Wanting to set up a small home studio and looking for recommendations on what to get.

[dbvirago]

Before I got my PW, I had an older version of this Flashpoint 4 Channel Radio Remote Control, 65ft Range A22
For $30 it worked great (I think I paid $50 5 years ago). Range isn't great, but if that's not a consideration, it's a good starting point.

 

[dbvirago]

Another thought, thinking of 'small.' The seamless paper is almost a must--have, but... if you are limited on space and like a white background, look at the lastolite backgrounds. Can be lit with one light, but cost about the same as a light, so that's a wash. But in a pinch, you can have subject about a foot from it and get decent results.

 

[Derrel]

I probably didn't read thoroughly so this is totally my stupid...

The title says "...small home studio..." Why are we looking at 5 light units? What did I miss?
It's been one of THOSE days here, so forgive me!!!

Fair enough. Why five lights? Okay, pretty easy. Flashpoint 320M's are $99.95 each. Two lights to light a GRAY background up to WHITE, evenly and perfectly. MAIN + Fill. That's four lights. Want a hair light, or a separation light? You need a fifth light. Want to do the "Dave Hill" look??? Set up two, identical lights with honeycomb grids on them, and barn doors for light AND flare/ghosting control...those are your "accent/highlight/rim/hair" lights...so that leaves three lights left over. The third light is used for the MAIN. One for background. There's one light left over. Can you effectively use another light? If so, you have one. If not, no biggie. If you WANT a fifth light, you do not have one.

You need one light as a spare. Want to bring the ENTIRE light level "Up"???? Fire that fifth light overhead in what some people call a "skylighter" or "ambient lifter"...it's basically overhead light, bounced, and raining down. You thus have only four lights remaining to work with.

Backgrounds lighted to pure white are always,always,always easiest with two identical lights, one on each side of the shooting area, and aimed at the seamless paper, wall, or canvas. Using two background lights leaves you with a set of three to work with from a five-light kit: With 2 lights on the background to make it gray-to-white, or black-lifted-to-gray, or one for a gradient and one gelled; againm, with two lights lighting the scene or background up, you still need a Main Light, and a Fill makes FOUR lights in use. The fifth light is what makes your set-ups look finished and refined; that fifth light is very,very,very easily arrived at. Use it as a separation light. Use it with the above REQUIREMENT in my set-up, which is a honeycomb grid and a barn-door, and preferably a frosted mylar diffuser as a separation light/hair light/accent light/kicker light. It's really,really,really handy to have TWO, identical parabolic reflector lights each with a honeycomb grid + barn doors + mylar diffuser and also a colored filter set for one at least.

I am suggesting a specific set-up above. This is all based on small-space, studio work, and one of the keys is to HAVE AND USE the parabolic reflector with a honeycomb grid + barn doors + mylar diffuser. Five, cheap, $99.95, identical 150 watt-second monolights. Five IDENTICAL 150 watt-second heads.

 

[ChrisedwardsHT]

What I'm doing

430 ex ii x1(was a gift to me)
And I'm buying
Yongnuo 560 ii x2
Can't remember the brand light stands (air cushioned, 8 foot) x3
Flash adapters
Triggers
Umbrellas
5 in 1 reflector with stand I think it's 32 or 36
Seamless backdrop with stand. Color gray
Then I have a black sheet I can hang on the wall if needed.

My "small studio to be"
Pretty affordable for everything I think.

 

[MLeeK]

What I'm doing

430 ex ii x1(was a gift to me)
And I'm buying
Yongnuo 560 ii x2
Can't remember the brand light stands (air cushioned, 8 foot) x3
Flash adapters
Triggers
Umbrellas
5 in 1 reflector with stand I think it's 32 or 36
Seamless backdrop with stand. Color gray
Then I have a black sheet I can hang on the wall if needed.

My "small studio to be"
Pretty affordable for everything I think.

You have a great small studio. I am a HUGE speedlite fan. HOWEVER-just remember that speedlites are a LOT less power than strobes. To get the same power output you will need multiple speedlite heads in one umbrella or softbox.
With my 3x4 softbox I am often using 4 speedlite heads to come equal to a good strobe.

 

[MLeeK]

I probably didn't read thoroughly so this is totally my stupid...

The title says "...small home studio..." Why are we looking at 5 light units? What did I miss?
It's been one of THOSE days here, so forgive me!!!

Fair enough. Why five lights? Okay, pretty easy. Flashpoint 320M's are $99.95 each. Two lights to light a GRAY background up to WHITE, evenly and perfectly. MAIN + Fill. That's four lights. Want a hair light, or a separation light? You need a fifth light. Want to do the "Dave Hill" look??? Set up two, identical lights with honeycomb grids on them, and barn doors for light AND flare/ghosting control...those are your "accent/highlight/rim/hair" lights...so that leaves three lights left over. The third light is used for the MAIN. One for background. There's one light left over. Can you effectively use another light? If so, you have one. If not, no biggie. If you WANT a fifth light, you do not have one.

