Strobist Gearing Arriving!!

My Strobist kit is almost completed...

420EX, 430EX, STE-2, 2x 580EX2 (all B&H except the 420EX which was a wedding gift),
2x White/Black 42" umbrellas ($21 for the pair on ebay), - on the way
2x 10' Impact stands (B&H),
Background stand (B&H),
ChromaBlue 6x9 background (Ebay), - on the way
42" silver/white collapsible reflector (ebay).
I'm still after a normal background and probably some clamps to clamp backgrounds to the stand.

great thread for flash use. I'm going to bookmark also.

photosytes wrote in post #4279974
Okay, finally got everything together and took a quick couple of shots to show you exactly what is in my "total strobist lighting kit", as it stands right now.

Some of the things I have acquired over the past year and then, of course, I made a large purchase this month.

Here's the quick low down of the gear (basic list, check out the previous posts in this thread for more details):

• 1 - Canon 580EX
  
• 2 - Nikon SB080DXs (used)
  
• Lighting bag
  
• 3 sizes of gaffers tape
  
• delta clamps
  
• Sekonic L-308S Flash Meter
  
• 3' Back light stand
  
• 3 Umbrella mounts
  
• Universal Skyports - 1 Transceiver, 3 Receivers
  
• Mini Slave
  
• Super Clamp
  
• People Popper 6x7 backdrop, stand and bench
  
• 3 Umbrellas
  
• Ceiling Clamp
  
• Cinefoil
  
• Omni Bounce for 580
  
• Remote Shutter Release (ebay)
  
• Zipdisc Telescopic Arm
  
• 3 Stands
  
• Whibal
  
• 5-in-1 Reflector
  
• Various cords/cables
  
• Gels
  
• Stool

As far as I know, that's it. All fits into my lighting bag and actually isn't too heavy. My camera gear (camera, lenses, etc.) are stored in a Pelican 1510 and then I just have my tripod. Easily one trip to carry it all, if it isn't too far. Easier if it's a smooth surface since the Pelican has wheels and a handle. Didn't want to have a million different things to carry.

It's not a perfect setup. Will probably buy different stands sometime in the near future. Have a lot to learn in regards to new equipment, so I'll be reading through manuals and practicing lots. Haven't taken any pictures yet other than testing to make sure the Skyports fire and everything works together, which it does.

I've estimated the total for the entire 'kit' to be approximately $2200. I can't believe it ended up so much, but it really doesn't take long with that many items. Plus three flashes and the set of Skyports was probably $1200 of that.

Hope this is helpful to others deciding which way to go with lighting. I know I could have bought a decent monolight kit for the same or similar price, but I don't have a permanent studio and don't plan to. Shots will be on location, either in homes, outdoors or other indoor settings.

Excuse the pics, they were just quickies and I was playing around with the flashes in the one.

Thanks for that. And this was exactly what I was afraid of. I was hoping to go a little more budget friendly. Looks like I will be adding this stuff in stages.

HAS ANYONE THOUGHT OF...

Has anyone out there in the "Cult of the Strobist" ever thought about purchasing a set of decent studio strobes instead of investing all that hard earned money in the 550-580-420-430ex and Nikon equivalent units.

These hotshoe units are fine for using on a camera (with or without brackets) but, unless you are absolutely needing the portability of the small battery operated strobes (heck, I occasionally will link up my 550ex with my 420ex); you are spending a lot of extra money for a jury-rigged operation which is no where near the bang for a buck that some good used studio type strobes will give you.

The studio strobes have the following advantages:

1. built-in modeling lights, a great advantage which alone would make the use of studio strobes worth while.

2. powered by a/c current rather than the meager AA batteries of the hotshoe flash. This allows long term shooting without extending the recycle time or needing to change batteries.

3. can be mounted on light stands without adapters

4. include built-in optical slaves

5. usually have available light modifiers such as softboxes, umbrellas, snoots, barn doors and grids that you can use without a "Rube Goldberg" system of adapters

6. are more powerful than the hotshoe flashes

7. can be less expensive than jury rigging a set of canon or Nikon flashes to be pseudo studio strobes.

