Which starting Light stand setup should I get for OCF. My choices

I think I'm about ready to get into OCF. I have a Yongnuo 568EXII and an older Vivitar Pro-648 that works with Canon in TTL mode when on the camera hot shoe. I'm going to buy 2 or Three Yongnuo 622C remote ETTL triggers. I'm just not sure which lighting stand and umbrella or Softbox setup to go with. I want something good but don't want to drop $100 for just a top tier stand plus more for and umbrella/softbox and bracket on top of the stand just yet. I've seen a few options and am looking for input from all you pros on this board.

Here are a few I'm thinking about:

1) Zack Arias Onelight Kit (This comes with a 60 inch umbrella and I'm not sure iff this is too big for me. I will be primarily starting off using this OCF for photographing my children for the most part and maybe some smaller group shots here and there) http://www.amazon.com …r=1-1&keywords=zack+arias

2)PBL Lights Stands http://www.amazon.com …fRID=1K51610585​X32WQCX59A

and
PBL umbrellas to go with it. http://www.amazon.com …1-1&keywords=PBL+umbrell​a

There's also the kit the strobist recommends the Lumopro stuff.

Does anyone have any experience with any of these or does anyone recommend anything else instead. Thanks

The stands and umbrellas that I use are very similar to those PBL ones.

I think mine are the exact same "brolly box" style umbrellas. I like them a lot. They are cheaply made junk and will not last more than a couple years of heavy use, but the price is right and the light is good. At that price, if they get lost or smashed or blown into the ocean, I won't cry too much.

I like the light from those brolly box style umbrellas much better than shoot-throughs. Personal preference. Compared to a shoot-through, they have more/wider wrap light, less of a center hotspot, and less rapid falloff.

You will also need umbrella adapters to mount the umbrellas and lights to the stands. Looks like the Zack Arias kit comes with one metal Impact brand umbrella adapter. I like the metal Manfrotto ones, there are plastic ones by other brands (cowboystudio?) if the Manfrotto are out of your price range.

If you're shooting outside, or anywhere that your light stands might get bumped over, please use those sandbags. I filled mine with pea gravel, so in case they rip or spill I don't have to clean up sand.

I'm not a fan of ETTL for off-camera flash. ETTL triggers are nice if they allow you to remotely adjust the manual power settings of your flash - but if you have the time to set it up, don't let the camera/flash/trigger choose the flash power for you, or every shot will be a little different. ETTL is for run-n-gun situations, where you are not in control and you have only one chance to get the shot.


You'll likely grow into "better" stuff if you stick with it over the next couple years, but IMO that's a pretty good kit to cut your teeth on OCF.

Thanks for the recommendation. I mainly want the ETTL flash triggers because they will allow me to change my settings on the OCF speedlight when in manual mode rather than having to go over and change them on the flash itself. I noticed those umbrellas have that softbox material on them. I guess it's more of a soft box than a shoot through. I guess they are cheap enough that I can always buy a traditional shoot thru if I want. Do you think the impact are better made stands than the PBL's. I want to make sure the stand is good enough to handle a fall or something like that.

I own a couple impact stands and umbrella brackets and I can honestly say they are cheap.....I don't mean inexpensive, I mean cheep. They work ok just don't expect them to last too long.

You're not going to like my advice but it's advice from someone who bought cheap then had to re-buy due to things being cheap.

Get a good stand and umbrella bracket not cheap ones!!

Good "low cost" stand options are the Matthews maxi stand or the Avenger a625b. Both stands are much higher quality then cheap stands like the impact stands.

For a bracket just go straight to the Mannfrotto 026. High quality and will hold your flash and modifier in place securely.

I still use the Impact 2 umbrella kit quite a bit when I'm trying to go light weight. Good kit for a $100.

I got the Lumapro stuff from MPEX (their starving strobist kit, with wescott double fold brollies)

I have had them for a few years now
One brollie still works, but is a bit stiff (its bent, took the impact shen the stand blew over one day)
The other was left in the forest - 2 years ago today actually (i know exactly where it is)

The stands are showing signs of wear, but still work as intended
They have been used professionally, almost every day, out in the rain, dust and sun

cc1995 wrote in post #16894266
Thanks for the recommendation. I mainly want the ETTL flash triggers because they will allow me to change my settings on the OCF speedlight when in manual mode rather than having to go over and change them on the flash itself. I noticed those umbrellas have that softbox material on them. I guess it's more of a soft box than a shoot through. I guess they are cheap enough that I can always buy a traditional shoot thru if I want. Do you think the impact are better made stands than the PBL's. I want to make sure the stand is good enough to handle a fall or something like that.

I have no experience with the Impact stands.
The PBLs are pretty tough. Aside from some scuffs on the paint, they're still holding up fine after almost 3 years.
A big guy stepped on one of the legs at a party once, bent it to about 30 degrees. I was able to bend it back into place and it still works fine, though it's not as pretty as it used to be.

I like the latch-style locking mechanism WAY better than the knob-style locking mechanism. It needs to be periodically adjusted, but it's so much easier than the knobs - especially since I have a tendency to lock the knobs down so tight that my wife-assistant can't loosen them. Again, personal preference.

Yes, those umbrellas have a quality of light that's similar to a softbox.