Need to put together inexpensive, portable lighting kit ...

[xj0hnx]

...and want to discuss pros and cons of different set ups before ordering Sunday night/Monday morning.

So, I've been getting more gigs that I need to bring light to, so instead of continuing to borrow my dads lighting, I want to get my own.

Mostly bars, and clubs doing promos, shooting models/staff. Will also be using it in my home "studio", and trading in my home made stuff, for product, and portraits.

I'm not making a ton of cash, or even a lot ...yet, so my budget isn't huge, it's actually anemic, topping out at $250, so no pro gear for me. Constant or strobe? Umbrella's and/or soft boxs, and or beauty dish? I was thinking a couple Yongnuo YN 560III, a couple stands, one shoot through, one soft box, and a remote trigger, maybe some gels too. Is the YN 565EX eTTL worth the extra over the YN 560III? It's a pretty dang big difference, pretty much double at $75 vs $145.

But then there are strobe kits like this one ...

Amazon.com: SP160 Variable Power Professional Studio Flash Set Photography Studio Kit w/ Photo Lighting Strobes Stands & More!: Electronics

or

Amazon.com: 750W Professional Photographic Studio Strobe Flash Light Kit - Barn Door, Soft Box, Umbrellas, Stands, Lamps, Trigger & More: Camera & Photo

Which wouldn't leave me any room to get anything else, but it looks complete. Wouldn't getting the Speedlite option provide me a little more versatility? Or is a set up like this that much better? Also, wouldn't need a power supply with the Speedlite set up.

Or one that supports both? ...

Amazon.com: NEEWER® Photography Studio Kit - 2 x Strobe Lights, 2x Stands, 2x Umbrellas & Flash Trigger/Receiver: Electronics

Is a constant light set up even worth thinking about?

Amazon.com: Fotodiox Pro CFL50120 Compact Studio Continous Fluorescent Softbox Lighting Kit for Film, Video and Photography; 2 Light (8 Bulb) 20in x 48in Light Kit - Includes 2x (4 Bulb) Lights, 2x Stands, 2x 50cm x 120cm Softboxes, 8x 30w CFL Bulbs

 

[EIngerson]

I recommend getting a couple speed lights instead. Yongnuo has some good gear at a good price. Stands and diffusers are cheap also. Those lights you're looking at will lead to frustration sooner than you'd expect. Speedlights will meet your portable requirement better too.

 

[xj0hnx]

Yea, I was like 80% favoring the speedlite option posting this, now after reading and thinking more on it, I am around 92%.

And it looks like the YN 560 III x2 is the best option there, since it has a built in wireless transceiver, so one of the combos with the RF-603 transceiver, and a single unit and that's done. So now I need to decide ...

Two softboxs? Two umbrellas (one reflective, one shoot through? Two shoot through?)? or one of each? Any suggestions on inexpensive stands, and umbrellas/softboxs?

Any last minute stay of executions for strobe set ups? Continuous has been at the gallows since about five minutes after originally posted.

*Ninja edit* I was considering the YN-622N transceivers instead of the RF-603's, as they support high speed flash sync all the way to 1/8000 shutter speeds. My question, is there any real benefit to being able to sync that high? I've had only a couple occasions so far that I wish I could have synced faster than 1/200, but since I can't I've never been able to experiment with what can be done syncing that fast.

 

[tirediron]

Pro tip: if a lighting kit has 'professional' in the name, you can pretty much guarantee it isn't! I second (third?) the speedlight option.

 

[Derrel]

I liked the looks of the three-light Neewer low-end monolights. Amazon.com: 750W Professional Photographic Studio Strobe Flash Light Kit - Barn Door, Soft Box, Umbrellas, Stands, Lamps, Trigger & More: Camera & Photo

Why? The grid and gels, umbrella shaft receptacle, carry bag, and most importantly, three lights each with modeling lamps so you can literally SEE where the light, and the catchlights, are falling. When you want to shoot WYSIWYG, having three identical lights is helpful. Having three lights means you have a spare.