As an example of #7; I purchased a set of three German-made (used in primo shape) Multiblitz Mini 200 monolights, complete with barndoors, grid, snoot, filter holder, glass colored filters, and sync cord; all in a fitted suitcase-type carrier for $200 on eBay.

These monolights have all the #1-6 advantages of the true studio strobe. These lights are much more flexible and are better than any jury-rigged hot shoe lighting setup and are a fraction of the cost.

Other ways of getting a "professional" lighting setup at a price much lower than jury-rigging those hotshoe flashes would be to purchase a used set of powerpack-based strobes such as Novatron. These lights, although older, still have parts such as flashtubes available from the manufacturer and are "real" studio type lights.

http://cgi.ebay.com …eName=STRK:MEWA​:IT&ih=015

http://cgi.ebay.com …eName=STRK:MEWA​:IT&ih=011

RP, some of us have both. But while I can find space for a couple of clamps and PW's in my Pelican case that already has a couple of 580EXs, there is no way I can pack one of my BOWENS QUADX generators and two heads and stands in there. Also, part of this methodology is simply allowing the use of "standard" on camera flash hardware in an expanded mode. And finally, for many, it is much easier to work with these little units that can easily be held in one hand while shooting with the other, or locating them on top of racks, stands or ceilings (as shown above), and similar advantages, where ease and speed are critical.

Outstanding! Thanks for sharing this experience with us.

I started setting up something similar earlier this year. Basically I had the same motivation as you do; lack of space (until now) and wanting something that's extremely portable for on-location use.

My setup was even more low-key. Based around a 580EX, ST-E2 and an old Vivitar 5600 flash. I re-used old tripods for stands and just picked up brackets to mount a flash and umbrella. Instead of Skyports I picked up a cheap optical trigger. A Chameleon 5-in-1 reflector set provides some bounce light w/color modification and a sample set of Rosco gels allows for a little spice.

I hope to get more lighting tools soon, though at this point I might just kick it up a notch and go with real strobes, softboxes and a portable power system (e.g. Vagabond). Not sure yet...

EDIT: Found the thread where I detail my own ghetto-fab studio, FWIW.

I know it sounds like a lot of money. It is. But for the work I'm doing, strobes just won't work for me. I believe that each type of lighting has its place and one is not necessarily a substitute for the other. Some of the items I purchased will also be used for regular shooting and will be used when and if I also invest in studio strobes. I did take that all into consideration, deliberated for some time and researched much as possible before deciding on this route. Who knows, in a year or two you may see another thread called "Studio Gear Arriving"... stay tuned!!

In2Photos wrote in post #4284034
Thanks for that. And this was exactly what I was afraid of. I was hoping to go a little more budget friendly. Looks like I will be adding this stuff in stages.

There are other ways to go and different, cheaper ways to go. I personally didn't want to do that though. My M.O. is usually to try to go somewhere in the middle so that (a) I don't regret not getting better stuff in the near future and have to go out and actually spend more money in the long run or (b) have to sell one of my lungs and a better part of my kidney to pay off gear I really couldn't afford. Somewhere in the middle of those two extremes is where I preside.

You'll find lots of threads here at POTN describing cheaper strobes, wireless remotes (or you can always go wired), no light meter, backgrounds found on-location only, and tons of DIY ideas.

DwightMcCann wrote in post #4280004
Lovely, lovely! I'd love to see anything you do with the Cine-Foil.

I have lots of ideas, we'll see how they turn out. When I have something to show you, I'll start a new thread and maybe some other people will give us both some more ideas and schemes. Actually just picked up some supplies to give it a shot soon and another idea I had about lighting, probably not new.

Yes, thank you for this thread.

It's threads like these that make the Internet and forums great.

RPCrowe wrote in post #4284365
Has anyone out there in the "Cult of the Strobist" ever thought about purchasing a set of decent studio strobes instead of investing all that hard earned money in the 550-580-420-430ex and Nikon equivalent.....

What you say is entirely true. However, the whole methodology behind the smaller hot shoe flash kits is one of the most bang for the weight, not dollar.

I have an extensive studio strobe setup with 6 heads, monolights, etc. I sometimes carry one or two on smaller shoots. But there is no way I would pack my cameras, and one or two of these studio strobes, the heavier light stands to support them, A/C extension cords, the larger light modifiers, etc, and shoot without bringing an assistant with me. Just way to heavy and bulky to deal with alone.

