Buying my first lighting kit: flash or strobes?

[Halnex]

What kind of budget are you working with here?

$1000

Should I go for hot or cold strobes?

I believe you are confused.
How to Choose between Hot Light or Strobes for Your Shoot - Steve's Digicams

I read a this tutorial here: A Beginner?s Guide to Buying a Photography Lighting Kit | eBay
And they mentioned Hot Lights, Cold Light and Flashes all separate so I assumed that both Hot and Cold are for strobes.

And the place where I'm buying these just told me in an email that the "Strobes are definitely hot"

Yes, I guess I am a bit confused.

 

[Designer]

Strobes to me are flash, considering the light occurs very rapidly. "Hot" lights are lights that are on all the time, and they do emit quite a lot of heat. Also, hot lights, being continuous, are often called "continuous". Continuous light either needs to be extremely powerful (more heat) to be used for modeling people. They are o.k. for product photography, where you can have longer shutter openings.

People cannot hold perfectly still for shutter speeds slower than about 1/60 of a second. So shooting people you need some kind of flash. A speedlight type flash would work to add some light, but they are typically not as powerful as studio strobes, so most portrait photographers use the studio strobes.

If the person on the phone said the "strobes are definitely hot", then I'd ask more questions.

 

[Scatterbrained]

What kind of budget are you working with here?

$1000

Should I go for hot or cold strobes?

"Hot" is a euphemism for continuous lighting. Cheap continuous lights aren't worth the money for portrait work, and good continuous lights can cost more then strobes. Right now you can get a pair of B800s from PCB and a complete Cybercommander system for $900. Granted that will push your budget a bit but it will give you a solid system with complete wireless control. More importantly, the Cybercommander has a built in light meter. I use ABs personally and am quite happy with them. I use Visico softboxes from OEC Camera on e-bay. Granted this will put you over your $1000 budget.

Another option would be a set of Flashpoint monolights. You can get the 320M lights for $100 each. They're a simple, stout light that will serve you well, but there is no wireless control. There is however a wireless trigger system for them. As far as stands, I'd recommend forgoing the cheap black aluminum stands and go straight to C-stands. You can get a pair of Impact C-Stands for $100 each. They look just like the Kupos that I use that cost $70 more each. Adorama has recently started marketing their own line of "Glow" softboxes that look like quite a good deal, especially the "Grande" boxes. With your budget you can likely do three lights from Adorama with softboxes and triggers and Impact C-stands from B&H.

 

[Halnex]

It appears that this is the strobe I'm being offered.

VC-400HH - 400ws Studio Strobe Flash Light : Studio Lighting, Photography Studio equipment and accessories

I read the description but I couldn't find anywhere that mentions hot lights or anything of that sort.

 

[Scatterbrained]

It appears that this is the strobe I'm being offered.

VC-400HH - 400ws Studio Strobe Flash Light : Studio Lighting, Photography Studio equipment and accessories

I read the description but I couldn't find anywhere that mentions hot lights or anything of that sort.

If someone who is selling you equipment is telling you that "all strobes are hot" I'd find somewhere else to buy my gear. Yes, all strobes generate heat when they fire off, and they all have modeling lights, which can generate heat (the modeling lights are constant after all), but in photography the term "hot lights" has a very specific meaning. It refers to constant lighting, not strobes/flashes.

 

[table1349]

OP...Before you spend money on lighting buy and read this: Light: Science and Magic: An Introduction to Photographic Lighting / Edition 3 by Fil Hunter | 9780240808192 | Paperback | Barnes & Noble

 

[Halnex]

It appears that this is the strobe I'm being offered.

VC-400HH - 400ws Studio Strobe Flash Light : Studio Lighting, Photography Studio equipment and accessories

I read the description but I couldn't find anywhere that mentions hot lights or anything of that sort.

If someone who is selling you equipment is telling you that "all strobes are hot" I'd find somewhere else to buy my gear. Yes, all strobes generate heat when they fire off, and they all have modeling lights, which can generate heat (the modeling lights are constant after all), but in photography the term "hot lights" has a very specific meaning. It refers to constant lighting, not strobes/flashes.

I emailed him and asked him to explain what he means by "Strobes are hot" and I told him of what I have learned from the internet about the difference between Hot Lights and Strobes.
I also watched a few youtube videos showcasing the Visico CV-400HLR, it's strobe flashes not Hot Lights.


From what I learned from you, it would be a waste to pay for cheap Hot Lights and for the money I'm paying Strobes are a good deal even if the learning curve is steeper. No pain, no glory.
Please correct me if I'm wrong.

 

[Derrel]

Yes, it's better to buy a reasonably powerful monolight or two, with an umbrella and softbox or two, than it is to fool around with cheap-o fluorescent lights with umbrellas. The unit you linked us to is quite decent, and has a built-in 2.6 gigahertz radio triggering system, and is amply powerful, and uses Bowens S-type accessories, so...it's a decent option for the amount of money I would say. it might in fact be more powerful than you actually need.

I think a fellow wants THREE lights, not just two, and I would say it's worth it to buy three LOWEWR-powered monolights, rather than have two higher-powered units.

