£500 to spend.......what do I need?

JumboBeef

JumboBeef

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Hello all,

Can I have some advice on lighting kit please?

We want to take people/places (internals) photography on location. Currently the only thing we have is a 550EX flash. In an ideal world, what should we buy (up to £500 total). How about:

One set of these: 3x180w.

How about some brollies? Shoot through or bounce? Where could I get them from?

Triggers: which ones and how many?

Extra flash guns to match my 550EX? (for when there isn't mains power?)

An Elastolite to bounce natural light?

An Elastolite portable backdrop?

.......anything else I've forgotten?:shrug:

What would you buy?:thinking:

Thanks!
 
You'll be struggling to buy that lot on £500if you want Elastolite or any other big brand stuff, but let's see....

£200 for the studio kit (does that include Miss Massage :thinking: :naughty:)

Brollies can be had for a tenner or so each on Fleabay, so say £50 worth of those

The cheapest triggers you'll get that would work with both studio and speedlights would be the Ebay ones, so say £30 for a set plus an extra reciever

Extra flashgun....an old Nikon SB-24 or a new Vivitar 285HV £60

A backdrop and stands (unbranded):shrug: £150?

Some cheap Ebay reflectors would take you just over budget....
 
There are lots of different ways of doing this. Good quality studio lights would be by answer, rather than using hotshoe flashguns (at least when you have mains power)
My advice would be the new Lencarta starter kit, which includes everything you need.

As Flash in the Pan says, get a few different umbellas. They don't cost much and you'll need both reflective and shoot through anyway.

If you're going for cheap radio triggers (and why not) you'll need a spare set for safety.

If you need to shoot without mains power then you have a choice of hotshoe flashguns (some people swear by them, other people swear at them) or a battery powered studio flash which is much more expensive than mains powered studio flash. This one will do the job perfectly and is very good value for money but the actual heads are extra, so whether or not that's the right choice for you will depend on how often you'll be using them as well as on your budget.
 
JumboBeef said:
Arrg! More decisions!

Mains or battery!?!
Click to expand...
Depending on your own needs and on your budget.
For example, for event photographers who constantly have to manage without mains it's an easy decision, but if you don't think you'll be without mains power too often it gets more difficult. And if it's very occasional then hotshoe flashes may be OK for you.
 
OK, having thought about this, I *think* a battery set up would be more useful.

So...................................

Another one (or two?) flashes, triggers, stands, brollies.....................anything else? Is that enough? Is that too much?

Thanks.
 
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