Inexpensive studio lighting kit

[brucehughw]

Hello,

I'm considering purchasing this kit and using it for some home studio learning/photography. I realize it won't freeze motion, isn't very portable, and isn't something a professional would purchase, but for experimenting with different configurations and intensities, it seems to offer a lot of options. I also like the softboxes because from what I've read they direct light more accurately than umbrellas. Any flaws in my logic?

Thanks, Bruce

[Shadowman]

For studio work it should be just fine, perhaps a bit too elaborate for what you have in mind; but definitely capable of providing you with some tools if you ever decide to expand your shooting style.

[Manfred M]

It depends on what you are planning to shoot. It looks okay for static subjects. The 2400W looks rather misleading as that much heat would certainly melt any softbox

Softboxes, like anything else in photography need to be sized to the subject you are planning to shoot. I will often only use a single softbox as my main light and will use other types of light shaping equipment (reflectors, grids, snoots, gels) for the other lights. That really means buying a design of lights that lets you expand your toolkit as you gain experience. With the system I use, I can switch the type of modifier I want to use and still use the same light as my light source. This equipment does not look like it will let you use it. I will also use grids (these are made from fabric) to control light spill from my softboxes.

The other thing I can't find anywhere is the height of the light stands. With very few exceptions, we tend to set up lighting so the light is pointing down at the subjects, with your main light emulating sunlight (directionally, in any case), so I would tend to not want any stands that are less than 8ft high when they are fully extended. I can't tell what the maximum height of these are.

If you look at this as potentially 100% throw away, then go for it. If you are looking to potentially build up a system, there are better approaches that you can build with. One other thought; if you are going with this setup, look at getting some sandbags to ensure that the lights don't topple over. They tend to be a bit unstable and top heavy. This is generic advice, that applies to this gear as well as any other equipment as well.

[brucehughw]

Thanks a lot, Manfred. Regarding my subjects -- I think flowers in transparent vases will be a start. I experimented over the weekend, with an illuminated diffusion panel (fancy word for tissue paper held by a frame) in the back, a side light, and a reflector for the side light. An overhead light would have been really handy, since the side lights created glare off the round vase. If I continue with this sort of subject, I'll certainly need something to illuminate the diffusion panel (one of the big softboxes will come in handy) and an overhead light (provided in this kit) and maybe a side light (also provided). Also, for future work with different sized subjects, I can create panels out of thin mattes (used in framing), cut holes to let light through, and place them over the fronts of the softboxes.

Too early to tell if I'll get real into this; hence my reluctance to spend too much. If I were taking the "build up a system approach," what would you recommend for me to get started with flowers in a clear vase?

Thanks much, Bruce (PS, yes the 2400 W is totally misleading.)

It depends on what you are planning to shoot. It looks okay for static subjects. The 2400W looks rather misleading as that much heat would certainly melt any softbox

Softboxes, like anything else in photography need to be sized to the subject you are planning to shoot. I will often only use a single softbox as my main light and will use other types of light shaping equipment (reflectors, grids, snoots, gels) for the other lights. That really means buying a design of lights that lets you expand your toolkit as you gain experience. With the system I use, I can switch the type of modifier I want to use and still use the same light as my light source. This equipment does not look like it will let you use it. I will also use grids (these are made from fabric) to control light spill from my softboxes.

The other thing I can't find anywhere is the height of the light stands. With very few exceptions, we tend to set up lighting so the light is pointing down at the subjects, with your main light emulating sunlight (directionally, in any case), so I would tend to not want any stands that are less than 8ft high when they are fully extended. I can't tell what the maximum height of these are.

If you look at this as potentially 100% throw away, then go for it. If you are looking to potentially build up a system, there are better approaches that you can build with. One other thought; if you are going with this setup, look at getting some sandbags to ensure that the lights don't topple over. They tend to be a bit unstable and top heavy. This is generic advice, that applies to this gear as well as any other equipment as well.

[rpcrowe]

I have a four CFL softbox that I purchased for video work to supplement the LED video light on my camera.

However, I have expanded the use of this softbox to photographing my dogs. I used to do a pretty complicated setup for dog portraiture...



