Lighting Kit on a budget??

[woodcycl]

I'm a very 'amateur' photographer wanna-be. I have the D80 w/ 18-200 lense and a bit of know-how. Photography is just a enthusiast hobby. However, I am being asked to take indoor and outdoor photos for a business I do IT/Computer and web design and hosting for for their webiste I'll be building.

At a minimum, what additional equipment can I feasibly obtain for a few hundred dollars to help ensure the lighting is good for, especially, the indoor shots? Lights, stands, external flash, etc.? Again, this would be on a budget ... the only "occasional" use type of equipment.

I've had the SB-600 on my wish list now for about a year, but haven't purchased it yet. That will set me back >$300 so I won't have much left to get a few lights, stands, etc.

If anyone can point me in the right direction that would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks much!

 

[SabrinaO]

Get the SB-900 or get some bees. Paul C. Buff, Inc.

Although alienbees are affordable, it will probably be cheaper to get a speedlight and just bounce the flash instead of having to get a strobe, an umbrella and lightstand.

 

[Derrel]

Calumet Genesis 200 kit is on sale for $299 right NOW....

Adorama's Flashpoint 320 MP lights are $119 each with free shipping...

 

[woodcycl]

Thanks SabrinaO for the tips. If I simply go w/ a Speedlight, I assume I would mount it to my D80 and bounce it off a diffuser or ceiling/wall ... as needed and not need a stand, umbrella, etc. Is that what you are speaking about when you say to use a speedlight and just bounce the flash?

What are the advantages of getting the 900 over the 600/700 model? Is it worth the $100?

Thanks again!

 

[woodcycl]

Calumet Genesis 200 kit is on sale for $299 right NOW....

Adorama's Flashpoint 320 MP lights are $119 each with free shipping...

Derrel -- thanks!

Is this the $119 you were speaking of at Adorama? FP320MBS Flashpoint 320M Monolight Kit, 150 Watt Second Monolight Kit with stand

What about this one? Includes umbrella, etc. and only $199 total: FPBK1 Flashpoint Budget Studio Monolight Flash Basic Kit with 2 160 Watt Second Flashes, Light Stands, 33" White Umbrellas & Softex Carrying Case.

With these being separate light kits, I don't "need" a speedlight on my camera do I?

 

[Derrel]

I don;t think the "budget" style flashes with the NON-interchangeable flashtubes are the way to go...and yes, I was suggesting the Flashpoint 320M kit you referenced above. We had a thread on this like, on Monday of this week, so you can go back thru my posts and find that other thread.

 

[KmH]

The most effective lighting is from off the camera (OCF, off camera flash).

There is a web site dedicated to OCF - Strobist

For on camera flash pointers you can visit - http://neilvn.com/tangents/flash-photography-techniques/

Many do OCF with less expensive 3rd party flash units that are triggered by a radio signal. The radio transmitter goes on the camera hot shoe and a receiver is put on the foot of each off camera flash unit.

It's takes a bit of work/time to learn how to use iTTl, but even then, iTTl can be pretty inconsistant. So it's actually easier to learn how to set the flash unit and camera manually and you can produce more consistant results because the camera, just a stupid macjine, isn't making any setting decisions.

I have 3 Vivitar 285 HV speedlights for sale here at TPF - http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/buy-sell/257294-three-vivitar-285hv-flash-units.html

I can also sell you an iShoot radio trigger set (1 transmitter, with 3 receivers) for just $40 more. Like these

 

[Village Idiot]

Just saw a video of a guy that uses two Canon 430EX speedlights to do architectual work and does a beautiful job with them.

 

[woodcycl]

Calumet Genesis 200 kit is on sale for $299 right NOW....

Adorama's Flashpoint 320 MP lights are $119 each with free shipping...

Derrel,

Never having used a slave flash of any kind, what else will I need to purchase to be able to sync these lights w/ my D80? The specs on the Flashpoint 320 mention it includes a built-in slave unit. What exactly is that or does that mean?

Thanks for your help!

 

[woodcycl]

Do I want Softboxes or Umbrellas?? Decisions decisions!

 

[Derrel]

A built-in slave is an in-built optical trigger. It is often called a "slave", or slave trigger, slave unit, or slave tripper. It often uses the symbol or icon of an eyeball on the control panel of flashes sold on the international market. It works by sensing rapidly-brightening light, such as the beginning stages of an electronic flash burst. Whenever the slave is set to "ON", and it senses a rapidly-increasing level of light intensity, it sends out the "FIRE!" signal to its own flash unit, and at the speed of light, it fires the flash unit it is connected to. So...all one needs is a flash unit synchronized to his or her own camera's shutter, and a monolight or remote flash unit that has a slave either built into it, or hooked to it with a connecting wire. If one has,let's just say two or three monolights, simply turn the slaves on each unit to "ON", and one flash hooked to the camera will fire all the monolights in perfect synchronization. NO EXTRA triggers are required.

 

[woodcycl]

Wow, okay ... so I don't need to also purchase the Flashpiont Radio Control Kit to fire these flashes? What does purchasing the additional kit w/ 2 receivers gain me over using what is built in to the Flashpoing 320's? Fewer wires or more reliability? Again, thanks for helping to educate me.

 

[KmH]

Do I want Softboxes or Umbrellas?? Decisions decisions!

Softboxes are considerably more expensive than umbrellas, but generally give better control of the light.

Size is important for both softboxes and umbrellas (light modifiers). There is a type of light modifier that is a hybrid of both an umbrella and a softbox, Photek Softlighter II, 46" Umbrella with Diffuser. Small light modifiers provide harsher light and shadows that have sharper edges making them much more noticable.

The size light modifier you would use to shoot a head and shoulder shot would be much smaller than the light modifier you would use to be a full length shot.

By the same token, the more people in a shot the bigger the light modifier has to be.

Consequently, it's very possible you wind up with a range of sizes of both, in addition to reflectors, diffuser panels, and other lighting aids.

 

[Village Idiot]

Wow, okay ... so I don't need to also purchase the Flashpiont Radio Control Kit to fire these flashes? What does purchasing the additional kit w/ 2 receivers gain me over using what is built in to the Flashpoing 320's? Fewer wires or more reliability? Again, thanks for helping to educate me.

No, you don't have to purchase the flashpoint radio triggers. You may want to purchase a set of triggers though. The built in triggers are optical and will fire when triggered from another flash like the one on your camera. The issue with this is that if you start using the strobes outside or in an area where the optical trigger's eye can't see the flash from your camera, you're going to have issues triggering them.

You don't have to use Adorama's brand. You can check out the Cactus triggers, Alien Bees, or whatever else your budget allows for.

 

[analog.universe]

I'll second KmH's recommendation to czech out Strobist