best bang for the buck?

Studio lighting.

I use some continuous lights I made.
They are working fine but I want a more professional look.

Would like to spend 500 or so. USD

Would like a 3 light set up. Two umbrella and one soft box/effect light.

I don't own any but have read on several forums Alien Bees fit into that category. If I were getting strobes I'd look at them first and then research, etc.

http://www.paulcbuff.c​om/alienbees.php

Nick Aufiero wrote in post #16277901
Studio lighting.

I use some continuous lights I made.
They are working fine but I want a more professional look.

Would like to spend 500 or so. USD

Would like a 3 light set up. Two umbrella and one soft box/effect light.

While a 3 light setup can be very useful, there is no reason to be married to the idea of a 3 light setup - as MANY on this forum are. I start to chuckle when people start talking about main, fill, back fill, rim, hair, AND some other light.

Beautiful light is very easy to obtain with out all the fuss of a multiple light setup.


I would recommend a quality strobe, as either a monolight or a pack+head, and a quality modifier, take your pick of favorite modifiers from a good brand(chimera, kacey, elinchrom), I would suggest the largest softbox you can manage.

I am fairly biased to a particular strobe manufacturer, but its hard to argue with LOTS of power and a low price : http://www.keh.com …1/sku-SL549990979510?r=FE I still cant believe no one has bought that Force10 yet. Its almost double the power of an alienbees1600 and....$100 more than one would be used.

Hmm. No specs with that link so I went to their site. The least expensive Force 10 is $995. The Force 5 is $865.

digital paradise wrote in post #16278791
Hmm. No specs with that link so I went to their site. The least expensive Force 10 is $995. The Force 5 is $865.

.... Its a link to KEH... they have a used one for....379.

Oh sorry. I missed the "used" part.

digital paradise wrote in post #16278824
Oh sorry. I missed the "used" part.

we are all human

pyrojim wrote in post #16278729
While a 3 light setup can be very useful, there is no reason to be married to the idea of a 3 light setup - as MANY on this forum are. I start to chuckle when people start talking about main, fill, back fill, rim, hair, AND some other light.

Beautiful light is very easy to obtain with out all the fuss of a multiple light setup.


I would recommend a quality strobe, as either a monolight or a pack+head, and a quality modifier, take your pick of favorite modifiers from a good brand(chimera, kacey, elinchrom), I would suggest the largest softbox you can manage.

I am fairly biased to a particular strobe manufacturer, but its hard to argue with LOTS of power and a low price : http://www.keh.com …1/sku-SL549990979510?r=FE I still cant believe no one has bought that Force10 yet. Its almost double the power of an alienbees1600 and....$100 more than one would be used.

I am not married to the 3 light idea but I at least want 2

I have a 430II speedlite already but I want to solid strobes that I can bring around easily for outdoor shoots and indoor


I honestly don't want to go to strobe.
I may stick with continuous which works very well for me, ill just crank the ac down in my place