Advice on Ebay stuff please.

[Blake.Oney]

Okay, I'm on like the tightest budget ever. I've found a lot of stuff on ebay that I could really use. I just don't know enough about this stuff to be able to tell if it's worth it or not. I'm gonna put up a few links, and if you know anything about it any advice would be awesome and much appreciated.

Softbox
SOFTBOX UMBRELLA Photo Studio LIGHTING and LIGHT HOLDER - eBay (item 370315421738 end time Aug-31-10 17:11:47 PDT)

Product lighting kit
Photo Studio Lighting Kit, Photo Tent , Tripod LT81 - eBay (item 250687506043 end time Aug-31-10 19:15:31 PDT)

Wireless flash triggers
CTR-301P CTR-301P Wireless Flash Trigger Set w/ PC Sync - eBay (item 160463529498 end time Aug-31-10 23:47:39 PDT)

Shoot through umbrella x2 with stands
Photography Umbrella Light Lighting Bulb kit LV33 - eBay (item 250688763848 end time Sep-03-10 17:46:37 PDT)

Reflective umbrella set, same as above otherwise
Photography Umbrella Studio Light Lighting kit LV34 - eBay (item 250665563818 end time Sep-10-10 15:02:09 PDT)

And finally, one of my favorites, a softbox that doubles as a product lighting tent.
EZLite 20" Photography Light-Tent + Softbox Kit + Stand - eBay (item 360209350123 end time Sep-14-10 20:30:35 PDT)

Thanks in advance for any advice on this stuff.

 

[o hey tyler]

Do you have a flash to go with said lighting equipment?

 

[Blake.Oney]

I guess I forgot to mention I'll be getting the SB-600 very soon as a gift from the wife. That's why I'm looking through all this stuff.

 

[o hey tyler]

Well, I'd suggest you save up for legit wireless triggers. I've heard mixed things (more negative than positive) about the ones found on Ebay, as far as the other stuff.... I've got nothing.

 

[tirediron]

Ehhhh... it'll do, but honestly? I'd save my money, and hang out on Craig's List and in your local used gear stores and get better quality gear second-hand.
Softbox - so-so; you'll get what you pay for. Bear in mind that you'll be able to acheive pretty much the same results with a couple of pieces of translucent plastic (Michael's, Wal-Mart <$5.00/sheet) and a regular fluorescent light.
Product lighting kit - as above; those mini-tripods are only good enough to hold up a small P&S at best and the "tent" can be made with the same material as above

Triggers - JUNK! I've got a couple of these somewhere in the bottom of one of my lighting bags; if they work four out of five times you're having a good day. You can buy V2 Cactus for not a lot more money; again, not pro-quality but better than this.

Umbrellas (both) - again, these will do, and for the price, they're probably not bad.

Convertible soft-box - I don't get this one at all; my experience is that things that try and perform too many functions do none of them well.

I totally understand limited budgets and the desire/need for new gear, but trust me, you'll be a lot better off skipping some of this stuff. About the only thing I would consider are the umbrellas.

 

[Blake.Oney]

Thanks. I wasn't planning on literally buying all of that. Just some things I saw that I could use, and a couple of things that I actually do need. The umbrella's were definitely the big one for me. Because they're continuous I could use them immediately. And for the price I could get both sets and have at least something for just about any occasion.

 

[mrmacedonian]

nice the cheapest umbrellas i had looked at/considered were 100$ and i'd need to get two flash units, but i might consider these until i have a real budget. could you explain the need for shoot-through and reflective umbrellas? admittedly i haven't spend any time learning or researching lighting because my budget doesn't allow for it, so pardon my ignorance but if anyone could give examples of situations where the shoot-through would be necessary and the reflective wouldn't work? don't want to highjack a thread.. maybe both of us could benefit from this info thx

 

[Blake.Oney]

Yea definitely. I was gonna ask but then I decided that I'm probably going to get both sets, so I figured I'd just play around and figure it out haha. But since you asked, might as well find out.

I've been shooting for a while, but I've never been interested in studio stuff. I always enjoyed trying to work with ambient light, so I am completely new to all this lighting equipment stuff.

 

[mrshaleyberg]

With a Shoot through umbrella you can get the umbrella closer to the subject like a softbox(for a softer light). The silver umbrella has more contrast as where the white has less contrast.

 

[786soul]

From what you've posted, the one item that will give you most bang for the buck is those wireless triggers. I know someone above said their garbage but the set I have (same model) are perfectly fine. Older models of this set needed a bettery change to make them work better; mine I haven't had to do anything.

As soon as you can get the flash off camera (mind you, you may then need a lightstand) it opens up a world of possibilities. The $30 you spend on said set of triggers is WELL worth it. Even as a learning fee you can call it for getting into this sort of thing.

Since getting those triggers I went over to a local camera store and picked up an umbrella, lightstand and umbrella bracket for ~$100 and though I didnt' spend for the BEST OF THE BEST, it does just as well for what I need.