what is everyone using for studio lighting?

[Derrel]

Speedo rings are available....all you need are machine screws or light-duty bolts, or pop rivets, or epoxy, or soldering skills. I think mounting/adapting kits are about $20 these days.

 

[crackhouserooster]

this is an example of what i shoot in the studio. 400ws aren't going to cut it.

Are you shooting at an especially low ISO, or doing something else unique? Honestly, I feel like I could light that satisfactorily with a handful of speedlights, or at most, a few 2-3w/s lights... Certainly wouldn't occur to me to consider 2-3Kw/s

Shot as ISO125 so nothing too slow. However, large room sets when lit with large modifiers require lots of power, a speedlite wouldn't do it.

yes, agreed. i go from 50 -800 on a regular basis depending on what i am shooting and how it will be used. these sets cannot be lighted with a handful of speedlites, trust me. the key alone through the window is at least 3kws.

 

[crackhouserooster]

Speedo rings are available....all you need are machine screws or light-duty bolts, or pop rivets, or epoxy, or soldering skills. I think mounting/adapting kits are about $20 these days.

great! thanks again.

 

[tirediron]

yes, agreed. i go from 50 -800 on a regular basis depending on what i am shooting and how it will be used. these sets cannot be lighted with a handful of speedlites, trust me. the key alone through the window is at least 3kws.

Okay, I get the 'sun gun' coming in the window, but even that at 3 Kw/s seems like a LOT of light. I've illuminated an entire arena to f5.6 @ISO 640 with 3.2 Kw/s. Not meaning to be rude, but I'm genuinely interested in your process, modifiers, etc, that you need so much light. Could you elaborate more?

 

[crackhouserooster]

yes, agreed. i go from 50 -800 on a regular basis depending on what i am shooting and how it will be used. these sets cannot be lighted with a handful of speedlites, trust me. the key alone through the window is at least 3kws.

Okay, I get the 'sun gun' coming in the window, but even that at 3 Kw/s seems like a LOT of light. I've illuminated an entire arena to f5.6 @ISO 640 with 3.2 Kw/s. Not meaning to be rude, but I'm genuinely interested in your process, modifiers, etc, that you need so much light. Could you elaborate more?

Can you post your arena photo? I use Elinchrom Octabank 74's and Rotalux 59's for mains and fills, some beauty dishes for mains sometimes, 12'x12' bounce screens as needed. Some smaller diffused softboxes and boxlights. The goal is to mimic natural light in a studio setting. I can assure you it is quite common to use this much power in commercial studios.

 

[Derrel]

How much money do you want to spend?

 

[crackhouserooster]

How much money do you want to spend?

the last group of elinchroms i bought were the rx4200 digital packs. they were about $2400/each. i bought a few of the zoom heads, i think they were either 2400ws or 3000ws and, iirc, something like $1000-1200/each. i can justify prices some thing in line with that and am probably looking at 6-8 packs and 8-10 heads. thanks.

 

[Derrel]

In 2002 I bought a pair of used 2400 Speedo black lines for $1,000. I believe they are 2403 B.... I have not used them too much in the last 10 years. They have 6 Outlets and three channels per pack, and there is a 1/3 stop dial down rheostat. I have a lot of 102 heads, and they have a couple of 202VF flash heads and I have five 103 heads which are a lot like the brown line M11, meaning they are convection cooled and use the same 150w quartz modeling lamp.

Back in the days of four by five sheet film and apertures like f / 45 the 2400 watt second pack was perfect. I like the ability to power 6 flash heads off of 1 pack, and that is something to consider. There is a 2400 pack that only has four Outlets and is popular with sports shooters.

The nice thing about Speedotron Black Line is how rugged it is, and the fact that they make flash tubes that can easily handle a 2400 Watt-second pop, and which have a really bright 250-Watt enclosed quartz modeling lamp, and if you need it you can also buy bi- tube and quad tube heads. Sometimes you just need a massive amount of flash power, and they have a head that you can use with two or even four 2400 Watt packs.

 

[tirediron]

Can you post your arena photo? I use Elinchrom Octabank 74's and Rotalux 59's for mains and fills, some beauty dishes for mains sometimes, 12'x12' bounce screens as needed. Some smaller diffused softboxes and boxlights. The goal is to mimic natural light in a studio setting. I can assure you it is quite common to use this much power in commercial studios.

