FITP Hi-light background thread!!!!

onform

onform

Messages
2,860
Name
matt
Edit My Images
Yes
I have just ordered one of these and am after general info on using and reassembling of these monsters...

Also if some people who have just purchased one of them could share their experiences and post an example of what they have managed to achieve with it and list what they used for the shot I think it would be very helpful to all! (y)

So come on guy's don't be shy...:LOL:
 
Mine arrived while I was down in Birmingham for the Spring Fair, haven't got any room anywhere to set it up yet though. ;)
 
Got mine yesterday - didn't dare put it up in the living room in case I couldn't get it back down again - I'll give it a go over the weekend!. One thing I've heard is that they only have zips on one side so it can't be used the other way round (ie. portrait vs landscape orientation) - I'll confirm this when I set it up, but its a bit of a pain if thats the case.
 
I got mine yesterday......

It was MUCH more effort to unpack it, than it was to fold it back down..... Easy peasy.... 1st time :D

Well, after realising to undo zips on both side to allow the air to escape:bang:

If you can fold down a reflector/softbox, then this won't pose a challenge...

I'd be interested to know (to add to a list of 'interested questions') How many are planning on using Speedlights with this over a small/studio light set up...... and obviously what you achieve using this method, as I plan to use speedlights :D

Cheers

Phil
 
I'm going to give it a go with speedlights first - but am prepared to have to use something a bit more powerful if need be.
 
I am planning on using speedlights as this needs to be as portable as possible...will try it with just one, either 430exii or 580exii and see what results I get! If that does not work to the degree I am hoping I guess I will need to invest in another speedlight.. I am thinking along the lines of cheap manual only speedlights with poverty wizards...I can afford to throw two of them inside and use my canons as key and fill....

I have a couple of questions though...why does it seem to be a problem that the opening is on one side???
 
The one I ordered is 200cm x 240cm - If the room I was in had a low ceilling I would like to have it so that the 200cm side is vertical and not horizontal. If it only has openings on one set of sides then I would not be able to rotate it according to my needs unless I could work a way of putting a flash in the top of it!! I think that makes sense.... :)
 
onform said:
I am planning on using speedlights as this needs to be as portable as possible...will try it with just one, either 430exii or 580exii and see what results I get! If that does not work to the degree I am hoping I guess I will need to invest in another speedlight.. I am thinking along the lines of cheap manual only speedlights with poverty wizards...I can afford to throw two of them inside and use my canons as key and fill....

I have a couple of questions though...why does it seem to be a problem that the opening is on one side???
Click to expand...

That's only one question :p

The reason it is a problem is that it limits you to using it in one orientation only, thus if you have a 7ft x 8ft version and wanted a little more space at the sides with a Lastolite version you can use it either as 8ft high or 8ft wide, if there are only zips in one orientation, then you are stuck with that one whatever it is!
 
I have the lastolite version :) Can I join in the chat :)

I use 3 x Elinchron BX400s with these and it would be interesting to see the results with small flash as I do have a couple of flashed (a 580 and a sigma 500DG Super0 that could probably be used to light the background.

The HiLite is one of my favourite items of gear. Really handy and easy to set up. I would advise getting a meter but you can deal with it by checking the camera's meter with a little experience.

I am able to rotate mine as the zips are on both sites. This is certainly a bonus as I set it 7' high for a full length portrait and 7'wide if I'm shooting a group. 7' is still pretty tight and although I'd have liked the 8' version, it is a little big in most peoples houses.
 
There's an opening on 2 sides, directly across from each other. As Ed says though, it restricts you to only using it in its vertical orientation.

That was one of the reasons I went for the bigger one, hoping to use it horizontally for smallish groups. But, at this price, it'll still do me just fine. :)
 
I have just opened my 'large one' and a quick warning, if you have standard height modern rooms (about 7' 6" ) do not get a biggie, fortunately I have 10ft high rooms.

There are zips only on the upright orientation so it can only be used (without modification) in a room with a height of 8ft or more.

Having previously had a Lastolite Hilite a few observations, the diffuser material in the Lastolite version seemed more diffused and slightly thicker which I suspect would give a slightly better difussion with studio flash heads but the copy version may well work better with strobes. The backing material of the lastolite version was far superior to the copt and also was opaque, the copy has a similar diffused panel at the rear as the front and this may lead to problems with light spill unless backed by a solid opaque object such as a wall, whereas the free standing Lastolite version could be placed anywhere in a large room. The supplied bag is better than the Lastolite one though as it has an outside pocket for the spreaders.

