cheap studio setup, worth it?

rgrebby

rgrebby

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Richard
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I want to get into some portrait shots using more than one light.
I basically have nothing, just a bower flash thing and a 400D
Is is possible to get a complete solution for under £100 and if there is, is it worth it or will I find it lacking something?

Also, what will I need for a setup using the 400D?

Thank you in advance.

edit I ment bower not bowen
This is the POS lens :0
http://www.lordofthelens.net/servlet/Detail?no=26
 
If you're lucky you get what you pay for in life.
Very cheap equipment is generally rubbish, it works (maybe not for long) but it's much harder to get good results with it.

If you already have a Bowens (which is a good make) then my advice is to stick to it and learn how to light with one light, which is what most of the best photographers do. If you feel that you need more than one light, spend more to get more.

This intro on choosing studio lights may help
 
I bought a cheap 180ws ebay kit last year and its worked great. Build quality is better than the Jessops Portflash crap I'd used before and about 1/3 the price. It aint Bowens but its good for the money and after all, its just a bulb, some plastic and a controller - nothing as elaborate as a lens or camera.
 
rgrebby said:
when you said my flash was a good make I thought I better check it.
I have a bower SFD35C doesnt have any settings on it at all but it maybe infared, no clue though...

here is the lens..
http://www.lordofthelens.net/servlet/Detail?no=26
Click to expand...


rgrebby said:
I basically have nothing, just a bowen flash thing.
Click to expand...

Then that's a purely different discussion.............. Most responses would have been made on the assumption that you had a good quality flash unit (eg, a "Bowens" piece of hardware).

Steve
 
Jelster said:
Then that's a purely different discussion.............. Most responses would have been made on the assumption that you had a good quality flash unit (eg, a "Bowens" piece of hardware).

Steve
Click to expand...

Hopefully we can ignore my ignorance?
 
rgrebby said:
Hopefully we can ignore my ignorance?
Click to expand...

O.K., back to the drawing board.

But my advice doesn't change, if you don't have the money available for an expensive lighting kit get just one light and a reflector.

Different people will give you different advice on which make to go for. My advice is to go for something decent, because it's easier to get good results from good tools. Jelster may have something to say about this because I think he's just splashed out on some new lights
 
Best to get another, decent flash or something that is always on?

Stupid question, how do you get the exposure reading with a flash thats off the camera?
 
rgrebby said:
Best to get another, decent flash or something that is always on?

Stupid question, how do you get the exposure reading with a flash thats off the camera?
Click to expand...


Get a flash, not continuous light if possible, Garry will explain why ;)

To get the correct exposure reading you can either use a light meter, or use the suck-it-and-see method :)
 
Flash In The Pan said:
Get a flash, not continuous light if possible, Garry will explain why ;)

To get the correct exposure reading you can either use a light meter, or use the suck-it-and-see method :)
Click to expand...

Ahh I see, I have tried to mess around with a light meter, although the one I have is very old. But would you need to test fire the flash in order to get a reading from the meter. My old one doesnt but maybe the new ones could read and show the max exposure otherwise the needle doesnt stay where the flash hits.
Damn thats a lot of text that dont make sense.
Light is just something I know little about but im trying to learn.
 
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