Strobist Gearing Arriving!!

sfaust, I was wondering about the softboxes you use. I was going to get one when I was putting this "kit" together but wasn't sure if it would be useful. Are you using the Photoflex ones? I was also thinking it might be good to have one on a boom for a hair light. Any thoughts on that? Do you use them frequently enough that you would recommend them? If you were to get one at a time, would you go for the small first, then the extra small? They look really compact, which I imagined they would considering they are collasiple. How is the build?

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

I've had a little time to fool around a bit. I decided that I did not want to put any velcro directly on any of my flashes so I made a slipon "bracket" (not sure what you would call it) that I the slip my cinefoil snoot on. The snoot can easily be shaped into a rectangle, oval or circular shape. I also made one to hold my gels, again, not wanting to put velcro on the flashes, but gaffers tape would work too. On one of the "brackets" I put velcro and made some gobos that can be used all together to create a barndoor effect. Only have the initial two gobos made.

Cinefoil is definitely easy to work with. The one I got is a little thinner than I would have liked but still good.

Knowing me, after I use them a bit, I'll figure out a better way to do it and then remake them again. I have a tendency to want things to look as "pro" as possible (even for a DIY device) and to be efficient in how it works, how well it is stored, etc...

That Tenba case looks good. I'm quite disappointed in the one I selected. The size is okay but I have had to "fix it" to make it work. The sides a flimsy so when I open the top flap it slumps. The velcro on the inside dividers didn't stick well, so I had to add better velcro strips so that they would actually stay where I put them. I also put in some foam core on both ends to try to keep the bag's shape. It wasn't expensive but it certainly wasn't the cheapest out there either. I do have to admit that it does hold everything and even gives me a little room to add a few more things. I'm always worried about buying a bag that's too small.

Photostyles, I'll need to check on the soft box models for you. I believe they are Photoflex, either in XS and S sizes, or S and M. They fold down fast and pack very small, even less than an umbrella if you don't count the speed ring.

I personally wouldn't use them on a boom since it would add a lot of weight with the arm and counterweight. Besides, I can usually position the subject just in front of a found overhead light, since I balance with ambient, and use that as the hair light. Or just use a strobe with a cinefoil snoot, or split lighting with an acrylic mirror. I don't really see the boom as adding much more than extra weight.

The softboxes are used quite frequently as key or fill, with snoots and grids for accent, hair, background, etc. Other times I just use snoots or grids.

photosytes wrote in post #4365127
That Tenba case looks good..... I'm always worried about buying a bag that's too small.

If you buy a larger case, you end up filling it anyway I purposely bought a case that I felt when totally full wouldn't be heavy, then stuffed it as needed.

I personally really like the case. Its somewhat odd in its triangle shape, but it works well for this purpose. Once you have the packing method down, its very compact but fits a lot. I have a 5 light setup with 3 stands, some soft boxes, umbrellas, pocket wizards (1/2 in this case, 1/2 in camera case), clamps, gels, etc, in a case the size of a small tripod case. Thats just about perfect for my use. I can do a three light setup on a person or product, and still have two other lights for accent or background. And with split lighting, you can stretch that even further if you aren't on the high end of the power range.

Thanks for the advice concerning the softboxes. I'll skip the boom idea but will still probably want to invest in at least one of those softboxes.

I've never heard of the split lighting but I think I get the jist of it. Still pretty new to formal lighting setups and scenarios. Nice to have the advice of seasoned photographers, decreases the learning curve and stops some of us from making poor decisions when it comes to purchasing equipment. It's greatly appreciated!!

You're definitely right about just filling up a larger case. For now I'll definitely work with the bag I have but keep on the look out for posts, like yours, with other bags for the future. It's difficult to pick bags when you don't have the opportunity to see them first, except for online images. You're kind of at the mercy of the "descriptions" that aren't all that accurate or somewhat exaggerated. Oh well.

sfaust wrote in post #4365040
Depends on the strobes and how much you pay. I know a few offer wireless control, but none offer E-TTLII obviously.

True, true...

excellent info photosytes. you are answering a ton of questions I was having...

question for you guys... is this kit worth considering? http://www.bhphotovide​o.com …Allure_C1000_2_​Light.html

My plan has been to get an AB400 to go alongside my 580EX with the Elinchrom Skyport System. Any advice would be appreciated.

I was on a job for a magazine the other day shooting in a trash recycling facility. I decided to see how far a 580ex can really throw some light, so I took this image while we were setting up for another shot nearby. The shadows on the far wall from the machine and pole are from a single 580ex hand held by my assistant.

