What kind of light bulbs should I use?

[benhasajeep]

First off, those ebay bulbs you first listed are a rip off!! Anyone reading this stay away. Just a person preying on someone uninformed. They are nothing but cheap floruscent house lamp bulbs that are over price due to the shipping. I bought similar bulbs for my house 4 years ago for $.49 each at a local "cheap" store. You can buy like 3 packs for $10 to $15 at any home store. And thats a rip off. My $.49 ones have lasted 4 years now with not one going bad yet.

Now for cheap studio lights. You can use 100 watt bulbs but you will need a few of them. I would go with at least 250watt bulbs. You can use diffenent bulbs in your lights, but dont put the 250 - 500 watt bulbs in to them on their own. They most likely have a plastic bulb holder and it will melt (inside contact is metal but outside is plastic). For a couple bucks they make ceramic adapters that will insulate the cheaper light sockets.

Other than electricity cost, the big disadvantage to using studio lights (flood) is they are hot / give off lots of heat. So the model will get hot / may sweat. You may need a fan to two.

As for what type of light. With digital cameras / software that is not biggie now a days. You can balance the light after taking the pics if the camera does not allow you to with a setting. Just make sure the shape of the bulb fits the lamp housing without touching or too close to anything that may melt or burn. If you do have plastic socket make sure you have ceramic insulator before using a bigger bulb. Most lamps have a sticker or a note right on it somewhere saying something like 100w max. The ceramic insulators will allow you to use a larger capacity lamp.

 

[Big Mike]

Here is an interesting 'article' that I read on another site. From what I have seen, this guy knows his stuff...so I have no reason to doubt it.

The local chapter of the Measurbator's Anonymous called a special meeting to determine quantitative answers to a few questions regarding continuous vs. strobe lighting in recent threads, namely this thread by FlyingPete and this thread by shedsomelight.

We decided to compare the AlienBees B800 studio flash unit, a popular, reasonably priced and relatively low powered studio strobe, with a pair of 500 watt halogen shop lights such as you might find in hardware stores and home centers.

The AlienBees unit was not actually tested. Comparisons below are based on the advertised guide number specifications of the unit.

Output from the halogen shop light (two 500 watt lights on a stand, 1000 watts total) was measured by aiming them squarely at a pair of 18% gray cards at a measured distance of 10 feet and metering the cards with a camera.

Truth be told, you can poke all kinds of holes in my methodology and question the technical accuracy of my conclusions. But the data will be profound enough to make its point, even if the numbers are a bit off.

Ok, here are the numbers:

The AlienBees unit has a guide number of 172 feet with the standard reflector. So let's round that down a bit and say that theoretically it will meter at around f/16 at a distance of 10 feet.

The gray cards illuminated by the halogen fixture metered at 1/25 second (0.04 seconds) and f/4 at the same distance.

If you wanted to use the same aperture and ISO with both units, you would need a shutter speed of about 0.64 seconds with the halogens to get the same exposure as the strobe.

0.64 seconds of 1000 watts equals 640 watt-seconds. This is reasonably close to the AlienBees' advertised rating of 800 effective watt-seconds, accounting for probable differences in reflectors and angles of coverage.

If you wanted to use a 1/200 shutter speed and the same aperture and ISO with both units, you would theoretically need 128,000 watts of halogen lights to match the output of the strobe.

Another interesting comparison: Using the sunny 16 rule as a guide, it would theoretically take 64,000 watts of halogen light at a distance of 10 feet to equal the brightness of a sunny day.

****

 

[W.Smith]

500 Watts of light is not a lot of light, but it IS a lot of heat!
Imagine you have 3 of those . . . !
That's unpleasant and inconvenient in confined spaces.
It's also a fire hazard.

 

[Wolff]

When I use continuous lighting I use two lights. One to get rid of the shadows on the background and one from the side so that all of my light isn't coming just from the front (my flash). This also gives subtle shadows on one side of the person's face. Also, when I use the flash I make sure that I am about 5-10 feet away from them so that they don't totally blow out.

 

[Big Mike]

Beware that flash and most continuous lighting is a different color temperature...which will cause part of your images to have a color cast.

