tungsten lights? recommendations?

[BJWOK]

hi folks,

just wondering what brands of lights i should be looking at for setting up a cheap home studio no using strobes?

got a nice big area and a backdrop on the way, lights are next and i would appreciate steering in the right direction!

[cameraman51]

Most people consider Arri's top of the heap. Dedolights are very compact and effective. Both are pretty expensive. Tota lights are professional, reasonably priced and plentiful on ebay.

[BJWOK]

thanks for that champ. if i am looking at tungsten lighting, what is the real difference between dedicated photography lights and say, something you pick up at a lighting store? as long as they are around the 500w mark there is not a lot of difference right?

[Dade Designs]

hot lights are a pain, there hot and very hot. I hope you have great ventilation in your studio.

I have a couple and hate them, but I understand that strobes are a bit pricey.

but well worth the investment yo, i just got one myself and what a diffrence. :cool:

[c71clark]

You should give a serious look at studio fluorescent lights instead of hot lights. They use a fifth of the power and a tenth of the heat, but put out the same light. For instance, a 150 watt CFL bulb (12 or so inches long) is equivalent to a 500 watt tungsten light. Being low wattage (the same as an incandescent bulb), they can be used in many standard light sockets (although I buy work-lights from Home Depot to put them in).

There are pre-packaged set's out there:

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/266120-REG/Kino_Flo_KIT_D4_230_Diva_Lite_400_1_Light.html
and there are also places to buy daylight balanced (5000k to 5500k Kelvin) compact fluorescent's where you make your own kit. I by at 1000bulbs.com, and have a 150w, a 105w, and a few 55w and 35w bulbs. I use them in standard silvered softboxes.

You will be shooting with open apertures and slower shutter speeds, but the light is white and creamy, heh. You put 3 150w CFL's up, and you will have a LOT of light output.

[cameraman51]

The difference between home depot lights and pro lights are the attention paid to the reflectors and how they disperse the light and the ability to accommodate accessories.