Setting up a home studio

B

Bridgett

Guest
Hi Everyone
I am going to set up a studio at home, mainly for portraiture work ,especially high key. My flat has one big empty room which i am going to devote to his project so space isnt an issue (within reason) I dont envisage needing the kit to be portable in the main.
I want to but some reliable and quality equipment and am looking for some recommendations from those of you using such equip already. I have been trawling the Web for weeks and have seen kits for £300 to £2000. What brand names are good ones to trust, what must I have and what purchase pitfalls should I avoid. What wattage would I need for such work as a minimum.... etc etc etc
Any opinions and views would be appreciated.
B
 
Hiya, Welcome to the forum...

Iv been looking at the same thing recently and so far (For me) iv narrowed it down to the Bowens 500/500, its everything you need to start up with, 2 500w heads with 1 soft box and 1 brolly and the stands, leads ect.. the only thing you would need to sort out as far as i can see is a backdrop.. I like it for the power, you wont out grow it too quickly and it'll be just as good for a single portrait or a group shot..

This is just my research, and not from experience you understand.. iv looked at them in a shop (Calumet) and they seem very good quality... But not cheap.. they are about the £750 area..

Good luck in the quest.. im sure someone with more knowlage than me will turn up and point you in the right direction..
 
The Elinchrom Dlite4's have been popular amongst TP'ers (see here). I'm looking at the DLite 2 kit when money permits, which is almost the same just a bit less powerful.

The interfit flash kits are supposed to be quite good for the money - they do an EXD200 kit which is £299.

With the money you save, you can invest in some backdrops, stands, etc.
 
I'm having a serious think about the d-lite4's too

just waiting for glen to post a pic of his set up in a home environment :D


With look they'll be on display and a possible purchase option at Focus on imaging next month.

BTW, welcome to the forums (y)
 
digitalfailure said:
I'm having a serious think about the d-lite4's too

just waiting for glen to post a pic of his set up in a home environment :D


With look they'll be on display and a possible purchase option at Focus on imaging next month.

BTW, welcome to the forums (y)
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HI, What sort of pic you after d f?
 
Whatever you buy make sure servicing will not be an issue. I bought Bowens primarily because servicing is easy (made in UK) Other makes may be more attractive but harder to have serviced. Unlike cameras studio lights do blow bulbs and tubes etc and generally tend to need more servicing, and if this can be done locally so much the better.
 
I purchased the Interfit Stellar 300's. Plenty of power but with the added bonus of a built in fan which is the advantage over the D-Lites. As you can guess, without a fan, units MAY be prone to cutting out due to overheating. That was my primary concern when purchasing as they will be used in quite a tight space that will heat up fairly rapidly.

What I didnt want was to be using and then have to pause for half hour while the electronics cooled down enough to be able to use again.

Servicing is important along with being able to change your own bulbs and flash tubes.
 
A built in fan is very useful. Mine dont have one. They do have the facility to change tubes yourself however this is not as refined a process as it should be and a bit of a risk. More modern units (Mine are Bowens Esprit 500's) no doubt make this easier.

Had a problem once when changing a modelling bulb which was hot and had just blown. I unscrewed it before it had fully cooled(was shooting an interior on assignment so pressure to continue shoot) and managed to unscrew the conectors with it!! Tube still worked just no modelling.
 
Double_Agent said:
I purchased the Interfit Stellar 300's. Plenty of power but with the added bonus of a built in fan which is the advantage over the D-Lites. As you can guess, without a fan, units MAY be prone to cutting out due to overheating. That was my primary concern when purchasing as they will be used in quite a tight space that will heat up fairly rapidly.
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Pretty sure my d lite 4s are fan cooled, make a nice fan noise anyway!! i find the d lites are great and easy to set up, feel well built to me, the soft boxes take a little to set up first time, but after that a doddle. just waiting for warehouse express to get the deflector in for them. think they have an umbrella hole in the light as well, same as the bigger ellinchrome stuff. all comes in two carryable bags that dont take up much space, well worth a look
 
I am really happy with my Bowens 500's, just wish I had more room to put them in. If you are just doing head and shoulder portraits then you might get away with something with a little less power.

I was looking on and off for a year before I settled on these - they are British so as Anima Tempa said, servicing and spares should not be a problem, it will be easy to add additional lights in the future if I wish and assorted accessories are easily available on ebay - the picture currently in my signature was from my first "person" shoot as opposed to dogs and objects
 
I'd like to see the d-lites actually set up inside a home environment to get an idea of size, it's fine seeing them packed away in the small bags and on websites where they are set up in a studio......but my humble British home is a wee bit smaller :(
 
Thanks to all so far for your advice. What do you feel about the Bowens 500/500 gemini 2 head kit v the Elinchrom D lites4. There is quite a diff in price. Also to do the high key stuff I have read that 3 heads are almost a must... whatdya think. Also there was a mention of cooling fans... does the bowens 500 gemini have a fan?
 