 

[Starlite]

now we are getting somewhere....


thank you peoples.

 

[texassand]

Thank you for askin all these questions. I've been confused about which route to take also. I have a Canon Rebel XT and am getting into people portrait photos. This is the setup I was going to buy: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ih=010&sspagename=STRK%3AME WA%3AIT&viewitem=&item=200044189533&rd=1&rd=1

Is this a rip off. low quality ect.? If so, I will go with something different , but now I'm wondering if I should go with strobe? If a person uses strobe, do they not use ANY continuous lighting? Also, would it be an option to buy this set up and just get more powerful bulbs? Where do you buy bulbs that are 250watt and above anyway? I guess the main reason I wanted to use continuous (lame reason probably) is because I don't understand strobes. I don't even know if my camera would "hook up" to them. Can a pro please give me an idea of a standard setup using strobes and/or contnuous lighting in a studio? Like physically where they are placed in a studio setting (just a common one)?

sorry for all the questions - afterall I'm a "beginner".

thanks

God Bless!!

 

[Digital Matt]

If you want to take portraits, buy strobes. Go to www.alienbees.com and get a basic kit, like the digi-bee. (http://www.alienbees.com/digi.html) If you buy strobes, you'll also need a flash meter. If you don't understand strobes, then you'll have to learn. There are lots of schools around that teach portrait photography classes, and lots of books in your local library.

Any camera with a hotshoe on top can be used with strobes. There are hotshoe to PC adapters that cost under $10.

 

[texassand]

Can you please give me just a general idea of what a f;ash meter is and what a good quality one would cost me?

 

[Digital Matt]

A flash meter connects to your strobes, and measures their output. You set the intended shutter speed on the meter, trigger the strobes, and the meter will tell you what aperture to use.

They range from $50 to $600. If you just want to meter flash, then you'll save a lot. I have a meter that reads flash, and ambient, incident, and spot.

http://www.adorama.com/SKL558.html

Something like this would work well for you I'm sure, and is much cheaper: http://www.adorama.com/SKL308S.html

 

[markc]

One thing I think people forget is that you rarely make great pieces of work when you are a beginner. You can learn to see the light just as well with strobes or continuous. Strobes have most of the advantages, but price isn't one of them. Since you already have them, I'd say go ahead and learn with the hot lights, but don't expect images like you see in the magazines. Use them to learn how to manipulate light and get the best image you can. Once you know you will be using the strobes enough to be worth the money, upgrade. I'd get a pair of 500w bulbs from a photo store. A good one should have the blue daylight bulbs. Just be careful of the heat and only have them on when you need them. This is how I started out and I've never bothered with strobes. I realized that natural light was the way I wanted to go, so strobes would have been a waste of money, and I still have the hot lights as backup.

Most of the people I know use strobes, but one who is an accomplished photographer uses continuous. His images are darker and moodier, but that's making use of what's there. He doesn't do Cosmo covers.

 

[Starlite]

Markc, thanks for that feedback. That helped a lot!!!

I mean, I appreciate the other feedback, but when somebody is like "yeah, just do this" without really giving specific detail, it leaves a newbie scratching their head as to why, and wondering if they should just blindly follow someone's instructions, without really knowing why.


Question - I've posted a link above to some bulbs that say 30 Watt, but equal to 120 watt (first link).... aren't lights like this called "cool lights", and supposed to solve or at least help, with the heat problem?

Will bulbs like these work well -

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dl...MEWA:IT&viewitem=&item=110048508584&rd=1&rd=1

I know these are just 250 watts, but I believe this seller has the exact same kind at 500 watts as well.


