light novice

https://www.google.nl/#q=Falcon+Eyes+LHDK-2B455

How about this as a starting set for a light novice with portrait interests ?

thanks

I'd stay away from anything that doesn't have sleeves for the poles. Also, check out rectangular soft boxes as well. If you're shooting color, be wary of cfl's and the color casts they give off.

wildbill said:

I'd stay away from anything that doesn't have sleeves for the poles.

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Could you explain? Do you see such as negligence of the manufacturer/supplier from that one can conclude on other deficencies?


(e.g. Manfrotto sell their light-stands without sleeves, do not even offer appropriate sleeves.)

You don't need that stuff, you just need a window and some white card or sheet.

cliveh said:

You don't need that stuff, you just need a window and some white card or sheet.

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I know and agree! but I like to shoot between December and March too and with my sl66se.

AgX said:

Could you explain? Do you see such as negligence of the manufacturer/supplier from that one can conclude on other deficencies?


(e.g. Manfrotto sell their light-stands without sleeves, do not even offer appropriate sleeves.)

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I took wildbill to be referring to sleeves for the stiffening posts/poles for the reflector.

Not the light stands.

EDIT: I can see why sleeves would both help protect the reflector from rips, and help keep the light really even.

In my case, I'm really old!

I use white and silver reflecting umbrellas. The white umbrellas are sometimes used as a reflector, and are sometimes shot through. My lights are really old Bowens monolights with modeling lights, or portable flash units.

cliveh said:

You don't need that stuff, you just need a window and some white card or sheet.

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Especially when photographing children in the winter when the sun almost never comes out here in the midwest. 4 second exposure at 2.8. Hold still for me!






Agx- I was speaking of the rods in the video that support the softbox. Sleeves are a much better way to go. Also avoid fiberglass poles.

(I did not see a video up to then... a matter of Google changing results in sequence I guess.)

So this is not about transporting the poles in sleeves, but about guiding them in sleeves at the umbrella.

WTf are you talking about ?: I want to shoot a bit 'sharper' then this
(there was a url link here which no longer exists)

transporting and lovingly greetings

cliveh said:

You don't need that stuff, you just need a window and some white card or sheet.

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Please dude - just because it works for you… I've got about 9 softboxes, 10 flash heads, and 4 packs and a sh*t-ton of grip gear - and I'm very glad to have them all. Not everything I shoot needs to look like the same old window light. When I want the window light look, I'd rather light it myself in most cases.

If someone wants the control of softboxes and so on, give them some useful advice or save it for the folks who want to shoot in front of windows? Thank you!

As far as the CFL thing… ehhh. Been there. Just not a lot of lumens and for color you'll be extremely lucky if the light is pleasing. They claim 1000w equivalent from four 55 watt flo's. In reality that's likely more in the 600-800 range, and then you'll lose a stop or from the fabric. You may find yourself stuck with 400 speed film or higher. And what about when you want harder light or a smaller soft area?

There just aren't a ton of solutions if you want good output and a traditional softbox (and yes, I know everyone will differe on what "good output" is) - strobes will generally be your most bang for the buck without a lot of monkeying around. If you're not doing motion/video, I'd really consider finding some used monolights with bowens mount - they're all over the place; any softboxes you buy will be useable on a different mount if you upgrade someday.

If you're set on constant light, I'd look into some open-faced tungsten and some diffusion for starters - and grab a used fresnel for harder but pretty light. I KNOW EVERYONE DIFFERS ON THIS and you may have some vision for a specific style. But strobes and stills are a very good match...

I've fixed a couple of reflectors that had torn pockets from the stiffeners. They certainly weren't new when I had them so no big deal.
I'm not sure what the sleeves are or do. I guess I'm really old too.

Strobes are probably a better choice they will also be more expensive than the cfl solution. But it is a question of money a good strobe even a used one will be more expensive than the cfl solution. I wouldn't buy they one you have linked to as even for a cfl solution it is rather dim there are more powerful CFL sets on the market that cost about the same. With some luck you might be able to find a used Hedler (tungsten) portrait set it uses Halogen light and has a lot more power than the cfl drawback it's also a lot hotter. Used portrait sets (strobe) from Elinchrome, Bowens or Multiblitz can also be found for around 400 euros

MDR said:

Strobes are probably a better choice they will also be more expensive than the cfl solution. But it is a question of money a good strobe even a used one will be more expensive than the cfl solution. I wouldn't buy they one you have linked to as even for a cfl solution it is rather dim there are more powerful CFL sets on the market that cost about the same. With some luck you might be able to find a used Hedler (tungsten) portrait set it uses Halogen light and has a lot more power than the cfl drawback it's also a lot hotter. Used portrait sets (strobe) from Elinchrome, Bowens or Multiblitz can also be found for around 400 euros

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If I were starting out (or one of my kids wanted to get into it) I'd find a couple new or used Bowens mount monolights. There are piles of them out there, and some are very affordable. You might spend the same as a dual softbox with a pile of CLFs setup, but the value and utility is much better.

I almost bought a pair of Calument Travelites just to have some super-portable stuff to use along with my Speedotron stuff, I think they were about $150 for the pair (I have some HMI lights that use Bowens so I have a fair amount of speed rings, etc).

I almost never use softboxes for people (other than video interviews); if I'm trying to do something at all artistic or expressive, always seems I'm hanging fabric and using strips of ripstop and black. I'd suggest someone start with the light sources and then work towards figuring out what accessories and grip work for your style.

These types of light have a very quick fall-off, and really are not worth getting. You'd be much better with purchasing
a few on-camera flashes that can sinc wirelessly (Canon Nikon etc) and then getting some simple light modifiers. Other
than Profoto flash equipment, I use Kino-Flo's on occasion, and even they fall-off dramatically as distance from light to
subject increases. Although I am not a fan of Softboxes as a key-light source, they are an easy way to achieve decent
lighting for beginners. If you have a budget, pick up an Elinchrome 250w head and a small octabank.

Check this out...

https://jet.com/product/detail/bcef...2EQhnN4SUqciEFOFZPzJNCnCdhbdx_LWgRoC1FTw_wcB#

Looking at the Google link you provided, those are all daylight lamps. These are primarily meant for film (moving images) shooting. For photo's I would rather recommend studio flash units. Falcon Eyes sells these too, like:
http://www.studioverlichtingshop.nl...96184-302054&gclid=COOBhKjL0soCFRBmGwodR0oPNA

or

http://www.cameranu.nl/nl/p8284/falcon-eyes-studio-flitsset-ssk-2200d-290018

Studio flash units, combined with soft boxes, umbrellas etc. give much more light and thus shorter exposure times than daylight lamps. Certainly with an SL66 you will need that in order to use smaller apertures.
I bought a set of studio flash units from a no-brand Chinese make, the simplest and cheapest I could find, and these work perfectly well, as long as it's just for portraits or other small setting. If you want to shoot a truck or airplane you'll need something a bit bigger. Make sure you also buy e reflection screen and a simple background system.
Send me a PM if you want to discuss (in Dutch) in more detail.
Attached a photo I made with my set: