Lighting equipment question.

[SuperJ]

Hey guys, Im looking into getting some studio lighting equipment and would like some input on the lighting equipment Im looking at getting. Ive been looking around and im not sure which kit to get. Ive used the lowell lamp kit here http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/cont...=248530&is=REG
It belongs to the art dept of the school i go to and i liked the result. The only downside to this kit when i used it was the amount of heat they produce. The lowel's above are in my price range and they seem pretty nice when i used them but any reccomendations on what get would be nice. I'll be using it for mostly portraits. the pictures i attatched are ones i have taken.

thanks in advance

Jeff

[jorgemonkey]

I've got the Interfit Stellar strobes (The 300w ones) and they've been perfect for what I've needed. I use them for product photography, as well as some portraits/group shots. You can pick them up for around $220ish from B&H.

I'd get one to start out with & a reflector to help learn lighting. Then when you need a second strobe you can pick one up.

[SuperJ]

I've got the Interfit Stellar strobes (The 300w ones) and they've been perfect for what I've needed. I use them for product photography, as well as some portraits/group shots. You can pick them up for around $220ish from B&H.

I'd get one to start out with & a reflector to help learn lighting. Then when you need a second strobe you can pick one up.

Im not really interested in strobes at this point. I know more about the subject then I let on but im wondering what other people are using in the continuous lighting arena.

[MJS]

Down here in the hot and stick of Miami, we tend to stay away from most hot, or continuous lighting, melted models don't work too well. I have seen inroads with the flourescent continuous. Near daylight balance and nice soft look to them. Westcot makes a bunch callled the spyerlites that I've seen good reviews on. We're used others Kinoflows for broadcast apps and gotten a nice even and soft wash. The hassle is low relative output, they have to be ganged in a fixture. Nice looking results though.

[kkolbo]

I like the Lowel kits for fast set up and take down in the video world, but for a studio set up where you want extra smooth lights with two layers of removable silks, stands on casters, continuous lighting, fabric grid included, oh and a case, and you have a little more time for setting up a traditional rod type softbox I found that the kits from Amvona.com have been good for me.

As a high school teach for my main income, I didn't have the money to outfit totally with Lowel or the other guys for my personal rig. I need to field eight softboxes with heads at a time. I do own Lowel Pro lights, Lowel Omni lights, and Colortran Fresnels. I found the softboxes from Amvona at a price I could live with and I have been very pleased for the price. They have made a number of great improvements, particularly in the light head area lately. They also come with the fabric grid and all of that stuff (stands, casters and such too) right off the bat. Setting them up takes a little getting used to, but now my kids and I can whip them up right away. (they come with spare lamps too)

A three point kit with three stands, grids, boxes, heads, lamps and a rolling case goes for about $1400 on Amvona.com. On eBay (still new from Amvona) the kit has been going for around the mid $400's. That is a great deal. I haven't seen it on eBay in the past few days though. I have seen some two light kits with two stands, boxes, grids, spare lamps and a rolling case up on eBay lately going for under $300 with shipping. Single light kits without the rolling case seem to go in the $120 range plus shipping. The prices at Amvona.com are good if you want to order it now without competing in an auction for it. Sometimes you can even select free shipping or lower cost shipping than listed on eBay.

If I were you, I would get a two point kit from Amvona and then two Lowel Omni's with umbrellas. You would then have excellent options and a good overall expenditure. I used that exact list to light an important press conference last week and the camera crews said that they hadn't seen better. I would have liked an additional 250w openface and a cookie on the background, but they never noticed. :thumbsup:

I hope this helps.