However, I got tired of setting it up and tearing it down several times a week so, I ended up using an arm chair with a fabric covering and the CFL softbox, combined with an on-camera hotshoe flash bounced off the ceiling and modified with a Joe Demb Flash Diffuser Pro. I also use the daylight Ott Light as a back light...



I leave the softbox set up in our family room and just put away the fabric covering (I have about a dozen different colors and styles of fabric) and the Ott Light is my wife's reading light. This is a no hassle way to shoot which takes me just a moment to set up.

The results are quite decent. I have no problems mixing the light sources but, I do use a WhiBal card and adjust the white balance in Adobe Camera Raw using the eye dropper tool...





The 4 CFL softbox is quite nice for a close up light. However it doesn't produce a lot of light and couldn't light a larger area. But for your planned use and for head and shoulders portraits that kit would be just fine. There is virtually no heat generated from the 4 CFL bulbs. OTOH, for portraits, I would want a light that incorporates a snoot also. But, that single CFL softbox might just do for that...

For portraits you would probably want to shoot close to wide open (depending on your lens). I shoot my portraits (both human and dog) with a 70-200mm f/4L IS lens usually at f/4 or f/5.6. However for still life set-ups in which there is no movement and in which you might probably want maximum DOF, you can shoot at f/11 or f/16 and use a longer shutter speed.

Always remember, the closer the softbox is to the subject, the softer the light will be. That is an advantage when you are shooting with a unit that doesn't put out much light. I shot this Nikon D90 for a eBay sale with only the softbox just a foot or two away from the subject camera..

[brucehughw]

Hi, Richard.

Thanks for all the advice. Note, I could not get to any of your images. Chrome said "This webpage is not available" Any chance of you resending and using tinypic (or whatever we use on this site) to include the images?

Bruce

[Manfred M]

Your clear glass vase is going to be a bit problematic, even with this equipment as clear glass is tough to photograph, especially without reflections.

I seem to remember that you got the lighting book "Light Science & Magic: An Introduction to Photographic Lighting" from the library. Look up bright field and dark field lighting. Once you get the vase to look good using one of these two techniques, you are going to have to light the flowers, without having any of the light on them fall on the vase.

Definitely not a trivial exercise...

You might want to contact Mike Buckley (here at CiC) for other hints as he does a lot of work with glass.

[brucehughw]

Hi, Manfred. I did get that book and am applying the bright field lighting you mentioned. And, yes, I first got the vase to look ok and then tried illuminating the flowers. I'm realizing it's not trivial! At least nothing is moving .

Thanks, bruce

[Mike Buckley]

You might want to contact Mike Buckley

I've been following the thread, which is chock full of good information, and have nothing to add about the lighting equipment being considered.

As far as the recent discussion about lighting flowers and similarly translucent and/or opaque subjects along with glass is concerned, I have a very simple rule that I follow religiously: Use the method of getting everything right that is most enjoyable to implement, whether it's done with the lighting setup, a combination of setups (captures), post-processing or all of the above. For me, the most enjoyable method is almost always the method that requires the least amount of time.

[brucehughw]

Hi, Mike.

Great words of photographic (and other?) wisdom. I think I'll go with the StudioFX equipment. Good to learn with and meets the criteria you expressed below.

thanks, Bruce

I've been following the thread, which is chock full of good information, and have nothing to add about the lighting equipment being considered.

As far as the recent discussion about lighting flowers and similarly translucent and/or opaque subjects along with glass is concerned, I have a very simple rule that I follow religiously: Use the method of getting everything right that is most enjoyable to implement, whether it's done with the lighting setup, a combination of setups, post-processing or all of the above. For me, the most enjoyable method is almost always the method that requires the least amount of time.

[Loose Canon]

Hey Bruce!

I went to the Kaezi website to see if there was any further info available on the kit you are looking at. Looks like two of the light stands advertise 80” (6.6’) max extension and hairlight stand at 7’ (84”). That should do for table shooting. If you want to shoot portraiture subjects will most likely have to be sitting to get these high enough.