I'd also like to get your opinion on these bulbs -

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dl...MEWA:IT&viewitem=&item=110044861094&rd=1&rd=1


thank you very much

 

[Starlite]

Thank you for askin all these questions. I've been confused about which route to take also. I have a Canon Rebel XT and am getting into people portrait photos. This is the setup I was going to buy: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ih=010&sspagename=STRK%3AME WA%3AIT&viewitem=&item=200044189533&rd=1&rd=1

Is this a rip off. low quality ect.? If so, I will go with something different , but now I'm wondering if I should go with strobe? If a person uses strobe, do they not use ANY continuous lighting? Also, would it be an option to buy this set up and just get more powerful bulbs? Where do you buy bulbs that are 250watt and above anyway? I guess the main reason I wanted to use continuous (lame reason probably) is because I don't understand strobes. I don't even know if my camera would "hook up" to them. Can a pro please give me an idea of a standard setup using strobes and/or contnuous lighting in a studio? Like physically where they are placed in a studio setting (just a common one)?

sorry for all the questions - afterall I'm a "beginner".

thanks

God Bless!!

I am just a beginner, but I have been doing SOME research, and out of the Ebay auction sellers, I would buy from this one -

http://stores.ebay.com/ALZO-Digital


They offered some good support, and I posted a link above to some general help they give on their site, regarding continuous versus strobe.


Keep giving feedback to let us know how it's going!


I'm going to post some photos, as soon as I get some bulbs.

I'm wondering if I should just go to a photo store like "Samy's", instead of Ebay, but when I looked at their online site, everything looked WAY expensive.

Anyone recommend any stores in LA? What kind of prices should a person expect to pay for a 500 watt bulb??

 

[Starlite]

First off, those ebay bulbs you first listed are a rip off!! Anyone reading this stay away. Just a person preying on someone uninformed. They are nothing but cheap floruscent house lamp bulbs that are over price due to the shipping. I bought similar bulbs for my house 4 years ago for $.49 each at a local "cheap" store. You can buy like 3 packs for $10 to $15 at any home store. And thats a rip off. My $.49 ones have lasted 4 years now with not one going bad yet.

Now for cheap studio lights. You can use 100 watt bulbs but you will need a few of them. I would go with at least 250watt bulbs. You can use diffenent bulbs in your lights, but dont put the 250 - 500 watt bulbs in to them on their own. They most likely have a plastic bulb holder and it will melt (inside contact is metal but outside is plastic). For a couple bucks they make ceramic adapters that will insulate the cheaper light sockets.

Other than electricity cost, the big disadvantage to using studio lights (flood) is they are hot / give off lots of heat. So the model will get hot / may sweat. You may need a fan to two.

As for what type of light. With digital cameras / software that is not biggie now a days. You can balance the light after taking the pics if the camera does not allow you to with a setting. Just make sure the shape of the bulb fits the lamp housing without touching or too close to anything that may melt or burn. If you do have plastic socket make sure you have ceramic insulator before using a bigger bulb. Most lamps have a sticker or a note right on it somewhere saying something like 100w max. The ceramic insulators will allow you to use a larger capacity lamp.

What about these bulbs then? http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dl...MEWA:IT&viewitem=&item=110048508584&rd=1&rd=1

Are these a rip as well?

If so, where should I go, and how much should I expect to pay for 250 or 500?


Oh and this is the setup I purchased (cheap, i know) -

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dl...MEWN:IT&viewitem=&item=120042196041&rd=1&rd=1


do i still need the ceramic protectors? I'm not at home, so I can't look to see if these have them, but it SAYS that it is up to 500 watts, so I'm thinking I don't need to worry?


thanks!!!

 

[Starlite]

Continuous lights don't put out nearly as much light as strobe/flash does. Therefore, you may need to have a longer shutter speed to get proper exposure...longer shutter speeds are not good for a)holding the camera and b)subjects that move (people etc.).

I'm not sure of the math...but I read a post on another site...where someone had calculated that a for a regular bulb to be as bright as a studio light...it would need to be something like 100,000 watts.

Strobes are so bright...that they only need to be lit for a very small fraction of a second.

Big Mike, I understand the concept that the shutter needs to be open longer to get more light.... when I am using my digital camera though, it never asks me to change the shutter speed... so I guess I'm just using the default? Is the camera automatically deciding the shutter speed in this case?

So are you suggesting, that I go in and manually change the shutter, because whatever the camera may be deferring to automatically, might not be right for my shots?

Thank you veterans, for listening to us rookies, and having the patience to read and try to help - ALL OF YOU!!!!! :hail:

We are just like crying babies at this point, and I know at least ME, must sound annoying.