Portable lighting setup for $800?

My current setup includes just a 430ex II and STE-2. I have about $800 hundred to spend on additional lighting and would love to hear some suggestions. Plan on using mostly for taking pictures of wife and kids so looking at possibly something that will be easy to setup and carry around if possible.

b400/b800 a vagabond softbox/octas and a lightstand would do you nicely

I'm in the same position as Eel Noob, 430ex II and the STE-2 but looking into buying some strobes.
Are the alien bees the way to go?

I love my AB800, put in a octabox and your good to go. Just remember to include the remote triggers (i use pocket wizards) in your budget

jpdunn wrote in post #14718315
I'm in the same position as Eel Noob, 430ex II and the STE-2 but looking into buying some strobes.
Are the alien bees the way to go?

i went for the einstein myself - but if weight really is your worry - i'd get the b400/800

Eel Noob wrote in post #14717613
My current setup includes just a 430ex II and STE-2. I have about $800 hundred to spend on additional lighting and would love to hear some suggestions. Plan on using mostly for taking pictures of wife and kids so looking at possibly something that will be easy to setup and carry around if possible.

What probably matters more is where you want to do the photography. ease of setup and mobility mean different things.

I have Einsteins, lots of modifiers, light stands, etc. and they are reasonably mobile. i.e. I take them on location for portraits and product shoots.

I also have speedlites, modifiers and light stands that are the key kit for fast setup and shooting when I want to augment ambient light. i.e. weddings, casual portraits and some table top product shooting.

This gallery is a perfect example; http://www.dmwfotos.co​m/galleries/flowersonw​hite/ The first part of the gallery was shot with Einsteins, large modifiers etc. The last part of the gallery was shot with speedlites and smaller modifiers. Its impossible to tell which is which.

Similarly, pictures of your family will be hard to differentiate depending on the circumstances.

This page on my tutorial site http://www.digifotogra​fi.com/main/Lighting_E​xercise.html describes how I use umbrellas, reflectors and speedlites to emulate a large north facing window. The lights can be manual speedlites (I have YN560s) and triggers (RF-603s) that cost very little.


The size and type of light and modifier has to do more with situation than subject.

If you shoot indoors, then the AB 400's are a good value and work well. If you don't always shoot indoors, then you will probably get more use out of two additional speedlights, light stands and triggers.
If you shoot outdoors with monolights you have to figure a power source in your figures, so I think the speedlights are more versatile for your budget plus the fact that they are obviously easier to carry.