You need one light as a spare. Want to bring the ENTIRE light level "Up"???? Fire that fifth light overhead in what some people call a "skylighter" or "ambient lifter"...it's basically overhead light, bounced, and raining down. You thus have only four lights remaining to work with.

Backgrounds lighted to pure white are always,always,always easiest with two identical lights, one on each side of the shooting area, and aimed at the seamless paper, wall, or canvas. Using two background lights leaves you with a set of three to work with from a five-light kit: With 2 lights on the background to make it gray-to-white, or black-lifted-to-gray, or one for a gradient and one gelled; againm, with two lights lighting the scene or background up, you still need a Main Light, and a Fill makes FOUR lights in use. The fifth light is what makes your set-ups look finished and refined; that fifth light is very,very,very easily arrived at. Use it as a separation light. Use it with the above REQUIREMENT in my set-up, which is a honeycomb grid and a barn-door, and preferably a frosted mylar diffuser as a separation light/hair light/accent light/kicker light. It's really,really,really handy to have TWO, identical parabolic reflector lights each with a honeycomb grid + barn doors + mylar diffuser and also a colored filter set for one at least.

I am suggesting a specific set-up above. This is all based on small-space, studio work, and one of the keys is to HAVE AND USE the parabolic reflector with a honeycomb grid + barn doors + mylar diffuser. Five, cheap, $99.95, identical 150 watt-second monolights. Five IDENTICAL 150 watt-second heads.

Gotcha. I forget that I use speedlites for little things like hair and fill if I need them.
Darrel-you rock.

 

[ChrisedwardsHT]

You have a great small studio. I am a HUGE speedlite fan. HOWEVER-just remember that speedlites are a LOT less power than strobes. To get the same power output you will need multiple speedlite heads in one umbrella or softbox.
With my 3x4 softbox I am often using 4 speedlite heads to come equal to a good strobe.

I have not gotten everything in yet. My fiancé is buying me part for Christmas. And I'm going to try and get some from the parents.

 

[jwbryson1]

I have what I consider to be a small home studio that consists of the following:

1. About 5 umbrellas (shoot thru, reflective black and silver) - these are dirt cheap. Umbrellas can be about $20 on up.
2. 5 speedlights (1 Nikon SB-700 ($325); 2 Yongnuo YN 560 Mark I ($59 each); 2 Yongnuo YN 560 Mark II ($79 each));
3. Backdrop stand + 1 black, 1 white and 1 gray/marble muslin fabric drops: All in maybe $300'ish.
4. Light stands for the speedlights and umbrellas -- maybe $100 total
5. 2 24x24 double baffle light boxes - Ebay $69 for the pair. CHEAP.
6. Umbrella holders, fabric clamps, etc. -- maybe another $100.
7. Phottix Strato II radio triggers (1 transmitter, 3 receivers) - About $300 total.

My point is you can put together a small studio without breaking the bank if you pick carefully and avoid name brand stuff.

 

[Derrel]

Triggers is an area where people spend a LOT of extra money. I used a photo-slave and a PC synch cord for almost 20 years. Monolights have built-in slaves that work GREAT. A good PC cord costs almost nothing. "Triggers" is an entirely new development, not needed whatsoever with monolights.
Not saying this to be smart-alecky, but it's a fact. The vast majority of all studio work can be done with a PC cord hooked to the camera, and only ONE power pack, or to ONE monolight. The PC cord system has some real advantages: no batteries, no complicated trouble-shooting or battery polarity issues, no "oh-it-went-to-sleep-gotta-wake-it-up", and so on.

here's a screen cap I did...

 

[dbvirago]

Yeah, the flashpoints definitely come with sync cords. Have used several times when battery failed in the trigger. Also, not sure if it was just someone at Adorama being nice, but each of the 3 monolights I bought came with something extra. Got a grid, a snoot, and something else. Also know that the kit that includes the stand/umbrella - the umbrellas are bounce with silver liner, or pull that off for shoot through. I'm not a big fan of the flashpoint softboxes. Difficult to assemble, and the speed rings, aren't speedy

 

[EIngerson]

Go to Paul C Buff website (Alien Bees). They have kits and a Santa's bag full of add-ons. They're reliable, have great customer service and are a solid mid-level lighting system. You will get tons of advice about more generic systems. I'll offer up that lights are an investment. Why replace/ upgrade when you can jump to the head of the line and start with something already decent?

^^^This 100%

 

[dbvirago]

When one of my flashpoints broke, I replaced it with a PCB mono. It's been great, and I would love to try one of their foldable octas.

 

[dearlybeloved]

You guys are giving me lots of great advice and I appreciate all of it. Lots of other stuff to look into and thanks derrel for explaining why 5 monolights are essential.

What i would give to sit down with a pen and paper and talk to some of you guys and ask questions.


EDIT: Also, I just looked at the AlienBees lights and that is WAAAY out of my price range.

 

[Tee]

Have you considered one light and reflector to begin with? Seriously, you can get some dramatic lighting effects.

 

[Mike_E]

Get a flash meter. (used is fine)



Really, it will save you a LOT of head scratching.