If you started over

If you were starting over with your location lighting kit, just for portrait/head to no longer than waist length shots and you could get absolutely anything to light with, knowing there was just going to be you, never an assistant what would you get.

Assume the camera would be a 1DsMKIII and the lenses a 24-70, 85L and 70-200LII and you'd plan to shoot everything on location.


I'd want to be compact and portable so I'll just say right off to limit it to 2 or 3 lights plus at least one 580EXII or newer or even one battery powered strobe and a Speedlight.

What lights, I wouldn't plan to need anything more than 600W with the way I shoot and the limited amount of sun around here.

Pretend you need to keep it compact so you could travel with it as well but that you had an employer who told you to just go place the order.

I'm just trying to break my level of thinking and come up with the best kit and worry about if I can afford it later, or sell everything to buy it if it really makes sense.

I've got a few ideas but this idea of starting from scratch, radio triggers and everything cause I'm old enough that if I did this, it is unlikely that I'll be doing this more than 5 years more so I don't really have to worry about what's going to go out of date if I can do stunning lighting on portraits, mainly head shots. The other stuff I was doing aside from table top at my home, was wearing on me and too much to carry so keep it simple but the bottom line is for first of all, being able to provide a really beautiful key with more than one approach, i.e. BD and Large Octa or anything like that.

In a perfect world what would you write on the order?

And don't worry about what the other people are going to say or suggest, let it be your dream kit for this type of thing.

You already have camera and all type of lenses that I can only dream to have it at this time.

hhidajat wrote in post #10520420
You already have camera and all type of lenses that I can only dream to have it at this time.

She was asking about lighting equipment though.

3 580s, 1 mini, 3 flexes plus light stands, some sunbounce panels and shoot thru umbrellas or Elichrom rangers systems (2Ss+packs) plus appropriate light stands, some softboxes.

Oh I don't have that particular camera and lens set yet, it's also my perfect world setup, I've got a MKIII, 24-70, 85L and 100-400 which are all wonderful, but I was thinking of a setup just for portraiture, I do very well with what I have but was wondering about what I would think the perfect setup would be, I doubt I'd get rid of my MKIII though, I love that camera passionately.

Auto-clicker is the mini the Pocket Wizard setup for ETTL ? Is that what you are referring to?

If I could start again, well guess I wouldn't buy 580exII when I already had Sigma ettl flash. Should have invested in some big lights and then only get 580exII. But now its too late, almost there to have both.

Real World Portable System:
1-Speedotron Explorer 1500 Digital Portable Battery Pack w/Extra Battery
2-Speedotron 103 Heads
2-Norman 400B Batteries
2-Norman LH52K Heads
8-Canon Speedlites
4-Canon CP-E4 Battery Packs


Fantasy World Portable System:
2-Elinchrom Ranger Portable Battery Packs w/Extra Batteries
4-Elinchrom A Speed Heads
2-Elinchrom Quadra Portable Battery Packs w/Extra Batteries
4-Elinchrom A Speed Heads
6-Canon 580EX II Speedlites
4-Canon CP-E4 Battery Packs

I would go with 2 Norman 400B units and two standard lampheads. Add a speedlight or two and you're set. That would fit in a briefcase size kit. Add three or four stands and a couple of umbrellas in another bag and you can carry it all in one trip.

The downside to the Norman heads is that they're a little flimsy to use with a large softbox.

In your scenario, I'd have to seriously consider the Quadra! The full-size Ranger is nice, but a pain to carry. Speedlites are nice and light, but fiddly, underpowered, and the modifier selection is limited. That said, you can do most portraiture with umbrellas.

Why do you need more power than speedlites offer for head/sholder, upper waist shots?

bobbyz wrote in post #10521304
Why do you need more power than speedlites offer for head/sholder, upper waist shots?

Hi Bobby,

It's still about the ability to control the relationship between flash and ambient based on location and placement of light sources, modifier size and type, and type of shot. Even if you're doing head shots, If you've got bright Sun to contend with, it could easily be a problem with underpowered flash or strobes.

Ignore speedlight solutions if lighting flexibility and ability to PREVIEW with your own eyes via modelling lights is important. Then there is no reliance upon chimping or tethering your camera to laptop to view photos at larger size, just immediately see how light falls upon the subject!

Dynalite packs+heads are among the best for power with light weight and compact design, power control flexibility, and availability wide range of accessories and often available in rental shops for added gear when needed. 500w/s from two asymmetric/symmetric channels in 4.1lb. 5x6" package, from heads which weigh 2.0 - 2.4 lb each (depending upon which head model), controlling heads from the power pack rather than having to go to each head and climb. Light modifiers available from many pro quality suppliers.

Or if monolights are your preference, there are many offerings from many vendors (I personally dislike monolights when they need to be boomed out, or up on tall stands...too difficult to adjusted, too unsteady with the counterweight and high weight of monolights at ends of the boom; but they are great for certain types of work, like architectural photography)

To me, lighting with speedlights is more 'illumination' than 'lighting'. You being familiar with cinematography have a better appreciation of the value of 'lighting' rather than simple illumination.

You cannot preview speedlights, you preview with the constant source modelling lights that studio lighting (monolights or pack+heads) can offer. Optimal lighting placement before taking photos.

TMR Design wrote in post #10521370
Hi Bobby,

It's still about the ability to control the relationship between flash and ambient based on location and placement of light sources, modifier size and type, and type of shot. Even if you're doing head shots, If you've got bright Sun to contend with, it could easily be a problem with underpowered flash or strobes.

Robert, I agree but then so would be Elinchrom Quadra what the poster above my post was recommending, why not go with 1000ws or more power pack.

bobbyz wrote in post #10521902
Robert, I agree but then so would be Elinchrom Quadra what the poster above my post was recommending, why not go with 1000ws or more power pack.

The Quadra will give you about one stop over the output of a Speedlite, I believe.