super nice just yet.

Oh and yes, I have a 430ex II speedlight. I just got it recently, haha. Im REALLY new to this.

[GreggObst]

Originally Posted by Candipoox

What do you guys think about the cheapo kits that are on ebay etc? I just saw some for 50-100 bucks. Im not sure if they are complete junk or not. I am a novice though so I don't need anything super nice just yet..

PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE, don't fall into the trap of "I don't need anything super nice yet". I hear that all the time and by the time you end up finally getting something that won't break on you and it serving the purpose that you needed it to serve, you've purchased several different models. I see this all the time with people buying tripods. You buy the crappy one because it looks dirt cheap and you "really don't need anything super nice just yet". Then a few months later a second one is purchased at a slightly higher price which gets you another 20% of the way to what you really wanted/needed, then a third and a fourth before you finally have what you really needed in the first place. You add all that up and you spent more than you would have spent had you gone with the right model in the first place.

Midwest Photo Exchange has some great prices and great service and you are not dealing with some nameless guy hiding behind an eBay account.

[dakwegmo]

Originally Posted by GreggObst

PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE, don't fall into the trap of "I don't need anything super nice yet". I hear that all the time and by the time you end up finally getting something that won't break on you and it serving the purpose that you needed it to serve, you've purchased several different models. I see this all the time with people buying tripods. You buy the crappy one because it looks dirt cheap and you "really don't need anything super nice just yet". Then a few months later a second one is purchased at a slightly higher price which gets you another 20% of the way to what you really wanted/needed, then a third and a fourth before you finally have what you really needed in the first place. You add all that up and you spent more than you would have spent had you gone with the right model in the first place.

Midwest Photo Exchange has some great prices and great service and you are not dealing with some nameless guy hiding behind an eBay account.

I couldn't agree more. If you buy cheap, you buy twice (or more if you don't learn too fast).

[Candipoox]

That makes sense. Thanks for your advice

[inkista]

Ok, this is just me, but I say don't go with a kit. The MPEX kits, while nice, are manual-only. If you're going to go Strobist, you really need to consider two things.

1) Whether you're also going to want to use a speedlight on-camera for event run'n'gun as well as for posed studio shooting.

If you do, then going with manual-only strobes is going to be a PITA, and you'd do better to suck it up, save the pennies, and get a good OEM speedlight which can do all the fancy TTL, high-speed-sync, and remote commanding tricks as well.

Think of going with manual strobes much as going with a camera that has no aperture-priority mode to shoot with. If you have the time, you're ok. But if you need to switch the power output of that flash very quickly from moving around and into and out of varying lighting conditions, TTL might be something you'd really like to have.

And any OEM TTL-capable flash can do manual and off-camera just as well as the cheapies. They can do dual duty.

2) Whether or not you might be better off going with studio strobes, if you're never going on location.

If you are, a lower-cost studio strobe (like an AlienBee) could cost you less than a high-end OEM speedlight. It will also give you a lot more power and a lot more flexibility for large groups and big spaces. Speedlights are smaller and far more portable, but they are also proportionately under-powered.

The only Strobist kit I'd probably recommend getting for speedlights is this one from B&H, which combines the stand, umbrella and swivel. Shop for the lights/triggers that are going to work best for you. The MPEX kits, for my money, include a lot of little "extras" that you may not need, or might want to improve upon.

jr247, all the Strobist gear recommendations aren't going to work for you and video. Video requires constant light. Most of us are using strobes for still image photography because we can get more power/light in the short bursts. I'd recommend you look into LED panels, which can be used for both.