All in all for the money it is a good purchase as the small Lastolite version (£250) is twice as much and the large Lastolite version almost 3x the price (£399)
 
Holy cat crap I only have standard height ceilings....:eek: My train of thought was use it on it's side to give more space at the sides!!!!!:LOL::crying: Looks like a bit of modification needed:shrug:
 
The large one does only have zips on the long sides. But it shouldn't be beyond the wit of man to add a couple to the short sides to allow it to be used in the other orientation.

As others have said at £145 it is a bargain so I am happy to do some DIY.
 
Hodders said:
But it shouldn't be beyond the wit of man to add a couple to the short sides to allow it to be used in the other orientation.
Click to expand...

[Insert sexist joke about sewing a zip not being a man's job here] ;)
 
Kaouthia said:
[Insert sexist joke about sewing a zip not being a man's job here] ;)
Click to expand...

I was just going to pay the old girl across the road from me to sort it out... she used to do that sort of thing...what ever they call it!

I should give it to her folded...:nuts::naughty::LOL: I will probably here the scream from my house...:eek::D:LOL:
 
So I've now got mine out the bag ... it's bloomin' massive! Any thoughts re making openings on the short sides? I think a zip might be quite difficult to do ... I was thinking maybe putting a strip of white gaffer tape on both the inside and outside where you want the opening and then cutting with a stanley knife to avoid fraying the edges? Any other thoughts/suggestions?

I've also bought a lastolite train to go with mine so if I get chance this weekend I'll get some pictures taken and post them up.
 
Jchaplin said:
So I've now got mine out the bag ... it's bloomin' massive! Any thoughts re making openings on the short sides? I think a zip might be quite difficult to do ... I was thinking maybe putting a strip of white gaffer tape on both the inside and outside where you want the opening and then cutting with a stanley knife to avoid fraying the edges? Any other thoughts/suggestions?

I've also bought a lastolite train to go with mine so if I get chance this weekend I'll get some pictures taken and post them up.
Click to expand...

what is the height of your room??

How much for the train...?? LINKY please
 
The room is high enough that it will stand up but the idea was that it would be portable enough to use at customers houses - so at the moment it's fine, but I would like to modify it at some point as i'm sure the first place I'd want to use it will have lower ceilings!!
 
i'm looking for a backdrop and got rrading FITP's thread last night which endedup with me wandering all over the interweb. These look outstanding value, but i'm struggling (through lack of knowledge) to understand the benefit of these. It's a bit out of my budget, but if i could see the extra benefits over a standard homebrew backdrop i think i would hang on and buy the right one.

so basically i have three questions: what would the advantage be over a standard backdrop?

cheers, Al
 
The advantage is that it is backlit. Meaning that your subject isn't casting any shadows on it allowing you to get your subject closer to the background, which is important if you're working in a smaller space.

Also, because of the way the light bounces inside the box, it will produce a more even spread with only 2 lights. On a traditional plain background, you could be looking at using potentially 6 lights to light it up evenly for a full length high key portrait - and that's before you've even lit your subject.
 
Kaouthia said:
The advantage is that it is backlit. Meaning that your subject isn't casting any shadows on it allowing you to get your subject closer to the background, which is important if you're working in a smaller space.

Also, because of the way the light bounces inside the box, it will produce a more even spread with only 2 lights. On a traditional plain background, you could be looking at using potentially 6 lights to light it up evenly for a full length high key portrait - and that's before you've even lit your subject.
Click to expand...

thank you . That seals it then!
 
Sorry guys...but does no one own a tape measure...?

Maybe its because my long suffering wife has...come the 24th of Feb...put up with 20 years of having wall knocked down and rebuilt...and even she knows that a standard sheet of gyproc is 2400mm...(when the extension/gym/studio is eventually fnished there will have been more than 70 sheets passed thru these doors)...

Needless to say I bought the WEE ONE...

SUPERB...well within my budget...zips down one set of opposing sides...the 550 EX lights it up all the way as does my FITP £38 Flash (at full pelt and wide angle glass down)...if I need to Ill make a back reflector from Building Paper or something...

Going here tomorrow for my PVC train...

http://www.tonybeal.com/contact.htm

£7 per linear metre 2400mm wide...so 2m will give me a 2.4m train...£14...COOL...!!!

Not tried it in anger yet...just played with it a bit...but going away with the camera club to Oban and abouts of Wednesday...takin the new toy...as we also have a model organised to shoot...


STEVIER
 
I'm thinking a Large stretchy shiny/black cover to go over one side to stop spill??
 
THE-BIG-MAN-SAYS said:
Sorry guys...but does no one own a tape measure...?
Click to expand...

Yes! and 2 metres fits perfect in almost every house...I had always intended to use mine side ways..anyhow.. just didn't realise the slits in the side problem when ordering! :bonk::bang: that wont stop me though..
 
If in any doubt about folding back up...check out youtube...help is only a video away...

BUT REMEMBER to unzip both ends and let the air out...!!!

STEVIER
 
THE-BIG-MAN-SAYS said:
Sorry guys...but does no one own a tape measure...?

Maybe its because my long suffering wife has...come the 24th of Feb...put up with 20 years of having wall knocked down and rebuilt...and even she knows that a standard sheet of gyproc is 2400mm...(when the extension/gym/studio is eventually fnished there will have been more than 70 sheets passed thru these doors)...

Needless to say I bought the WEE ONE...

SUPERB...well within my budget...zips down one set of opposing sides...the 550 EX lights it up all the way as does my FITP £38 Flash (at full pelt and wide angle glass down)...if I need to Ill make a back reflector from Building Paper or something...

Going here tomorrow for my PVC train...

http://www.tonybeal.com/contact.htm

£7 per linear metre 2400mm wide...so 2m will give me a 2.4m train...£14...COOL...!!!

Not tried it in anger yet...just played with it a bit...but going away with the camera club to Oban and abouts of Wednesday...takin the new toy...as we also have a model organised to shoot...


STEVIER
Click to expand...

Hi Stevier

Out of the products for sale on the site, which is the one you are getting for the train?

Stringy
 
The small FITP Hilite...1.5m x 2m...sorry about the guffawing...im just a measuring /engineering type gut...who has mis-measured things in the past I may add...

Measure TWICE...Cut ONCE...!!!

Just had to say that...in case anyone took the hump...

As this is 2400mm wide you could also use this for the big one...worth noting I found this company being discussed somewhere on here...

I figure £14...wipe clean...think it may be buff one side and shiny the other as welll...but well see tomorrow...

STEVIER
 
Will be interesting to see your train StevieR. I bought the lastolite one and it is nice although lighting it is a big issue! Needs some Ps to brighten it!

Lighting the floor isn't easy :( THe lastolite is a pretty bright white but comes out a muddy grey.

Before
Original4.jpg


After
Edit6.jpg
 
I guess there's always going to be a bit of PS needed to get rid of the train completely... unless you've got lots of lights that you can use to light it separately from your subject.

I bought the lastolite one too... just not got it out of the tube yet... but its good to see what you've achieved with yours so thanks for posting a pic.

Edit: what lights did you use for that?
 
Jchaplin said:
I guess there's always going to be a bit of PS needed to get rid of the train completely... unless you've got lots of lights that you can use to light it separately from your subject.

I bought the lastolite one too... just not got it out of the tube yet... but its good to see what you've achieved with yours so thanks for posting a pic.

Edit: what lights did you use for that?
Click to expand...

2 x Elinchrom 400BX lights in the Lastolite Hilite and 1x 400BX with a 135cm Rotalux Octa lighting the subject.

I've got a large strip Rotalux softbox that could do a good job with the floor - just need another light (or use my 580&500DG Super to light the box)
 
regarding installing a zip.

my wife can't sew and uses a product called 'wundaweb'. she uses it for scout badges taking up hems etc.

a quick look around and i found 'extra strong wundaweb'.

it's basically ironed on and i think the extra strong stuff would be ideal for installing a zip quickly and easily.no sewing !

only a though but it would probably work a treat? heres a link;

http://www.caraselledirect.com/_/vi...189-1.php?View_Type=Category&CategoryFrom=148
 
Could you not just use Velcro?
 
EOS_JD - I'll be interested to see what I get using speedlights - clearly you've thrown a lot more power at it than i'll be able to.

seventythree - good plan, the zips wont be under much stress so that might just work!

Edit: EOS_JD yes velcro would work too, i guess i'm just concerned about how to attach the velcro or zip to the highlight fabric - a bit cautious about cutting into it I guess!
 
If it were me...Id glue plastic or material either side to strengthen...as the material will be in tension when up and could easily rip...you would already have a velcro or zip sown onto the outer piece of new material...unzip...or open the velcro when the glue or whatever has set...and cut a slot would in the sandwiched pieces of material...

STEVIER
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top