DF, I Know what you mean, i will get a pic next time mine are set p, hopefully this week, placing round furniture can be fun though:p
 
Bridgett, that would depend on your budget i suppose, both seem to be popular makes, and noone complains about either much from what i seen, but if the difference in budget gives 3 heads as opposed to two and the third head is required, then that might be better
 
Hi DF

If you have any umbrellas (rain) then fix them to the top of a tripod and open them - maybe add something to make them bigger if they are smaller than the lighting ones. They take up a lot more room than you (for that read "I") expected and ideally you need high ceilings - more than 7'6" anyway.

I cannot take a picture of mine set up - I tried it for someone else and find I don't have room (or a wide enough angled lens) to get much in.

If you are thinking of a soft-box these take up a lot of room when you are working in a confined space
 
Bridgett said:
Thanks to all so far for your advice. What do you feel about the Bowens 500/500 gemini 2 head kit v the Elinchrom D lites4. There is quite a diff in price. Also to do the high key stuff I have read that 3 heads are almost a must... whatdya think. Also there was a mention of cooling fans... does the bowens 500 gemini have a fan?
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The Bowens looked better to me as they SEEM to be more controlable (Though i may be wrong) they are fully adjustable light wise, they are fan cooled, and the are brighter, the build quality is great and the amount of extras you can get is very good too.. D-lites dont do 500w as far as i can see.. at the end of the day they are all very good.. nothing wrong with the Ellies.. but they are really for the home or small portable studio, offering very good results, but if you are thinking of expanding or doing larger groups then they MAY leave you wanting.. The Bowens have a large range of heads that you can add at any time.. they will all match and work together without issue..

Anyway, these are just things i have picked up through researching and NOT through experience.. just mho... (y)
 
Actually, the Bowen 500's arent fan-cooled. (I have the Esprit DX).
The fan-cooling is found in the Esprit 1000, 1500, & 750pro models.
The way the 500's are built is supposed to remove the need for fan-cooling.

Most pro's will use nothing other than Ellinchroms RX & Bowens, theyre reported to be the most robust, have faster recycling times, produce truer colour, and are most consistent and reliable.

Ellinchroms reportedly have more accessories in their range, but the s-fitting on the Bowens means you can find plenty of 3rd-party accessories, a lot cheaper.

I dont know enough about lighting to take chances on it. Id rather buy once, and add to my range if I grow, than buy a cheap set and have to sell it on later to buy what I should have in the first place ;)
 
yup the bowens 500 do not have fans and do overheat. (design flaw there) get ones that are fan cooled.
 
Oh, thats a shame, i thought it was Cooled.. im sure it was someone on here that said so.. never mind..

As TKerioak says, How long till they over heat??

And what kit in the same bracket WONT???
 
Well Im no pro and I have to admit that my lights havent seen the light of day too often.
However, I have shot continuously (and I do mean non-stop) for up to 4 hours and never had a problem.
Ive not heard of them overheating either, so Id be interested to hear more on the subject too.
 
I did a shoot shortly before xmas and mine overheated within within 1 1/2 hours. I had not experienced this as quickly into a shoot before so numerous factors may be at play.
 
I have a pair of Bowens Esprit 2 500w heads. These are really great value used, and can be had for half the new price if you look hard enough.

They are very reliable, and even though it does not have a fan, I have never had a problem with them overhearting, even after 4-5 hours of shooting macros. They are made from metal and so seems to me to be very durable.

Elinchrome is also very reliable, but is not as good value in the used market. functionally they are going to be the same or similar (unless you get the Bowens digital stuff).

You are better off getting 500w to start with, and getting two lights to begin with. You could do most things with 250W, but for high key, you should be at full power much of the time, and it is nice to have the extra power if you need it (especially if you want to use large softboxes instead of umbrellas).

If you need the lights to be portable then you should probably look at the newer Esprit gemini, but for true portablility, you are better off renting Profoto, or Broncolor by the day when you need it.
 
Thanks FranchiseJuan great advice: But in your opinion for high key is 3 heads necessary or would 2 suffice. Whats the diff between the Espirit kit and the newer Espirit gemini's?
 
Bridgett said:
Thanks FranchiseJuan great advice: But in your opinion for high key is 3 heads necessary or would 2 suffice. Whats the diff between the Espirit kit and the newer Espirit gemini's?
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The number of lights you need depends entirely on how you want to light the situation, remember that you can use a reflector as an additional light. So if you have one light for the background, and then one light as your main light for the subject, you can then use the a reflector on a stand as a fill.

The esprit gemini has a port that you can attach a battery back to it for on location use. it is not as practical as a kit that was designed to be used with a battery as it can only cycle at about 6-8 seconds on battery power, and you only get about 200-300 flashes on battery power. Other then that they are the same really.
 
