Studio ligthing for newB

[canon shooter]

I am getting back into some studio lighting setting (1st time with digital). Anyway I have a White Lighting that I have had for years, and my Canon 580EX.

Assume I will start by using these two. I think if I set 580EX on slave it will triger from the studio flash???

I went to a seminar recently and they used some continous lighting, that looks very expensive. Dont know what they were called but very big and in softbox like enclosures.

Any idea what I should be search for here on B&H? Guess I will have to start with what I have.

How much of an investment is this type of lighting?

Is if preferred over studio flash???

I like the idea of being able to see results real time.

[themirage]

Alienbees are a common studio flash because they are affordable and reliable. You can get a sense of real time lighting with studio flashes as well if they use a modeling lamp that adjusts to the flashes power, alienbees do.

Downside to continous lighting is they tend to get hot, hence "Hot lights"

[Longwatcher]

I am getting back into some studio lighting setting (1st time with digital). Anyway I have a White Lighting that I have had for years, and my Canon 580EX.

Assume I will start by using these two. I think if I set 580EX on slave it will triger from the studio flash???


Your 580EX uses a IR signal from another Canon device so unless you get a hotshoe style trigger mechanism the WL will not set it off in slave mode. The 580EX can trigger the WL if it has slave mode but you need to have the 580EX in manual mode or it will trigger the studio light with the pre-flash.

And since you have WL, you may consider using Alien Bees, they are the cheaper sibling to the White Lightnings and still very good. You can only get them factory direct.

The problem with a large continuos lighting system is the heat generated, so unless you have a large studio available with good AC, it will get hot very fast. Not as big a problem during winter months of course.

[canon shooter]

Your 580EX uses a IR signal from another Canon device so unless you get a hotshoe style trigger mechanism the WL will not set it off in slave mode. The 580EX can trigger the WL if it has slave mode but you need to have the 580EX in manual mode or it will trigger the studio light with the pre-flash.

And since you have WL, you may consider using Alien Bees, they are the cheaper sibling to the White Lightnings and still very good. You can only get them factory direct.

The problem with a large continuos lighting system is the heat generated, so unless you have a large studio available with good AC, it will get hot very fast. Not as big a problem during winter months of course.Can I use a slave with the 580 and have the WL trigger the 580

[FlashZebra]

Almost all optical slaves do not function properly with recent Canon Speedlights.

There are several recent threads concerning this. You may want to check those out.

An easier approach would be an inexpensive hotshoe adapter to put the Canon 580EX on that has a sync port, then run a sync cord to the Canon 580EX and let it trip the built in WL optical slave.

Remember the 580 EX must be set to manual mode to negate any preflash that will prematurely trip the WL flash.

Enjoy! Lon