Is this good enough for a beginner to practice with?

[Tracybug]

Hi All!!!

I have just started my journey in photography and really would like to start trying to play with lighting. For the most part I'm photographing my daughter in my home. I was thinking buying some umbrellas might be a neat way to work on practicing on my lighting. I stumbled across this on Amazon......The price certainly seems good to me....Or is it inexpensive because it is junk??? Is it good enough to practice with or am I just throwing away my money??

Here is the link

Amazon.com: LimoStudio 4 Continuous Background Lights Photography Video Studio Digital Umbrellas Lighting Light Kit, AGG329: Camera & Photo Thanks,
Tracy

 

[Kerbouchard]

It's junk. Stay away from continuous lighting, especically for moving subjects.

 

[analog.universe]

This is absurdly cheap, so I do question the quality a bit.

Of more importance though, is that you're getting 4 continuous lights. Continuous have the advantage of showing you what your light looks like before you snap the shutter, they also allow you to do video. But if you're intending on just taking high quality stills, you'll have a lot more options with strobes. Flash is much brighter than continuous, allowing you more flexibility with exposure settings in camera. You'll be able to freeze motion regardless of shutter speed. Flash also consumes less power... I just use speedlights with rechargeable AA batteries, so I can use them anywhere for hours without having to plug in. As a result they produce much less heat than continuous lighting. Also, 4 lights is a lot to think about for a beginner.. In certain settings it will be useful, but I feel like you can get done what you want with 2 most of the time, maybe a third for the background. Even a basic 2 flash system with umbrellas will unfortunately cost more than the setup you linked to (which is really really cheap (questionably cheap) for all the stuff it comes with).

Check out Strobist, and the lighting 101 section. He goes over off camera flash on the cheap and has a lot of good information. The only thing I disagree with is his aversion to cheap radio triggers, I've had great experience with them, and they're 1/5 the cost of the product he recommends. The rest of his advice is spot on however...

 

[MLeeK]

You can create the exact same lighting using a daylight balanced bulb in any light socket combined with a shoot thru umbrella-or DIY rigged diffuser panel. It's not enough light to give you the amount of extra light you'll need indoors. You'd need about 10 of those to equal one very basic, low end speedlight.

 

[cgipson1]

Continuous lighting is the easiest to use as far as seeing what you are going to get. It is the worst for being able to get enough light on the subject to make it worthwhile.

For the money, it might be fun for you to work with, and let you learn some things about lighting. But it could also be extremely frustrating... since you will only have very limited options for aperture and shutter speed due to the lack of light. Have to start somewhere though.

This would be a better setup if you really want continuous light.. Amazon.com: Interfit INT117 Super Coolite 5 Kit with 2 Heads and Stands (Black): Electronics . I bought this setup for the company where I work, when I got stuck with having to do some video for them. It puts out much better light. You would still be better off with flash, though.. and can get a decent setup for about the same amount of money

Two Flashpoint 320s FP320M Flashpoint II 320M, 150 Watt Second AC / DC Monolight Strobe. $200
Two lightstands L3004A Flashpoint Pro 9.5' Air Cushioned Black Lightstand, 5/8" Top Stud with 1/4-20" Screw Thread. $80
Two better umbrellas U42W Flashpoint Superior Quality 42" White Interior Umbrella $30

or this if you need a lower budget... FPBK1 Flashpoint Budget Studio Monolight Flash Basic Kit with 2 160 Watt Second Flashes, Light Stands, 33" White Umbrellas & Softex Carrying Case.

 

[Tracybug]

So is something more like this more suitable for practicing indoor portraits?

Amazon.com: DMKFoto Softbox for Speedlight and Flash with Stand: Electronics'm sorry if I'm asking dumb questions....I'm just trying to find inexpensive ways to add more to my practicing!

 

[Kerbouchard]

So is something more like this more suitable for practicing indoor portraits?

Amazon.com: DMKFoto Softbox for Speedlight and Flash with Stand: Electronics'm sorry if I'm asking dumb questions....I'm just trying to find inexpensive ways to add more to my practicing!

What camera are you using and what is your budget? Perhaps, giving us that info might help us to make a recommendation. Without knowing those two things, all we can tell you is what we would do...which doesn't really help you.

 

[MLeeK]

They're not dumb questions. You have to learn somehow!
That is not a LIGHT, it's a softbox set up for a speedlight. Speedlight not included. You also need to purchase the speedlight to go in it. It's decent and would work pretty ok. I'd want 2 of them with 2 speedlights. Personally I like a much larger softbox.
The larger the softbox is the softer and larger it makes your light source. The smaller the modifier is the smaller your source is, the harsher lighting is. This will give you a fairly good portrait of a small child and will work well for headhsots of an adult.

 

[Tracybug]

Continuous lighting is the easiest to use as far as seeing what you are going to get. It is the worst for being able to get enough light on the subject to make it worthwhile.