Here's the thread.

 

[Derrel]

There is also a Black Line 4800 power pack which these days is the 4800 CX. In the past it was a B series as I recall. These have not been too popular , but they are out there, both new and used.

Considering the new prices I think I would go with used packs and used heads, and just buy extra units. For example the 202 VF variable focusing flash head with a 2400 watt second capable flash tube used to be $250 used a decade ago but last month I saw a couple on eBay for $99 which is cheaper than the flash tube itself new.

Many times you can buy a complete flash head used for less than the price of a brand new Flash tube.

 

[crackhouserooster]

In 2002 I bought a pair of used 2400 Speedo black lines for $1,000. I believe they are 2403 B.... I have not used them too much in the last 10 years. They have 6 Outlets and three channels per pack, and there is a 1/3 stop dial down rheostat. I have a lot of 102 heads, and they have a couple of 202VF flash heads and I have five 103 heads which are a lot like the brown line M11, meaning they are convection cooled and use the same 150w quartz modeling lamp.

Back in the days of four by five sheet film and apertures like f / 45 the 2400 watt second pack was perfect. I like the ability to power 6 flash heads off of 1 pack, and that is something to consider. There is a 2400 pack that only has four Outlets and is popular with sports shooters.

The nice thing about Speedotron Black Line is how rugged it is, and the fact that they make flash tubes that can easily handle a 2400 Watt-second pop, and which have a really bright 250-Watt enclosed quartz modeling lamp, and if you need it you can also buy bi- tube and quad tube heads. Sometimes you just need a massive amount of flash power, and they have a head that you can use with two or even four 2400 Watt packs.

when i started, we shot everything on 8x10 sinars. we used mostly 6000ws elinchroms and some MR 2k's if we were shooting tungsten. i was dragged kicking and screaming into digital in '99, lol.

 

[crackhouserooster]

Can you post your arena photo? I use Elinchrom Octabank 74's and Rotalux 59's for mains and fills, some beauty dishes for mains sometimes, 12'x12' bounce screens as needed. Some smaller diffused softboxes and boxlights. The goal is to mimic natural light in a studio setting. I can assure you it is quite common to use this much power in commercial studios.

Here's the thread.

ah, the flash was just supplemental light.

 

[Derrel]

MRs have been seen recently being used as props. LOL. Seriously though at Cobalt Studios a rental Studio here in town they have a couple that people have been using as props in fashion and glamour sets.

I do not miss film very much, but I do miss seeing those big 4 x 5 inch 'chromes on a light table. The last time I shot any 4 x 5 Chrome was probably 1993.

With the upgrade in ISO quality during the digital age, my everyday flash power requirements have dropped dramatically. Still I have found that it makes life easier when you have more flash power than needed, and you can work at half power or quarter power and have nearly-instantaneous flash recycle time when using ISO 100 or 200 or even 320.

These are blessed times we live in. No more Ektachrome 64 for decent quality and quick turnaround...

 

[JBPhotog]

The Speedo 102 heads are rated for 3200 w/s so they easily handle 2400 w/s packs. FWIW, my packs are late 1980’s models and work just fine to this day after literally thousands of pops. The only repair was the replacement of one capacitor three years ago, they are built to handle daily abuse.

The only caveat is they are not super consistent, I’m talking tenths of a stop here, compared with the new digital packs. Broncolor is probably the best out there, has been for many years but it comes at a cost and I would likely bet Speedo Black Lines are more durable.

 

[crackhouserooster]

The Speedo 102 heads are rated for 3200 w/s so they easily handle 2400 w/s packs. FWIW, my packs are late 1980’s models and work just fine to this day after literally thousands of pops. The only repair was the replacement of one capacitor three years ago, they are built to handle daily abuse.

The only caveat is they are not super consistent, I’m talking tenths of a stop here, compared with the new digital packs. Broncolor is probably the best out there, has been for many years but it comes at a cost and I would likely bet Speedo Black Lines are more durable.

thanks for the reply. the elinchroms are pretty consistent. maybe better than the speedotrons but not as consistent as the broncolors or profotos i have used on locations as rentals. broncolor was definitely an option but i can't find anything bigger than 1200ws packs.