Studio Lighting Equipment Rental in Cambridgeshire, UK

[james white]

Hi there,

Can anyone recommend (or even if you can't recommend, can you name) anywhere that will rent out studio lighting gear in the Cambridge area?

I don't ask for much, just a couple of average strobes with lightstands and umbrellas etc!

I really just want to play around with some equipment for a day or two before I decide whether I'm going to buy this stuff or not and get a feel for what can be achieved.

I have googled and yellow paged and just keep getting disco and theatre lights, which isn't what i want!

Thanks

James

[chauncey]

in the Cambridge area?

Aah...Cambridge what/where?
I am an ardent fan of pawn shops...used gear like that is often relatively inexpensive.

[Manfred M]

Why don't you ask at your local photo retailer. One of the largest outfits where I live also has a rental business, and if they don't they might be able to direct you to one that does.

Playing around for a day or two is likely to leave frustrated, studio lighting is not something you are going to pick up that quickly, and frankly I would suggest you start with a single light and possibly add a reflector and master those before moving on. I do use umbrellas, as they are quite portable, but perfer the control a softbox and grid spots give me.

You will also need to look at how you are planning to trigger the strobe; while synch cords work, I'm personally a fan of radio triggers.

[james white]

Thanks for the warning and suggestions! I am no stranger to frustration, nor jumping in the deep end as the world flies and doesn't notice me drowning (which is sometimes a good thing!).

I'm out in the sticks here, and I know that the one and only local retailer i have found doesn't rent, so broadened my search and am getting some kit delivered tomorrow.

In this case the lighting is for a particular project which is happening next week whether i like it or not, so i just need to do it and try to make the most of it! This time it is purely heritage documentation so as long as i can illuminate the subject the job is done! Famous last words.

I have some experience of OCL using a single speedlight, and i wasn't (entirely) disappointed with those results. I understand that radio systems can be really helpful but I hope that I can keep it as simple as possible with sync cords and/or ir triggering. If it is too much head ache this week i will add a radio system for next week, but ideally (ha) it will be a case of setting the lights and leaving them alone while i methodically take an awful lot of images before moving on to the next area.

If it isn't a complete disaster I shall post an update on how i get on!