For the money, it might be fun for you to work with, and let you learn some things about lighting. But it could also be extremely frustrating... since you will only have very limited options for aperture and shutter speed due to the lack of light. Have to start somewhere though.

This would be a better setup if you really want continuous light.. Amazon.com: Interfit INT117 Super Coolite 5 Kit with 2 Heads and Stands (Black): Electronics . I bought this setup for the company where I work, when I got stuck with having to do some video for them. It puts out much better light. You would still be better off with flash, though.. and can get a decent setup for about the same amount of money

Two Flashpoint 320s FP320M Flashpoint II 320M, 150 Watt Second AC / DC Monolight Strobe. $200
Two lightstands L3004A Flashpoint Pro 9.5' Air Cushioned Black Lightstand, 5/8" Top Stud with 1/4-20" Screw Thread. $80
Two better umbrellas U42W Flashpoint Superior Quality 42" White Interior Umbrella $30

or this if you need a lower budget... FPBK1 Flashpoint Budget Studio Monolight Flash Basic Kit with 2 160 Watt Second Flashes, Light Stands, 33" White Umbrellas & Softex Carrying Case.

I LOVE the kit....It is a price point that I can't buy just yet (single mom w/3 kids plus Christmas = not much extra cash flow) but it is something that I can save up for over the next few weeks!! It looks like a great starting point without an extreme amount of investment! I've really enjoyed my short time here on this forum. I have learned so much in such a short time thanks to so many of the thoughtful people here! Thank you!!!

 

[Tracybug]

I have a Nikon D3100....I would like to keep my budget at around $200 to start. I really liked the kit that Charlie suggested, but I'm very open to other ideas!!!

 

[Kerbouchard]

I have a Nikon D3100....I would like to keep my budget at around $200 to start. I really liked the kit that Charlie suggested, but I'm very open to other ideas!!!

Well, the D3100 limits you a bit since you don't have an onboard flash commander. I guess, if I were you, I would pick up a softlighter II, a stand, a cheap trigger, a reflector, and an SB600. The SB600 is around $200 so my recommendation kind of blows your budget, but IMO, it's worth saving for. Just having the speedlight will open up a lot of options for you. You can add the stand, trigger, and modifier later.

Just my .02

 

[Tracybug]

I have a Nikon D3100....I would like to keep my budget at around $200 to start. I really liked the kit that Charlie suggested, but I'm very open to other ideas!!!

Well, the D3100 limits you a bit since you don't have an onboard flash commander. I guess, if I were you, I would pick up a softlighter II, a stand, a cheap trigger, a reflector, and an SB600. The SB600 is around $200 so my recommendation kind of blows your budget, but IMO, it's worth saving for. Just having the speedlight will open up a lot of options for you. You can add the stand, trigger, and modifier later.

Just my .02

I have a SB400 Flash......I probably should have saved up to get the SB600....but I guess it's a learning process!!!!

 

[Kerbouchard]

I have a Nikon D3100....I would like to keep my budget at around $200 to start. I really liked the kit that Charlie suggested, but I'm very open to other ideas!!!

Well, the D3100 limits you a bit since you don't have an onboard flash commander. I guess, if I were you, I would pick up a softlighter II, a stand, a cheap trigger, a reflector, and an SB600. The SB600 is around $200 so my recommendation kind of blows your budget, but IMO, it's worth saving for. Just having the speedlight will open up a lot of options for you. You can add the stand, trigger, and modifier later.

Just my .02

I have a SB400 Flash......I probably should have saved up to get the SB600....but I guess it's a learning process!!!!

Well, since you have the SB400, why not get a cheap trigger, a stand, a reflector, and a softlighter II. It would give you off camera flash for under a hundred bucks.

FWIW, the SB400 isn't a flash I would normally recommend since it can't swivel so it limits your ability to direct your light, but since you are on a budget, and you already have it, you might as well take advantage of it.

 

[cgipson1]

Kerb is right (just don't tell anyone I said that!) It is usually easier to start with a single light source.. and work your way up from there! The Softliters are excellent modifiers... and work well with speedlights. You will be a little limited by the SB-400 on light output.. but you can get the softliter close to make up for it.

Could even do something like this:

one Flashpoint 320 FP320M Flashpoint II 320M, 150 Watt Second AC / DC Monolight Strobe. $100
one lightstand L3004A Flashpoint Pro 9.5' Air Cushioned Black Lightstand, 5/8" Top Stud with 1/4-20" Screw Thread. $40
One softliter SL5000 Photek Softlighter II, 46" Umbrella with Diffuser. $60

Be a great starting kit.. and you can fire the whole thing via cable, slave, or via wireless trigger.

add a reflector (or make one) for fill.. and you are set!

 

[Kerbouchard]

Kerb is right (just don't tell anyone I said that!)

I'm hurt...deeply hurt. I might even cry.

What I think you meant to say was, "As usual, Kerbouchard is right".