portable portrait lighting system?????

[mikeymike]

Ok here it goes……………….I’m looking too get a good and kind of cheap, portable portrait lighting system. I am think of this set up so if anyone has used one or something like it I would really like your input.



http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=productlist&A=details&Q=&sku=200412&is=REG (http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=productlist&A=details&Q=&sku=200412&is=REG)



1 ex580 flash and 2 ex420’s

OR

2 ex580’s with a ST-E2 Transmitter



Thank you for your help

[DaveG]

Ok here it goes……………….I’m looking too get a good and kind of cheap, portable portrait lighting system. I am think of this set up so if anyone has used one or something like it I would really like your input.



http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=productlist&A=details&Q=&sku=200412&is=REG (http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=productlist&A=details&Q=&sku=200412&is=REG)



1 ex580 flash and 2 ex420’s

OR

2 ex580’s with a ST-E2 Transmitter



Thank you for your help

If you get the 580 and two 420's your have pretty much what I have (I actualy have one 550) and that works great.

[SkipD]

I'll guarantee that combination isn't cheap. However, you'll also need lighting stands, umbrellas, and brackets like the Bogen 2905 Swivel Umbrella Adapter and a maybe few other little parts.

If you want to get at all serious about "studio" work, you will spend VERY little more to get a set of Alien Bees flash units. Their capacity (light output) is many times that of the hotshoe types.

[mikeymike]

Are the Alien Bees easily portable?
All the ones that i seen do not look easy too carry.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=productlist&A=details&Q=&sku=200412&is=REG

I was thinking this would cover the lighting stands, umbrellas, and brackets.

I well check out the alien bees ;)

thanks for the help

[robertwgross]

Alien Bees are transportable. That means that it is possible to carry them.

I use something that is small enough and light enough that I can carry the whole rig a long distance. My 550EX fits mostly into a large shirt pocket. The 420EX is slightly smaller. They will fit to the top of an ordinary tripod, and no cables are necessary. I call that portable.

---Bob Gross---

[mikeymike]

ok robertwgrosswhat is you setup?? and does what i posted look good and also light???

[jimcook]

Two 550's and a 420 is what this dude uses. Check out his setup:

http://www.pbase.com/slowpokebill/image/31989280

and the resulting photo:

http://www.pbase.com/image/31989613

pretty awesome.

[mikeymike]

thank you jimcook ;)

that is what i was looking for

[robertwgross]

ok robertwgrosswhat is you setup?? and does what i posted look good and also light???

Please clarify.

One way or the other, you've got some overkill going on there. By my way of thinking, for a portable lighting rig, you need one main light, one fill light, and then whatever it takes to connect that to the camera. I accomplish that with one 550EX, one 420EX, and one STE2. I could try to skip the STE2 and use the 550EX on the hotshoe, but I don't want to have either of my lights directly at the camera. I prefer to have the main light one way and the fill light the other way. I could do a rigging with some sync cables, but that begins to defeat the whole wireless flash idea. I think sync cables are fine in a studio, where you can have all of the cables nailed down, but for portability, the Canon wireless method is my preference.

---Bob Gross---

[scottbergerphoto]

I use three 550EX's, a lightstand and umbrella,and a background lightstand in wireless ETTL with ratios. There are some examples of the results here:
http://www.pbase.com/scottbergerphoto/ayana_bailey
It makes for a very transportable system. I carry twelve NiMh batteries in the flashes and 12 in a Tamrac case.

[mbze430]

My set up is 4x 580ex + CP-E3 battery packs with umbrellas for my portable system with a ST-E2.

My studio setup however is 2x B1600 and 2xB800 and 2xB400 Alien bees. I use the ST-E2 to trigger them.

I pretty much mix and match my softboxes for the portable. But mainly I use small and medium. Large just doesn't work.

[mikeymike]

thanks alot for your help.:D

i went too a air show today with my 75-300 mm IS....:(

the photos sucked but i also took my 28-135 IS and them where great........

cant wait for a 100-400L:D