 

[Scatterbrained]

It appears that this is the strobe I'm being offered.

VC-400HH - 400ws Studio Strobe Flash Light : Studio Lighting, Photography Studio equipment and accessories

I read the description but I couldn't find anywhere that mentions hot lights or anything of that sort.

If someone who is selling you equipment is telling you that "all strobes are hot" I'd find somewhere else to buy my gear. Yes, all strobes generate heat when they fire off, and they all have modeling lights, which can generate heat (the modeling lights are constant after all), but in photography the term "hot lights" has a very specific meaning. It refers to constant lighting, not strobes/flashes.

I emailed him and asked him to explain what he means by "Strobes are hot" and I told him of what I have learned from the internet about the difference between Hot Lights and Strobes.
I also watched a few youtube videos showcasing the Visico CV-400HLR, it's strobe flashes not Hot Lights.


From what I learned from you, it would be a waste to pay for cheap Hot Lights and for the money I'm paying Strobes are a good deal even if the learning curve is steeper. No pain, no glory.
Please correct me if I'm wrong.

Essentially. The thing about the Visico lights is, they look like refinished Mettle strobes for twice the price (at least on the site you listed). The Adorama are also rebranded Mettle for half the price of the Visico and they have Adorama standing behind them.

Edit: just checked out some more on them, the digital control is definitely different. Found another video that shows the remote control for the lights. Nice and simple. All you'd need then would be a light meter.

 

[Halnex]

Thank you Derrel and ScatteredBrain, looks like I'm in for the right stuff.

Why would I need an umbrella?
Aren't the 2 softboxes enough?

And if I need to get one, would I need to get it with its own light/stand or do I simply mount it on the softboxe's one?

EDIT: how would a light-meter improve my photography? I've never used one before, don't know what advantages it offers.

 

[Derrel]

http://neilvn.com/tangents/images/lighting/softbox-vs-umbrella.jpg

Softbox vs. Umbrella: Which One Should You Use? from Adorama Learning Center

Softboxes are fine, but they are not the be-all, end-all of lighting. Sometimes, you want an umbrella, such as when you want to bump up the ambient lighting in a room; an umbrella can easily spread light out, and elevate the ambient by being used as a shoot-through, placed near a wall, and some light going forward, the remainder bouncing back off the wall, and creating a lot of ambient spill. In small rooms, an umbrella's spill light can help create both a main light source AND a high degree of fill-in lighting, by using this principle of ambient spill in shoot-through mode.

There's plenty to search on. Try Google. Softbox vs. Umbrella: Which One Should You Use? from Adorama Learning Center

Knife, spoon, fork. The softbox is the fork. Do you need ONLY a fork? Nothing else except a fork? Whadda' ya' do when they serve soup?

 

[Scatterbrained]

Thank you Derrel and ScatteredBrain, looks like I'm in for the right stuff.

Why would I need an umbrella?
Aren't the 2 softboxes enough?

And if I need to get one, would I need to get it with its own light/stand or do I simply mount it on the softboxe's one?

EDIT: how would a light-meter improve my photography? I've never used one before, don't know what advantages it offers.

You don't necessarily need an umbrella, but if you buy one it will mount right to the light, just like the softboxes do. As far as a light meter, it tells you where your exposure is. If you decide you need f/8, you can use the light meter to make sure your light is at f/8. It's a lot quicker than "shoot, chimp, adjust, shoot, chimp, adjust"

 

[Halnex]

http://neilvn.com/tangents/images/lighting/softbox-vs-umbrella.jpg

Softbox vs. Umbrella: Which One Should You Use? from Adorama Learning Center

Softboxes are fine, but they are not the be-all, end-all of lighting. Sometimes, you want an umbrella, such as when you want to bump up the ambient lighting in a room; an umbrella can easily spread light out, and elevate the ambient by being used as a shoot-through, placed near a wall, and some light going forward, the remainder bouncing back off the wall, and creating a lot of ambient spill. In small rooms, an umbrella's spill light can help create both a main light source AND a high degree of fill-in lighting, by using this principle of ambient spill in shoot-through mode.

There's plenty to search on. Try Google. Softbox vs. Umbrella: Which One Should You Use? from Adorama Learning Center

Knife, spoon, fork. The softbox is the fork. Do you need ONLY a fork? Nothing else except a fork? Whadda' ya' do when they serve soup?

Thank you!

I did a quick google search and found out that I can buy an umbrella for as little as $50. Still within my budget.
Amazon.com: Umbrellas - Lighting Controls & Modifiers: Electronics

I think I'll be getting one. 2 softboxes and an umbrella. Sounds good.

I'll pass on the light meter at the moment but I will definitely be getting a decent one in the months to come.

 

[hombredelmar]

You know there is the best of both world. At a cost. At only $3,995.00 for the set of two that's a steal.
B1 Off-Camera Flash

Are u promoting B1 unit?

The person stated that the budget is 800

 

[table1349]

You know there is the best of both world. At a cost. At only $3,995.00 for the set of two that's a steal.
B1 Off-Camera Flash

Are u promoting B1 unit?

The person stated that the budget is 800

BUY A SENSE OF HUMOR