3 replies to this topic

[morticiaskeeper]

Basic studio small product shots.

I have a collection of portable flashguns, with wireless triggers, diffusers etc... But every time I feel the need to use them, there seems to be a lot of faffing about. Batteries need to be replaced, contacts need to be cleaned, then there is the recharging time between shots, and the headaches from using bright flashes for a while.

The budget will be about equal to a Yongnuo 560, so not much to play with. There are some budget lighting kits with 2 x 135w lamps, stands & brollies for the right price, plus the fittings could take ES slave flashes at a later date. Faster shutter speeds would be possible, as well a the advantages of modelling light.

OR...

A single budget studio flash head, mains powered, using my existing flashes & reflectors to balance out the other side. Sometimes I want fill in flash on aircraft, but power should still be accessible.

I can't make up my mind, any thoughts?

[Merco_61]

Continuous lighting is definitely preferable for tabletop product shots as cheap monoblocks tend to be everything but linear in response between the modelling light and the flash... I don't know how even the light is from the cheap units as I haven't tried them. I use a pair of old Klieg stage cans for continuous lighting if the 75W halogen modelling lights in my flash heads aren't enough and I don't want to use flash. They are powerful, but the room gets quite warm when they are on. I tend to use flash ever since I got my Broncolor head and generator system.

There is a third way that might work. Used pre-skyport Elinchroms are often quite affordable, as are old ProFoto heads and generators.

[Ron]

Depending on how small an object you're shooting, there are light tents that do a very nice job of providing almost shadowless illumination. B&H sells a few of them I think. There are even some kits that include a light tent, lights and stands. Otherwise...

 

If there's one thing I've learned about lighting it's that you can never have too much power. If you've got the light, be it flash or continuous, you can dial it down if necessary... or use scrims or other diffusers to obtain the exposure you want. But it's awful hard to try and do anything with insufficient light to begin with. 

 

For my work, which is almost totally on location, I came up with a mix of speedlight flash and continuous CFL which works OK but often leaves me wanting more. It's not going to happen soon.... after the first of the year maybe, but I'm looking towards buying a reasonably powerful two light kit such as the ProFoto's Peter mentioned, provided it's portable enough (not to mention cheap enough). 

 

--Ron

 

[morticiaskeeper]

The decision has been made, and it's neither of the originals!

I've just ordered a Yongnuo 565 flash. It will give me a bit more flexibility while out and about, and enough power to diffuse indoors.