Adorama JUST introduced a low-powered, economy monolight, priced at $49.95. It's probably made by Mettle.

Mettle has been making lower-cost monolights for years now.

I think for beginners and intermediate shooters, having modeling lights in each flash head is worth a LOT. It also adds light for focusing.

Actually, the $155 two-light option with the two monolights and two softboxes seems okay too.

 

[xj0hnx]

I liked the looks of the three-light Neewer low-end monolights. Amazon.com: 750W Professional Photographic Studio Strobe Flash Light Kit - Barn Door, Soft Box, Umbrellas, Stands, Lamps, Trigger & More: Camera & Photo

Why? The grid and gels, umbrella shaft receptacle, carry bag, and most importantly, three lights each with modeling lamps so you can literally SEE where the light, and the catchlights, are falling. When you want to shoot WYSIWYG, having three identical lights is helpful. Having three lights means you have a spare.

Adorama JUST introduced a low-powered, economy monolight, priced at $49.95. It's probably made by Mettle.

Mettle has been making lower-cost monolights for years now.

I think for beginners and intermediate shooters, having modeling lights in each flash head is worth a LOT. It also adds light for focusing.

Actually, the $155 two-light option with the two monolights and two softboxes seems okay too.

There's two issues with those though, I have to be somewhere that has power (this really is the killer for me), and reading through the reviews, some aren't user serviceable, so if they blow, they're gone.

So far I think I have narrowed it down to ...

2x YN 560III with a RF 603 transceiver

ePhoto 6 umbrella kit Amazon.com: ePhoto 6 Umbrellas Photography Studio Off Camera Flash Lighting Kit TWO Flash Shoe Mounting Swivel Bracket Flash Light Kit With Stands HUB3: Camera & Photo it's cheap, got decent reviews, and does not have the words PRO, or Professional in the name, happy John?

There's also the added benefit of being able to get this tripod too, since I need a new one ...Amazon.com: AmazonBasics 70-inch Adjustable Pistol Grip Head Tripod: Camera & Photo

Now, I did consider going with just one speedlite, and putting the extra towards, maybe some gels, ND filters, shutter release cable, just some little extras, but I think that second speedlite will come in really handy in a lot of situations.

Maybe the Continuous 2 light, and a single YN 560 III with the transceiver ...hmmmm

 

[Mike_E]

Another Pro tip: Always remember the 'pack-in, pack-out'.

Yes you want to do good work but the longer it takes you to set up and tear down the more your $/hr goes down.



Having said that Derrel makes a really good point: modeling lights are a wonderful thing and the grids and modifiers available for monolights open up a whole new world. Heck, with 250w modeling lights you can just use them for some nice moody work.

The whole strobist thing was good for getting people into using lighting but it was used for the pack-in/pack-out of a working photojournalist. It's a trade off between doing the job really well and being able to get to the jobs at all.

So if you really do -and will do- mostly on location/bar scene shooting remember the pack-in. If not -or you are willing to deal with it- defiantly the monolights.

 

[JoeW]

LOTS of good comments so far in this thread and definitely worth pondering in detail. Here's my 2 cents:

1. Pack in-pack out: absolutely! I don't even get on airplanes with any checked luggage (let alone checked camera equipment)...my philosophy is that if I can't carry it on my back or shoulder for 2 miles than I don't need to take it. I don't even take wheeled luggage. Speed lights aren't perfect but since it sounds like you're going to be on location a lot and very mobile, then...to quote Joe McNally (who was quoting someone else)...."say hello to my lil fren." I'd go with speed lights over all other options.

2. What speed lights? You didn't say what kind of camera body you're shooting with. The YN-560EX will work with the Nikon CLS/commander mode which is a BIG plus for location shooting of portraits or troublesome lighting situations (like bars, clubs, etc.). Can't speak for Canon. If you're not using any kind of a system like that, then the YN-560EX loses some of it's value. After you get the YN-560EX, just get yourself one more speed light but make it an optical slave (so something like the YN-460 should do).

