Studio Equipment for newbies

[jaypie77]

I have no experience with studio shooting, but would like to play around with it. Just to re-emphasize: I want to fool around with a studio for fun. In light of my needs, and my financial situation (poor, underemployed, post-student) I would like to get something that isn't too expensive, but I don't want to sacrifice too much quality because really cheap stuff sucks and I don't want to get frustrated because I bought junk.

So, now to the point, I was surfing B&H and noticed this hot deal on their front page:
Studio Kit (http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=NavBar&A=getItemDetail&Q=&sku=298604&is=REG&si=spec#goto_itemInfo)

I'd like to know, firstly, how crappy is something that is this cheap? Secondly, what makes it crappy compared to a more expensive setup? Thirdly, what should I honestly expect to pay for a decent, beginner, just-for-fun studio?

Thanks in advance!

[Primevci]

I dunno the lights are tungeston and stuff if u are spending aroudn 200 check this out i herd these where good....

http://www.alienbees.com/flash.html

[Moriarty]

I'd like some opinions of this kit as well, as I'm looking for the same thing: a VERY basic studio kit to play around with. Seems like a great price with enough pieces for an amateur to really play around with. As an admittedly complete novice I would say the reasons this kit is so cheap are that the lights themselves are fairly rudimentary flood lights, no condensers and basic reflectors, you will probably need to construct your own system for attaching gels or filters to these, you won't get a "huge" amount of light out of this kit, and the tungsten elements will require careful white balancing.

Again, this just me guessing after spending literally three days studying digital photography and should not be considered a replacement for real advice. To the pros, am I totally off the mark? What makes for a good novice studio kit? Is this system a complete waste of $200?

[ripster]

I think for the money, its a great beginner kit! IMO, you cant go wrong! Play with it and have fun!

[redbutt]

So, now to the point, I was surfing B&H and noticed this hot deal on their front page:
Studio Kit (http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=NavBar&A=getItemDetail&Q=&sku=298604&is=REG&si=spec#goto_itemInfo)

I have a kit just like this, only it's made by Smith Victor. It was a great beginner kit, and I still use it. Cost way my reason for getting it too, and I am still very happy I got it.

http://www.redbutt.com/bairdphoto/gallery/images/headshot/alisha_160_8x10_edited_std.jpg
http://www.redbutt.com/bairdphoto/gallery/images/headshot/img_5867_std.jpg

I just bought some AlienBees stuff this weekend, and I'll post some results when I get the stuff. But, there was another posting by a guy on here with his Alien Bees setup....

http://www.photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=51658&highlight=alien+bees

[NGrinerPhoto]

i have a novatron 240 kit i will sell - it's a two light set with a power pack -nick

[GIrven]

i have a novatron 240 kit i will sell - it's a two light set with a power pack -nick
Email me details and pictures might be interested if the price is cheap I mean right?

Also needs to work with my 300D :D

[Longwatcher]

I started with two Home depot work lights and they produced fairly good results and most importantly I learned a lot from them before getting a couple of cheap SV hot lights, which I mostly regret bothering with. The work lights turned out better results on average. The trick is you need to remove the grill and then remember not to touch the glass after that. You don't get barn doors or soft boxes, but reflectors can work just as well and they actually seem less hot, but produced more light then the hot lights I bought.
They are low cost (about $30+tax) and come with their own light stand.

The work lights also seem to work even better with a 550EX flash.

Now however, I use four Alien Bees (2x800 and 2x1600) strobes and they work fantastic.

I still use one of the work lights though, because I otherwise do not have enough light in my studio for auto-focus to work. I bounce it off the ceiling, it also adds just a touch of an orange glow.

Just my experience and opinion,

[NGrinerPhoto]

Email me details and pictures might be interested if the price is cheap I mean right?

Also needs to work with my 300D :D

They'll work with your 300D, no problem. Email me and I will send some photos. My email is NicholasGriner at aol dot com. -Nick