Advice please...... studio light versus a second flashgun.

[matt wilson]

I have a dilemma,.
at the moment I have a Canon 580 ex 2 flash .I can get it off camera with extension cord and do have some idea re bounce effects .

Now do I get a second gun 420 and benefit from multi flash and wireless capabilities or do I go for a basic studio kit .

I am not particularly after equipment recommendations it's more a case of asking those with studio type lighting what are the pro's and cons .

I have read a lot but want to invest wisely.

[cosmicma]

i'd personaly go for a 2 head studio lighting kit and maybe a wireless trigger i think that would be a more verstaile than another flash gun

i started with a bit of a DIY kit using a couple of photax 3200k heads with stands and put some portaflash sieres 2 220 slave flash units in them rather than large 500 watt bulbes ( the 220's are an es fit ) and a couple of jessops umbrellas toral cost was less than a 100 quid
the results were pretty good but nothing could be varied and the flash units arn't that strong so i ended up buying a second hand set of elinchrome 500 heads
i still have the photax setup because for light tent work using bulbs rather than flash heads seems to get better results

[Rachael DCruze]

Hi Matt,

I' not a studio photographer, so can't advise myself - but I will get Digital Camera Technique Editor, Ed Godden, who has a studio to get back to you on this on Monday (he's off today and tomorrow).

Rach

[matt wilson]

Thanks for that .As a basic set I was wondering about the interfit ones £200.00 roughly as it's not something I would be doing a lot of.

[Ed Godden]

Hi Matt,

It really depends on your budget. But I have heard good things about the interfit kit. Especially if you're not planning on using them on a regular basis. I've got a 3 head Bowens kit that I bought on special offer at last years Focus in Birmingham. Got it for about £300 cheaper than retail price! So getting to Focus by Wednesday this week may pay off for you if you've got a larger budget.

All you need to get started (as the user cosmicma above said) is a 2 head kit with ideally a trigger. I use a calumet trigger and it was only £50 approx. Most two head kits come with 2 brollies or even 1 brolly and a softbox.

I generally use softboxes in my studio as I love the overall softer light. But when a harsher lighting effect is needed I plonk the brolly on... or even no accessory at all! Just direct light. Make sure you turn the power down though... don't want to blind your model.

Hope this has been of some help to you. My best advice is to really shop around before choosing your lights... as they vary so much in price. My first set of lights were from Jessops that I bought years ago and they were perfect for a starter kit.

All the best,

Ed

[oggalily]

Matt - I have the Interfit kit and it has been more than enough for my needs. If you are on a budget, and want a decent studio kit, it is definitely the way to go. Two useful accessories are
- a wireless trigger (I got a Yongnuo RF-602 off eBay for £15). Mine came with an infrared trigger but they can be unreliable.
- a reflector brolly. It comes with a shoot-through brolly but I find the reflector better for filling the room with light. Again about £5 off eBay from China.

Having said this, I often don't use this when I might as I don't have dedicated studio space and it can be a hassle to set up. If this is a concern then you may opt for the extra flashgun. You can buy accessories such as stands and softboxes to make it just like a studio kit.

[matt wilson]

That's what I like about this site .Good helpful advice.I thought I may get the (oh no interfit are cheap and cheerful)

Birthday soon so I think I will dropping some hints .

Thank you all for taking time to post.

[oggalily]

So are you leaning toward the studio kit or extra flashgun?

[matt wilson]

studio kit ..it's down to £199.00

thanks again

[Britalicus]

Originally Posted by matt wilson

I have a dilemma,.
at the moment I have a Canon 580 ex 2 flash .I can get it off camera with extension cord and do have some idea re bounce effects .

Now do I get a second gun 420 and benefit from multi flash and wireless capabilities or do I go for a basic studio kit .

I am not particularly after equipment recommendations it's more a case of asking those with studio type lighting what are the pro's and cons .

I have read a lot but want to invest wisely.

Hi Matt,

I recently upgraded to a home studio with a basic home flash kit, and am delighted with the result, and have to say have found it a lot of fun. Whilst the basic lamps/stands/brolley/softbox worked out cheaper than a good gun, you can spend a lot more on all the bits to go with it, such as backround and stands (I was lucky and picked up a shop soiled white vinyl ground for £25 as opposed to £200). Perhaps the most important accessories you will need are wireless trigger (stops you tripping over!) and a flash meter, the latter of which I would suggest is essential.

I think the big difference is in being able to create really moody effects with strong shadows, which I think would be more difficult with small guns - but it's really down to you as to what you want to get out of it.

Hope this helps!