Buying Lights!

[Sweetneers]

Hey there! So, I'll be the first to admit that I'm seriously confused when it comes to buying studio lights. I honestly don't know the difference between 600 w/s and 800 w/s, or anything else. Though, I feel my photography has grown to a level where studio lights are becoming needed. So here's what I need. I'm looking to buy a kit that contains the lights (at least two?), the bulbs, stands, and a power pack to power both lights. I've been looking at these two:

Speedotron DM802UV2KX S 2 Light System 21140 B&H Photo Video
Speedotron Brown Line DM604 2-Light Travel System

If you know of anything better please let me know! I'm on a budget of around $2000, however I want to spend about $1000-$1500 on lights and around $1000-$500 on lighting accessories (Umbrellas, soft boxes, etc.). I'm also assuming I'm going to need to buy a cactus transmitter and two receivers for the lights, so what would I buy for that?

Essentially, I'm asking for a shopping list.

Thank you SO MUCH!

 

[Sweetneers]

Hey there! So, I'll be the first to admit that I'm seriously confused when it comes to buying studio lights. I honestly don't know the difference between 600 w/s and 800 w/s, or anything else. Though, I feel my photography has grown to a level where studio lights are becoming needed. So here's what I need. I'm looking to buy a kit that contains the lights (at least two?), the bulbs, stands, and a power pack to power both lights. I've been looking at these two:

Speedotron DM802UV2KX S 2 Light System 21140 B&H Photo Video
Speedotron Brown Line DM604 2-Light Travel System

If you know of anything better please let me know! I'm on a budget of around $2000, however I want to spend about $1000-$1500 on lights and around $1000-$500 on lighting accessories (Umbrellas, soft boxes, etc.). I'm also assuming I'm going to need to buy a cactus transmitter and two receivers for the lights, so what would I buy for that?

Essentially, I'm asking for a shopping list.

Thank you SO MUCH!

 

[MLeeK]

May I ask WHY you are looking at the speedtron lines? Not that they are bad by ANY means. You are dumping a large amount of money into studio lighting that admittedly know nothing about. Did you choose an expensive setup thinking it would be the best out there?
AND you are spending a LOT of money on the lights but using a cheap-o transmitter instead of a set of PocketWizards with them. Why not buy GOOD lights and GOOD transmitters?

 

[Sweetneers]

May I ask WHY you are looking at the speedtron lines? Not that they are bad by ANY means. You are dumping a large amount of money into studio lighting that admittedly know nothing about. Did you choose an expensive setup thinking it would be the best out there?
AND you are spending a LOT of money on the lights but using a cheap-o transmitter instead of a set of PocketWizards with them. Why not buy GOOD lights and GOOD transmitters?

I know a good amount about lighting but I have no experience with actually BUYING studio lighting. I'm just looking for assistance. I also said Cactus because they're what I have experience with using flash lights.

 

[tirediron]

STOP! Put the Visa card down, WALK AWAY from the Visa card. You do not know enough to buy the gear at this point. First, that's a good lighting set, no questions, BUT, is it what you need? No idea. What sort of scenario(s) will you be using the lights in?

Some general thoughts (based on "general" use): Two lights is a minimum, three is better. For "typical" studio work, 2-4 people, I would look for a set with 2 x 400w/s and 1 x 250 w/s (watt seconds are the light-output rating, NOT equivalent to watts. The higher the w/s rating, the more light). For modifiers, One reflective and one shoot-through umbrella, one 36x48ish softbox, snoot, barn-doors etc. For triggers, if you're going to spend that kind of money, get some better triggers such as the Pocket Wizards. Cactus triggers are okay, but that's about it.

 

[Big Mike]

Are you committed to a pack & head system or would you consider monolights? Either way is good, but you'll have more options if you're open to both.

 

[tirediron]

I know a good amount about lighting but I have no experience with actually BUYING studio lighting...

What?????

Cross-posting is generally considered bad form BTW!

 

[MLeeK]

Tell us what you NEED and what your usage will be for. That will help us to help you better. This may or may not be the right thing for you, however if I were in your shoes I'd like a few opinions and options.
Is this going to be a heavily used light set? What are you shooting? Families? How large of a family? Will you be working studio and location or only location? And is that likely to change down the road? How portable do you feel you need to be? Do you work with speedlights at all? Do you need to light up for sporting events or similar where you will mount lights in the rafters or anything like that? Tell us exactly what you want those lights to do.
Tell us everything you can think of and the combined knowledge of the "old timers" here is pretty extensive from budget level to top of the line, beginner to extremely advanced...

The reason I kept mentioning pocket wizards is because they will allow you to control your lights from the camera. The cactus system is only a trigger. And they are a good starter, but if you are getting THIS deep in to lighting, then you are going to want more than the cactus system can provide.
What camera system are you using?

 

[Sweetneers]

Tell us what you NEED and what your usage will be for. That will help us to help you better. This may or may not be the right thing for you, however if I were in your shoes I'd like a few opinions and options.
Is this going to be a heavily used light set? What are you shooting? Families? How large of a family? Will you be working studio and location or only location? And is that likely to change down the road? How portable do you feel you need to be? Do you work with speedlights at all? Do you need to light up for sporting events or similar where you will mount lights in the rafters or anything like that? Tell us exactly what you want those lights to do.
Tell us everything you can think of and the combined knowledge of the "old timers" here is pretty extensive from budget level to top of the line, beginner to extremely advanced...

The reason I kept mentioning pocket wizards is because they will allow you to control your lights from the camera. The cactus system is only a trigger. And they are a good starter, but if you are getting THIS deep in to lighting, then you are going to want more than the cactus system can provide.
What camera system are you using?

Sorry, I guess I didn't go far enough into detail. I'd be using these for portraits of a single person. Typically on location, but I do a bit of studio work. Portability is needed, but I don't mind spending a bit of time setting up. I do work with speedlights; however, I really like the look of studio lighting. I'm also shooting with 5D Mark II

 

[MLeeK]

There is a ton too much power there for one person in 2 lights. I'd much rather see you go with 3 lights with less power each. Those are 1200WS which is A LOT of light on a single person. A 600WPS light is a lot of power for a single person in one light. If you were to go with 3 lesser lights or even 4 you would have more dynamic lighting options-you can place 3/4 lights to create the exact look you want more so than you can with 1 or 2... Flexibility. I do like to have 2 that are at least 600WPS. You can reduce power on a light that is too powerful, but you can't squeeze more out of a light that doesn't have enough power. For a background and/or hair light accessory light a 320WPS light is more than you'd need and would even be enough to light a single subject.

Then there is question of softboxes and umbrellas. You haven't used either, so at this point you aren't going to know what you prefer...

I have a few ways I'd go, but I'd definitely want to have the pocket wizards before investing a ton in the lights only and a cheap trigger.

I'd probably start out with a GOOD budget setup that will give you years of use as well as flexibility.
1220APWK Flashpoint 1220M Portrait Wedding Monolight Kit, with Two 1220M Monolights, Stands, Umbrellas & Case $700 and 2 batter packs for it: FP2PPN Flashpoint II D/C Battery Power Pack with Replaceable Nickel-Hydrogen Batteries, for use with the M Series Monolights $250 total
Plus FP2PPN Flashpoint II D/C Battery Power Pack with Replaceable Nickel-Hydrogen Batteries, for use with the M Series Monolights (comes with battery pack) $285, softbox to go with: SB3248E Flashpoint II 32" x 48" Softbox for all Model II Monolights, Velcro Edge Accepts Egg Crate Grid $80
At least 2 pocket wizard transceivers 801-125 Pocket-Wizard Plus II Auto Sensing Smart Transceiver with a Range of up to 1600 Feet
Total, all accessories included; both AC and DC option, good trigger system... $1652.75

 

[Sweetneers]

There is a ton too much power there for one person in 2 lights. I'd much rather see you go with 3 lights with less power each. Those are 1200WS which is A LOT of light on a single person. A 600WPS light is a lot of power for a single person in one light. If you were to go with 3 lesser lights or even 4 you would have more dynamic lighting options-you can place 3/4 lights to create the exact look you want more so than you can with 1 or 2... Flexibility. I do like to have 2 that are at least 600WPS. You can reduce power on a light that is too powerful, but you can't squeeze more out of a light that doesn't have enough power. For a background and/or hair light accessory light a 320WPS light is more than you'd need and would even be enough to light a single subject.

Then there is question of softboxes and umbrellas. You haven't used either, so at this point you aren't going to know what you prefer...

I have a few ways I'd go, but I'd definitely want to have the pocket wizards before investing a ton in the lights only and a cheap trigger.

I'd probably start out with a GOOD budget setup that will give you years of use as well as flexibility.
1220APWK Flashpoint 1220M Portrait Wedding Monolight Kit, with Two 1220M Monolights, Stands, Umbrellas & Case $700 and 2 batter packs for it: FP2PPN Flashpoint II D/C Battery Power Pack with Replaceable Nickel-Hydrogen Batteries, for use with the M Series Monolights $250 total
Plus FP2PPN Flashpoint II D/C Battery Power Pack with Replaceable Nickel-Hydrogen Batteries, for use with the M Series Monolights (comes with battery pack) $285, softbox to go with: SB3248E Flashpoint II 32" x 48" Softbox for all Model II Monolights, Velcro Edge Accepts Egg Crate Grid $80
At least 2 pocket wizard transceivers 801-125 Pocket-Wizard Plus II Auto Sensing Smart Transceiver with a Range of up to 1600 Feet
Total, all accessories included; both AC and DC option, good trigger system... $1652.75

I noticed you said I'd need 2 pocket wizards. Would I not need 3? One for each light and a transmitter for the camera?

 

[MLeeK]

If budget allows, yes I'd go for up to 4. One for each light and one for the camera. However, if you have one for the camera and one for the main light you can trigger the rest of the lights optically (they will fire when the first one fires.)