Speedlights or Strobes...

I am a complete beginner when it comes to using flash with a camera, I have been floating around here trying to work out in my head the pros and cons between getting either a speedlight or a small studio lighting setup...

I have plenty of time over winter to be able to experiment, learn and invest time in the use of what ever equipment I buy but just cannot work out which will be best for me. I doubt I will be taking too many posed portrait shots but will be doing lots of product type shots, food shots and a few experimental (for me) action shots like water droplets, flicking objects through the field of view and getting the "flash" to freeze motion whilst capturing some motion.

I shoot with a 450d and am nowt more than an enthusiastic amateur with a fair bit of time on my hands in the winter months.

For products shot i prefer constant light. It's much easier to control shadows and light. And since the object doesn't move you can use what ever speed you desire. That's not the case for water droplets thou

Brian I checked your site and I like what I saw. I too mainly to wildlife (emphasis on birds) and like to dabble in other things. I just got a, what I call a beginner's lighting setup - 43" umbrella and stand, so that I can experiment with some off camera flash photography. Like teva stated, for product shots, I use constant lights too - 2 500w worklights and 2 clip on lights from Lowes (very inexpensive) plus I built a small light box. I've attached a couple threads, just in case you have not seen them, that may be of interest to you. Hope they help.

Have fun

https://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthre​ad.php?t=281524
https://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthre​ad.php?t=412392
https://photography-on-the.net …read.php?t=4323​16&page=29
https://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthre​ad.php?t=727060

The amount of space you have to work in might also affect your decision.
If your just getting started and money is an issue, get a speedlight first. You will get experience which will carry over to any lighting setup you get and you'll always have a use for a speedlight in the future, even if you do get strobes.

If money isn't an issue; Buy both.

Product and food shots lend themselves to the larger modifiers that you can use with strobes. Strobes also have the modeling light feature so you can see where your shadows are falling before you shoot. Water droplets and freezing motion lend themselves to speedlights which usually have shorter durations. If you are not overly familiar with using a flash I suggest you get a single flash and start playing with it before you invest too much in one system or another.

Monolights have modeling lamps (big help if you're new to lighting), cooling fans (usually), more power at less cost, faster recycle, and fill modifiers better since the light emits in a circle, not a rectangle.

Speedlights are light, portable, and quick to set up...and that's pretty much it. Running off of AAs is convenient in some ways and an absolute nuisance in others.

Monolights have the fastest flash duration at max power, whereas speedlights (and pack & heads?) are fastest at minimum power.