How do I use these studio lights

A friend is giving me some lighting from a building he just purchased.

Third pic in next post shows the old connection.

Quick Google search...

http://www.photogenic.​com …ad.aspx?type=ma​nual&id=31

thanks. i couldn't find a manual online, i must have been searching wrong.. i'm an idiot.

My lights are connected to a studio master, what the best trigger i can put on my camera to make these lights work..

These lights might be more trouble than they're worth. If someone offered them to me, I'd probably pass.

They could be triggered by another flash if they have an optical slave feature, or you could use a pc sync cord if they have a jack. If they have the jack then you could probably use wireless triggers.

Do you plan on installing the whole rail system at your place, that could be a very frustrating undertaking.

You might be better off buying some cheap flashes, lightstands, and modifiers.

They have little to no monetary value, so I doubt you would be able to sell them.

What happens if you set up the rail system and then the lights start malfunctioning?

'How' to use the hardware is simplicity (sorta)...

• Off/four levels of output power
  
• Modelling light off/(intermediate???)/​full brightness
  
• Optically triggered (very low powered flash on camera hotshoe)
  

30 years ago, these lights were a great set up. Today, not so much, though they'll probably work as they did back then. Photogenic still makes gear that lasts. However, you'll probably be much happier with newer electronics and features. The rigs and modifiers might still be worth keeping, but the Photogenic mount is rare and not a common fit.

Having that rail system would be pretty neeto. Pull the lights and replace with new. It all depends on what you wanna shoot.

I'd use them in a heartbeat...provided that they work. Why not, it's just a light source.

I couldn't access the manual but would assume that the 'trigger' is an optical slave that could be fired via another strobe, or removed and if it's household plug underneath, a simple cord from a pocket wizard will do the trick.

That rail system looks great.

I want one of those pantographs. The shooting space, OTOH, looks to be a dingy and confined office. Hard to understand why a complete rail-based lighting system would be installed in such a place.

You'll be best off replacing the lights and using the track only. Modern that are continuously adjustable will be an asset. You must get a light meter that allows you to read the ratio of one light to another. This way you can repeat a set up every time you work. A Sekonic L-358 is a good choice though you may find the instructions a little esoteric.

poloman wrote in post #17735037
You'll be best off replacing the lights and using the track only. Modern that are continuously adjustable will be an asset. You must get a light meter that allows you to read the ratio of one light to another. This way you can repeat a set up every time you work. A Sekonic L-358 is a good choice though you may find the instructions a little esoteric.

For the OP who is probably overwhelmed already, think of this as an luxury, yet not a have-to-have...after all, continuous lighting decades ago had no power level adjustment apart from changing the distance-to-subject for one specific light source. I think continuously variable power is a luxury for a beginner, who probably has some difficulty to see smaller power adjustments than 0.5EV, and for whom even 0.1EV adjustment is overkill and gilding the lily.