Beginner Setup

I'm sure this question has been raised many times before, but what is a good beginer setup? I skimmed the first few pages with no luck and don't know what keywords to search for.

Here is the deal, I took a few photos of my wife and she really liked how they turned out. Now she wants to get some studio lighting to make them better. Wow, big investment I thought.

I usualy like to buy things once, but at the same time I don't want to throw down a ton of cash and then find out neither one of us are into the studio lighting thing. Can anyone suggest a kit that would let me get my feet wet, but not cost a ton?

I'm the type of person that would prefer to buy couple nice items than a bunch of not so nice ones. Looking for something that I could add onto in the future and would (assuming I embrace studio lighting) keep me happy for at least a few years while I learn. I think I'm looking for quality basic items.

Here is an example of what I don't want: I bought the 17-85 w/ my kit and then about three months later started to want a better lens. Three months later I sold the 17-85 and bought the 17-55 IS.

Thanks

Since you already have a 580ex, why not just buy another couple of small flashes - Sunpak 383, Nikon SB-series, etc and either a Cactus trigger/receiver set or for "future proofing", invest in a set of Pocket Wizards.

The cheap strobes and Cactus triggers won't set you back more than much more $200...but the PW's will cost considerably more.

Then if you get into studio-type lighting and want to move up to proper studio strobes then you can very easily sell the small strobes (very desirable used equipment). And if you have already invested in the PW's then they will come in handy with the studio strobes.

Or a 430ex and you can slave it without any triggers. But this does come with lots of limitations but a good starting point I think. I do agree with the above post though.

a lot of people start with alien bees, do a search. I myself would start with Elinchrom D-lites. You can get the D-lites4 package for 830.00 shipped.

Thanks for the advice. I like the flash idea as I do a lot of outdoor photography (long hikes) and it seems a bit more portable and versitile (for the occasional landscape photo).

check out the sticky's. There is one with Scott Kelby's lighting setups. He has a package set up for his students at B&H. You provide your 2 hot shoe flashes and his kit has stands, difussers, hot shoe brackets, reflectors, etc... It is around 500.00

B&H has a few good kits that include two stands,umbrella's, and a bag for it all. I kinda did this route and bought one 20 dollar impact light stand, and an umbrella. I bought a screwlock cable from flashzebra and started playing with one 580exII in the umbrella.

I got hooked and recently ordered from mpex dot com another stand with an umbrella I can shoot through. I also bought a cactus transmitter and receiver set with an additional receiver for an old minolta flash I had laying around. This second order was only 125 bucks shipped.

I now have a two light strobist setup that so looks awsome. My first test use of the cactus worked perfectly and I think I will truly enjoy developing my off camera lighting skills. So far I am into it about 225 bucks not counting the flash itself, for a two stand setup with transmitters. not too bad at all I think.

Well, for $330 I find it hard not to recommend the Calumet Genesis 200 kit, which includes two stands, 2 200ws monolights, 2 umbrella. I've been wanting to try studio photography for some time, and reading all of the conversations in the Lighting forum, I finally broke down and bought the Geneisis kit and I've been very happy with it.

The kit costs less than the 580ex flash, and gives you everything to get started in studio flash. It's an outstanding value for the money.