I don't remember the power setting on the strobe, but it was zoomed all the way out (105mm or whatever the max was). The camera was at f4 at ISO 800. We were shooting in a lot of dark places and balancing the strobes with ambient, so it necessitated using ISO800. I don't think the strobe was at full power, but it might have been. The foreground is obviously overexposed because its half the distance. We were on a platform about 15' feet up, and about 25' away from the wall in the foreground, and maybe 75-80' away from the wall in the extreme background. I wish I had more time to do some more testing since it was a perfect place to do that.

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Whoa, Stephen, I think that covers it as to what these little guys can do.

We should keep in mind though that the image was taken at ISO800. If we were to shoot at 400, we would need to drop the aperture to 2.8, and so on. But considering most of the advanced DSLRs handle ISO800 with very little noise, its a reasonable ISO speed in these conditions. Thus if one is willing to shoot at ISO 400 or 800, the 580EX's are almost as powerful as a WL800 or 1600 at ISO 100. Its a trade off that makes sense when time, flexibility, and mobility are greater concerns.

Wow awesome thread! You did a great job describing everything!

jevidon wrote in post #4476304
question for you guys... is this kit worth considering? http://www.bhphotovide​o.com …Allure_C1000_2_​Light.html

My plan has been to get an AB400 to go alongside my 580EX with the Elinchrom Skyport System. Any advice would be appreciated.

Quite honestly, I wouldn't recommend investing $900 in a constant light kit. That would be better put toward strobes, even if you don't get as much in the way of stands, modifiers, etc. Those can be built up over time, whereas the constant lighting will eventually sit in a corder gathering dust until you get bored with strobes, and then revist them in the future.

I only recommend constant lighting for someone just starting out with a very limited budget. Such that they can grab a few lights for $100-200 and go experiment. When the eventually move to strobes, the constant kit won't be used much, and thus only $100-200 at risk, rather than a $900 kit.

But if they have $500 or more to spend, I would recommend something like Alien Bees over a constant lighting setup, even if they can't afford any light modifiers, since it will serve them much better. Modifiers can always be home made for minimal cost until the kit is built up over time.

thanks sfaust, i didn't even realize that they were constant light. i am looking at other choices such as adding on another 580ex for the time.

sfaust wrote in post #4498200
Quite honestly, I wouldn't recommend investing $900 in a constant light kit. That would be better put toward strobes, even if you don't get as much in the way of stands, modifiers, etc. Those can be built up over time, whereas the constant lighting will eventually sit in a corder gathering dust until you get bored with strobes, and then revist them in the future.

I only recommend constant lighting for someone just starting out with a very limited budget. Such that they can grab a few lights for $100-200 and go experiment. When the eventually move to strobes, the constant kit won't be used much, and thus only $100-200 at risk, rather than a $900 kit.

But if they have $500 or more to spend, I would recommend something like Alien Bees over a constant lighting setup, even if they can't afford any light modifiers, since it will serve them much better. Modifiers can always be home made for minimal cost until the kit is built up over time.

Constant light is quite ideal for product lighting as WYSIWYG (what you see is what you get) and food (if you are using cool florescent bulbs). It's also fine for 70+% of portraiture, but it's difficult for animated subjects like kids, pets, or just plain action. It does cost less and there's less to getting it up and going.

Also, your camera can read the light as if it were daylight so there isn't any guessing about what the flash will do, your camera is reading the actual light. Getting a light meter and the associated learning curve/cost is no more necessary than using one in daylight. Yes there are benefits, but you don't have to feel you're missing a vital part of the equipment like you might be inclined toward if you are using manual strobes. Neither are remote triggers or off camera wiring required for strobes (they serve no purpose with constant light). I haven't priced my kit yet, but one day I will and post up the package and associated costs. The max light bulb I've found for a standard bulb socket is a 105 watt CFL (420 watt equivalent), which is certainly quite workable as a part of a multi-point lighting kit. Of course you can get daylight balanced bulbs too, so gels aren't even vital when working with film. It definitely is simpler than a complete flash package. There are bulbs with a base rating of 200 to 300 watts, but they take a special socket and by then I'd agree you should go to full flashguns. The lesser bulbs with standard sockets are perfectly adequate for still subjects.

You do lose the distinct advantage of freezing motion with flash, but on the other hand many consider constant lighting "ideal" for food and products (not just suitable or some sort of compromise) and it's the defacto tool for video.