Need suggestions to buy Studio Lighting with a budget of US$750

[eshban]

I Need suggestions to buy Studio Lighting with a budget of US$750

I am planning to buy studio lighting setup, so please guide me that

1) which lights i can buy?
2) How many lights I can buy?
3) With lights which accessories/modifiers I can buy for pure studio work.

I prefer to go for some good equipment which don't need up gradation for few years.

For lighting I have a total budget of US$750

Thanks

[OsmosisStudios]

1: What camera gear do you currently have?
2: How many lights do you need?
3: What kind of lights do you want?
4: What will you be shooting?

[eshban]

1) I have Canon 7d
2) I need at least 2 lights
3) I think you better suggest me that what type of lights I need for studio work
4) I want to do studio work i.e shooting models

[graciousness]

Well, if you want to shoot models for portfolio, shouldn't you learn to read up on flash photography first and then determine what and you need to buy upon your understanding? Model photography is not just something you can point your camera at someone's face and then snap - portfolio. The studio lighting set up is actually not that hard to figure out as far as what you want. Give yourself a couple of weeks of dedicated reading and research into flash photography and studio lighting and then you can answer the question for yourself.

But looking at your website, I think you should learn how to use fill flash and off camera flash first before thinking of investing in studio lighting. And learn how to light and pose your models to get the most of their faces and physiques.

[OsmosisStudios]

Originally Posted by eshban

3) I think you better suggest me that what type of lights I need for studio work
4) I want to do studio work i.e shooting models

3) The type of lights and modifiers you use will depend on the work you want to do.
4) "Studio work" is extremely vague, "shooting models" isn't much better. So you want to do portraits, fine: what kind? What style?

There's a lot more to portraiture than just lights and a background. How you control them and modify them and use them will dictate the look you get from them.

We can't be specific if you cant.

[zona5101]

Yup hard to give specifics...but here are some good brands to look at.

* Calumet Photo Genesis ( they have their 200w mono lights on sale now)

* Alien Bees - always a good value performer

* Photoflex - great affordable kits

Each of these manufacturers offer a variety of configurations to their kits and have at lease one offering in your price range.

The thing with these kits over something you might find on ebay is the amount of accessories and light modifiers available. Some bargin cheap kits don't let you attach softboxes or their connector is unique/proprietary and nothing else fits.

[NathanFranke]

Alien bees are easy to work with and inexpensive. Reviews are split--gear snobs look down their noses at AB, but there are a lot of others who say that the lights are durable, consistent, and perform perfectly.

I have an AB 800--I got it in '06 and have used it only a handful of times. It's never failed me.

[ccting]

Dear experts,

a) I wish to know the zoom, GN needed for hair light, kickup and background.
b) I guess YN465 is sufficient as fill light and YN560 as key light.
c) Is 190cm lightstand sufficient?
d) http://www.gstrapinuse.com/index.php...a557f12bb8d9b9. Please comment about this cheap studio set.
e) Do I need 5 flashgun in order to have hair light, kicker, background, fill light, keylight?

[zona5101]

Originally Posted by ccting

Dear experts,

a) I wish to know the zoom, GN needed for hair light, kickup and background.
b) I guess YN465 is sufficient as fill light and YN560 as key light.
c) Is 190cm lightstand sufficient?
d) Home Studio Set 5 [Home Studio Set 5] - RM349.00 : GStrapInUse.com. Please comment about this cheap studio set.
e) Do I need 5 flashgun in order to have hair light, kicker, background, fill light, keylight?

dunno about "expert", more like "opinion provider"
a) Hard to say - it will depend on distance and they types of modifiers you wish to use - also if you want to get a pure white background, that takes power... You can use portable flash for all these applications especially when you shoot in a small space (distances of 10 feet and under). If you can get flashes with guide nimbers in the 90s or above you should have no issues with power in the majority of indoor setups.
b) those should both work...i think their GN is in the 30s in meters so that's 90+ in feet.
c) 6' (190cm) light stand would be the smallest I'd use. An 8' stand would be nicer so you can get the light above a standing subject.
d) s/b fine
e) yes one light for each -however, you could use a reflector instead of a light for fill and even kicker and hair.

[ccting]

Originally Posted by zona5101

dunno about "expert", more like "opinion provider"
a) Hard to say - it will depend on distance and they types of modifiers you wish to use - also if you want to get a pure white background, that takes power... You can use portable flash for all these applications especially when you shoot in a small space (distances of 10 feet and under). If you can get flashes with guide nimbers in the 90s or above you should have no issues with power in the majority of indoor setups.
b) those should both work...i think their GN is in the 30s in meters so that's 90+ in feet.
c) 6' (190cm) light stand would be the smallest I'd use. An 8' stand would be nicer so you can get the light above a standing subject.
d) s/b fine
e) yes one light for each -however, you could use a reflector instead of a light for fill and even kicker and hair.

Thanks Bruce / Zona,
Do you think YY CY-28A Automatic Electronic Flash can serve my lighting learning and future event use?

Currently I have 1 unit YN465, perhaps going to buy another 4 unit of this cheap flashguns. What is your recommendation?



Thanks again.

"I have not yet understanding the basic lighting concepts.. delaying purchasing flashguns & studio set...".
"Need a lot of money to learn Photography..."