3. You're going to need some support gear. Speed lights on camera without modifiers aren't going to do a lot for. You want the light modified and ideally off camera. You can get some cheap umbrella-softbox combos that come with a stand, carrying case, and clamp that will hold a speed light. They are perfect for what you need and the level you're at. Not superb quality but for traveling they'll be light, they'll be cheap and you won't cry when they break or get stolen or lost. Maybe some inexpensive gels too. Some kind of portable backdrop (stand--which you can buy or make your own out of PVC, some clamps, and probably 2 different types of muslim...black and then a mottled gray). And the bare minimum you want is some kind of modifer for when you have the speed light on camera (say...shooting in a club or at an event with candid shots). A Fong or something similar would be good.

4. Actually, I'm a big fan of continuous lighting for someone who has little experience or training with strobes and speed lights (and it sounds like you might fall in to that category). But here's the catch: despite how it's advertised, it's not a very portable-friendly kit. Do you really want to try traveling and setting up CFLs? Imagine what happens if you break one and the mercury gets out on-location (and it's a public location like a wedding or bar or club)? Also, despite their advertising, the full-spectrum/daylight-rated CFLs just don't cut it in dark settings (like a basement studio with no other light sources or a club).

5. The cheapest all-time lighting arrangement is to go to Home Depot and buy a kit of two halogen work lamps. Comes with a stand and two lamps that put out huge light. You can get it for $30. But...don't get close to it or you'll get burned. And it will require a scrim (so that plus a stand to hold it). And of course you'd never want to use it in any kind of public setting. But for a shoot in a garage or basement or empty building (that has a working power source), it's a DIY, dirt-cheap lighting alternative.

6. And since you've got a lot of people steering you to speed lights (me included), I strongly suggest you pick up one of Joe McNally's books. He has written a couple about using speed lights in all kinds of scenarios and settings.

 

[xj0hnx]

So after staying up all night last night, and a good part of today, reading, comparing, hunting, I settled on ...

The 6 Umbrella kit (2x white shoot throughs, 2x silver/black, 2x gold/black), 2x stands, and 2x flash/umbrella holders
2x Yongnuo YN-560 III Speedlites with built in receivers
1x Yongnuo RF-603 Transceiver to control them
and bonus AmazonBasics 70" Adjustable Pistol Grip Tripod

Total was just over my $250 budget by $13, so I convinced myself it was worth it. I'm sure the flash/umbrella holders are plastic, and the stands are light, needing sandbags, or something to weigh them down, probably not the best quality materials for the umbrellas either, but for $37 for the whole kit? Couldn't go wrong. Should all be here on Wednesday, giving me a couple days to dial it all in together and annoy the crap out of my Spring Breaking son using him to try it all out

 

[Gavjenks]

There's two issues with those though, I have to be somewhere that has power (this really is the killer for me)

No you don't. You just use an AC converter battery pack.

But yeah, still for your purposes, I might go speedlight for convenience still. Just saying, though, strobes by no means require mains electricity.

 

[xj0hnx]

True, but that would have been another large chunk to add to the total, and that's something that I wouldn't try to cheap on since if it goes out, you're dead in the water. I felt I would get more versatility out of the speedlites, but Derrel had some good words, so I am definitely going to put together a studio strobe set up, but not in a rush, take my time, and build it out of quality parts instead of just what I can afford to get started and through the weekend.

 

[Mike_E]

Congrats on the new gear!

Now, graph out your setup and take notes on what you do with tracking on the resulting photos. This will save you a lot of time in several ways.

 

[JeffjjMoore]

You might consider throwing in a second trigger for backup, you can run off one speedlight if you have to, but lose that single trigger and you'll be down till you get a replacement.

 

[beachrat]

The 6 Umbrella kit (2x white shoot throughs, 2x silver/black, 2x gold/black), 2x stands, and 2x flash/umbrella holders


All that for $37.99?
That's crazy,crazy cheap.
If you can,post a bit of a review after you get the stuff. I can't imagine that it would hold up.