Setting up lighting for Lastolite HiLite Illuminated Background

MKD

MKD

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Mike
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We have a Lastolite HiLite Illuminated Background and we really like the idea of constant lighting and not having to use flash but instead use it with Daylight Fluorescent lights.

We are contemplating using:

Two light units with removable 85cm octagon softbox

These provide 5000k cool, white continuous light, each unit will provide 1400 watts and can be switched 3, 4 or 7 bulbs on.

Each of the 7, 50watt Bulbs provides 200w effective lighting.

We are going to put two 2x3 gang units inside the background which are all individually switchable each unit should supply 600watts.

Anyone have any experience of this type of lighting/background and have any thoughts about the setup.

Required for portrait/groups, family style photo shots and weddings.


Thanks Mike
 
Beginners often like the idea of continuous lighting because they (wrongly) believe that it's easier than flash, but in fact it has a lot of disadvantage and no advantages that I can think of.

Will your setup work? Yes, up to a point. Power may be an issue though. You say that your softbox lights will produce 1400 w of light. They won't, but I'm guessing that the seller is claiming that they produce the equivalent of 1400 w. If they do, then that equates to an equivalent to about 5.6ws of flash, assuming that you use a shutter speed of 1/250th second. That's pathetic.
If you slow the shutter speed down to 1/25th second then you get a light output roughly the same a hotshoe flashgun, which is just about acceptable but you'll also get subject blur and camera shake, which aren't acceptable. The result? You'll need to use a high ISO, which will of course reduce image quality.

If that isn't bad enough, you're proposing to use LESS power in the Hi-Lite, when it needs to have MORE power.

And the colour temperature may (or may not be) 5000K - but what about the Color Rendition Index?

No fluorescent light designed for home use can ever reproduce all colours accurately, and unless the CRI is around 95 or more then some colours will definately be off. For example, reds will reproduce as orange and pink skin will look yellow. Bad CRI can't be corrected on computer, or at least not well or quickly.

Even if these lights have a very high CRI and even if you're happy with the quality produced at a high ISO setting, you'll still have all the other limitations of continuous lighting.

My advice?
Do what nearly everyone else does and use flash.
 
As Garry says - to get sufficient lux (let alone CRI which is another kettle of fish), you need a lot more gear than you are proposing, then you get into trying to diffuse all those rather obvious linear tubes to evenness with - consequent loss of level - so flash is the more practical solution.

p.s.
As soon as you see the words "effective wattage" in someone's claim about their lights - run away! :exit: Even my Dedolights don't claim "effective" wattage, even though they (genuinely) kick out at least 4 times their weight in conventional terms...but don't come cheap!
 
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[Words of wisdom from Garry via private Messages and telephone call]

Garry, lights arrive this morning, WOW straight away getting very good results and we have only played an hour and a half. And we are only using two light so far, going to have to get bigger flat. My wife just said no wonder we struggled so much before with just two portaflash lights.

Close to being late for lunch so am going to have to leave them alone for a couple of hours......................

Mike
 
Told you:)
 
Hi Mike,

Just wondering whether those lights that arrived were actually fluorescents or did you switch to flash? I've bought a Lastolite HiLite with the intention to use it as a high key background but for video. So far I've tried using my three "900"W LED lamps, but it just isn't enough light and I'm contemplating buying a couple of banks of continuous fluorescent strips to sit either side.

Obviously I need less light for the video side of things (typically running at 1/50) but still need a good and even illumination but anxious to see anyone else using the HiLite with them before shelling out. When I contacted Lastolite a few months back, they had never heard of anyone using them as video backgrounds!

Regards,

Will
 
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