But, I have a lightweight 5 light strobe kit built around hot shoe strobes that deliver most of what I'd get out of a studio strobe setup. It all fits in a very small compact and lightweight tubular case. I can carry this, and my camera bag without much difficulty at all. The 'cult' is about portable kits packing as much versatility as possible, while being as small and light as possible. Much like backpacking, aviation, racing, etc, lightweight cost money. Its not about hot shoe strobes per se.

The image below shows it fully packed and ready to go. If you want to see the contents (a 3 strobe kit), Click Here. It cost me more than my 3 light studio strobe kit, but I can carry this one myself without any trouble and cover about 70% of my assignments with it.

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sfaust wrote in post #4362811
What you say is entirely true. However, the whole methodology behind the smaller hot shoe flash kits is one of the most bang for the weight, not dollar.

I have an extensive studio strobe setup with 6 heads, monolights, etc. I sometimes carry one or two on smaller shoots. But there is no way I would pack my cameras, and one or two of these studio strobes, the heavier light stands to support them, A/C extension cords, the larger light modifiers, etc, and shoot without bringing an assistant with me. Just way to heavy and bulky to deal with alone.

But, I have a lightweight 5 light strobe kit built around hot shoe strobes that deliver most of what I'd get out of a studio strobe setup. It all fits in a very small compact and lightweight tubular case. I can carry this, and my camera bag without much difficulty at all. The 'cult' is about portable kits packing as much versatility as possible, while being as small and light as possible. Much like backpacking, aviation, racing, etc, lightweight cost money. Its not about hot shoe strobes per se.

The image below shows it fully packed and ready to go. If you want to see the contents (a 3 strobe kit), Click Here. It cost me more than my 3 light studio strobe kit, but I can carry this one myself without any trouble and cover about 70% of my assignments with it.

I am always delighted when we agree ... which we usually do! Those studio strobes and generators are heavy, so while I love 'em I will keep bringing the 530EX IIs.

RPCrowe wrote in post #4284365
Has anyone out there in the "Cult of the Strobist" ever thought about purchasing a set of decent studio strobes instead of investing all that hard earned money in the 550-580-420-430ex and Nikon equivalent units.

Who ever said you have to use modern strobes? For the price of one brand new 580EX, I can buy an SB-26 and a Pocket Wizard to trigger it. It also comes in about $120 cheaper than Alien Bees' cheapest entry-level strobe, with more features.

Useful, but not nearly as important with digital cameras. What I can't figure out on my own (which should be substantial) I can get by chimping, if absolutely necessary, which will also show me the effect of ambient light, something modeling lights can't do.

This is as much a disadvantage as an advantage. Most of the places I shoot getting AC power would be next to impossible, which would mean a heavy, expensive battery pack for each light. Last week I was shooting with two strobes on either side of a pool deck; guess how much fun it would have been to get AC power in that situation.

Fail to see how it's really a big deal. My umbrella adapters come with hotshoe adapters on them anyways.

A moot point; so does the SB-26

I'd hardly call it a "Rube Goldberg" system, and if you're really that averse to a little craft-time, there are people like Honl who make premade modifiers for small strobes.

That one's obviously a real advantage, but I'd say that the small strobes put out enough power for the vast majority of applications. As long as I can effectively overpower the sun, I figure I'm probably pumping out enough light.

In a studio, perhaps. In other applications, by the time you take into account things like battery packs, not by a long shot.

sfaust wrote in post #4362811
The image below shows it fully packed and ready to go. If you want to see the contents (a 3 strobe kit), Click Here. It cost me more than my 3 light studio strobe kit, but I can carry this one myself without any trouble and cover about 70% of my assignments with it.

Outstanding!

I just picked up a second 580EX myself to set up a similar kit. As much as I want real strobes, the reality is that it consumes a lot of space and like you said - isn't exactly portable... Which I value more.

One thing you can't do with strobes over flashes is the ratios and power settings remotely - and with E-TTL II.

Double Negative wrote in post #4364443
One thing you can't do with strobes over flashes is the ratios and power settings remotely - and with E-TTL II.

Depends on the strobes and how much you pay. I know a few offer wireless control, but none offer E-TTLII obviously.