tungsten with the 5D

The question I am posting may seem very simple but it is perplexing me at the moment. I am about to start a new job or a transfer to a new multi media division in my company as the photographer, I have the list of equipiment the illustrator and I have picked out, he however is wanting to get only one set of lights for both the video and still work that boils down to $$. The products will be military in nature everything will be black, gray, or blued. He's looking to purchase a set of tungsten lights the exact setup are at this link. My question is what are the pros and cons of tungsten verses studio flash for Digital. In my own studio where people are the subjects I have always used studio flash. http://www.lowel.com/k​its/DVcreator55.html
The images are nearly all going to be detailed close ups processing of the files will be in CS2 and the video in Final Cut Pro.
If it makes a difference the lenses we are getting are the Cannon EF 50mmf/2.5 Macro and the Cannon EF 28-105f/4 USM.
Thank you, I have to give him an answer Monday morning on what I found out.

That's not a lot of light, if you go constant, so you'll have wider apertures and higher ISO than with flash. Since it's products it probably doesn't much matter if they get hot. Do a custom white ballance and the light source isn't really important.

Welcome to POTN

Thanks Tim, I will pass on what you told me to the technical illustrator at my work. Worse case would be that there is not enough light to keep the images crisp and sharp, these images will have to be extremely detailed and hi-res, after being processed and retouched in CS2 they will be incorporated into the video for the final product on DVD.
Thanks again for the prompt reply.
steele77

The equipment in that link should put out plenty of light, though it will be uncomfortably hot after a while. The only real problem you may have would relate to white balance - getting the colors true. I would suggest that you invest in a standard 18% gray card such as the #R-27Q Kodak Gray Cards. The gray card can be used as a neutral reference for custom white balance.

That package (for about $18) has 8"x10" and 4"x5" cards. The larger ones are easier to use, in my opinion. Here's a link to the product at B&H: http://www.bhphotovide​o.com …EG&addedTroughT​ype=search

Thanks Skip, it seems that in both replys white balance is coming into play, so tell me with the instant feedback of digital, would a light meter be of any use under tungsten lights. Also will the white balance be affected any being the background will likely be a chroma-key green?

It would help to know what you are shooting. . . people or things?

I am shooting things, metallic objects, either black, blued gun metal gray, or anodized.

If you have light bouncing off the green screen back onto your subjects that might affect the white balance. To prevent that, make sure that the lighting for your subject does not significantly illuminate the green screen. Then, illuminate it separately but make sure that the light on the green screen doesn't get back to the subject. It all has to do with spacing between subject and background as well as light intensities and angles.

I would be using a handheld light meter, probably in the incident reading mode. This would solve a lot of metering problems in a studio environment.

Use a tripod and sharpness won't be an issue - stick the camera at F8 - F16, leave the shutter open as long as you need to to get a good image.

Thanks guys, I've been doing people photography for a while, this will be my first stint into product photography besides what I had in school a long time ago and then it was on a 4x5 with tungsten slide film. I will forward all of this info to the illustrator in the morning. I am glad I happened upon this site, their is a wealth of info and knowledgeable people here.

I think this is a good choice for you. With metallic items the size, intensity and placement of the highlights is crucial and with continuous lights you will be able to see it much more easily. You might think about making some diffusors using a heat-resistant material such as Rosco Labs Tuff Rolux or Tuff Silk.