I dont really envisage portabilty to be a necessity but I suppose it's nice to have the option. Are the Geminis much more expensive?
I have also gathered the following info, do people agree?
1. 500's shouldn't need a fan. They are designed to be self cooling only need fan if using 750+
2. the area to accomodate a studio set up with a backdrop 9ft wide ahould ideally be about 15ft sq with a ceiling height of 8ft. (That sounds a lot doesn't it)
3. Try to go wireless as it does away with cumbersome wiring.
 
Hi Bridgett, I've used both Bowens in a pro studio and I have Interfit at home. (Interfit use the same s type fitting as Bowens so all their stuff fits on the Interfit) Bowens seem blooming solid to me! For high key there is another way for head or 3/4 shots. Called the lastolite hilite it is like a big loaf of bread that you fire a light into so you can get away with one light for the background which leaves one to act as a main light. Add a reflector to even the shadows and you can do it with two lights and in a relatively small space. Hope that helps. Ali
 
Hi I have 3xBowens 500w and 1x Bowens 125w I shoot both at home with Bowens and in my friends studio who has Bowens. My shoots are usually between four and five hours and I tell you I have never ever had a problem with overheating. Bowens lights are consistently the best there is. I was at a studio a couple of weeks ago the guy had Elinchrom lights all taped up with duct tape you could hardly adjust them it was a complete waste of time.

The choice of course is yours but Bowens is best from my experience they are solid and reliable.

BTW an 8ft high room is pushing it for shooting anything good you need more height than that if you want to use a hair light properly. As for high key you need at least three lights if not four so that you have the whole scene flooded background and subject.

I have decided to sell the stuff I use at home which are about 2 years old and relatively lightly used I have Bowens lights 3x500 and 1x125 with stands (one cantilever), soft box, brollies (3), snoot, barn door, odd bits and pieces plus a Lastolite background support for roll paper. Interested in making me an offer PM me it would have to be collected mind.

Bill
 
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Lencarta-3-Head-Studio-Flash-Kit-Softbox-Reflector-NEW

Thanks AJB & explora56, again more good reports about BOwens which I have to admit is fast becoming my 1st choice.
However on trawling through ebay i came across this offer above... can folks out there give me their opinion on it, on the face of it £379 for such a kit sounds too good to be true... is it? Would this be a purchase I may regret verses the bowens lights:

To Explora56 thanks so much for looking at this too on ebay and taking time to give your opinion, will PM again.
 
Kerioak said:
Hi Talisman
How long/many flashes have you found it takes before they overheat?
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The Bowens are not my, they are a freinds, he has used them on a few occasions and they have overheated on him...

Maybe its just him..

I got the D-Lites 4's Yesterday and can confirm they ARE fan cooled.

Cant wait to the weekend to have a play with them. Easy to set up, i had expected the Soft Boxes to be trick to setup but found it very easy indeed. (y)
 
Talisman said:
I got the D-Lites 4's Yesterday and can confirm they ARE fan cooled.
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??

For your information these D-Lite units ARE NOT fan cooled. Fans are only available on the higher end products. This is one of the reasons D-Lites are less expensive. Still great lights though.


Here is some info on them
http://www.ephotozine.com/article/Elinchrom-D-Lite-4-kit

Also check the specs at the bottom of this pdf.

http://www.elinchrom.com/products/specifications/specifications.pdf

No mention of a fan although if you look at the higher spec heads all are fan cooloed. I have 3 of the 400BX heads and did consider the D-Lite 4s when I looked but got a great deal on ebay.



If you look at the
 
fletch5 said:
SO, would these lights make a noise of a fan if they werent fancooled? coz mine seems to do this!
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Check my post again as I've shown the D-Lite specs. Compare it to the ones of the higher end models which are all fan controlled.

The I'm not sure what is inside that makes the noise but it's not cooling fans.
 
Well what ever the specs say if you look under neath the botton of the flash head i can CLEARLY see a fan inside the grill, prob about 50mm square.

Its Fan Shaped, Fan type noise and looks like a fan to me.

could it be a fan?
 
Here is a quote from a member from another forum. (i asked on a few what people thought about the D-Lites compared to the Bowens and only on this other site did i get a reply..)





Well.. here's some news hot off the press.....

I spoke this morning with The Flash Center (the UK distrubutors for Elinchrom) on another matter and raised this point as well.

It seems that as of mid December all D-lites are now fan cooled. No formal announcement will be made until Focus as there is still a fair amount of non fan cooled stock in the system.

I think it's great news as the units are very good but could overheat under prolonged stress.

So.. if you're about to purchase, make sure you're getting the fan version !!
 
I was not aware that they now have fans so apologies if that is indeed true. When I was looking (over a year ago) this was one of the reasons why I chose the 400BX units.

Just had another look on the web and there's not one peice of info that states these units have cooling fans. Even Elinchrom's web site says nothing. I find it odd that such a major inclusion has not been reported.

I've emailed a supplier here in the Uk to ask the question.
 
Talisman said:
It seems that as of mid December all D-lites are now fan cooled. No formal announcement will be made until Focus as there is still a fair amount of non fan cooled stock in the system. !!
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think you missed what i put fella.
 
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