Make sure you can source spare bulbs/fuses. Kaezi offers replacements but they seem a little on the high end plus shipping. Better if you can source locally perhaps.

The only power output adjustment I’m seeing is the option of either on/off for each individual bulb in each bank. This may do but just be aware this is a tradeoff. It may also be possible to put each individual light bank on a dimmer switch for more incremental control and I would definitely look into this. I would rather have each bulb lit and dimmed/brightened than a number of bulbs either all on or all off. I would think the dimmer solution would give a more even light and help avoid hotspots.

You would be correct with your softbox vs. umbrella and light direction theory.

Further, shaping the light is important for what you are looking to do Bruce. Chances are pretty good that you can’t shoot glass under lights without “glare”! If you figure a way please let me know! So what you do is call them “highlights”, shape them, and use them to your advantage to, well, highlight definition, and different parts of the scene that could benefit the subject. As an example of shaping you could easily take a piece of black foam board or some such, cut it so it covers half (or whatever you need) of your soft box, tape it over the diffusion panel on your softbox and voila! Stripbox!

This is a handblown glass fishie from a glassblower friend of mine for whom I have done a ton of work. Obviously shot on a dark field, I lit the fish such that I had those “highlights” on the edges, some of the curves of the glass, the eyes, lips (do fish have lips?) which defines the fishie. Otherwise the clear glass (non-colored) part of the fish would have been completely lost in the dark background. Just like the non-highlighted clear glass is lost in the background.



Same with this whiskey bottle. The highlights give definition to the shape of the bottle. The bottle was lit and shot separately like this and used in a final composite. In fact, this bottle was lit, shot, and extracted and composited on a dark field in this example. It was not shot on a dark field.



This is a light field technique example where I also used one accent light to add highlights to accent the shape of the bubbles and the bottle. The BG is lit with two lights with two different colored gels.



And two sidelights accent this bottle.



To get your vase lit nicely as well as the flowers (and vice-verse), you will probably need to learn about flags to tightly control the light so as not to affect the lighting for the glass. As for barn doors, shoots, etc. you will have to DIY it for the kit you are looking at.

[rpcrowe]

Hi, Richard.

Thanks for all the advice. Note, I could not get to any of your images. Chrome said "This webpage is not available" Any chance of you resending and using tinypic (or whatever we use on this site) to include the images?

Bruce

I link to my images in smugmug.com... This is the first time there has been any problem in viewing my images AFIK...

[Dave Humphries]

Hi Bruce, Terry,

In my limited experience, the CFL bulbs may, or may not, be dimmable - check their spec. before trying.
If they are, I assume the dimming doesn't affect the colour temperature as much as it would for tungsten filament bulbs?

The other obvious way to control the 'power' of a light in smaller increments* would be adding extra thin diffusion material over the front of the softbox and/or adjusting the light to subject distance. Clearly neither is as convenient as adjusting the power of a strobe or speedlite in 1/3 stop increments, but you do have the distinct advantage of WYSIWYG lighting (over speedlites).

* smaller than switching on/off a single bulb in a group of up to 5.

Good luck, Dave

[Loose Canon]

It may also be possible to put each individual light bank on a dimmer switch for more incremental control and I would definitely look into this. I would rather have each bulb lit and dimmed/brightened than a number of bulbs either all on or all off. I would think the dimmer solution would give a more even light and help avoid hotspots.

Hi Dave, Bruce,

I think Dave is right here Bruce. I can honestly say I didn’t know about this since I am a flash user. So if Dave has limited experience I would judge mine as none with this!

But a quick Google says basically dimmable CFL’s are specifically marked as such and non-dimmable should also say. But there are dimmable CFL’s. Also looks like a special compatible non-legacy dimmer needs to be used. I knew this about LED’s since I use them in my home, but was unaware of the CFL issue.

So I went back to the Kaezi site to see if there was anything regarding this with their replacement bulbs and didn’t see anything. I guess one might assume the provided bulbs are of the non-dimmable variety since their fixtures are non-dimmable.

As for color temp, even if you do use dimmables, I would expect a temp change though admittedly I have no experience with dimmable continuous studio lighting. Most (but not all) flashes, including speedlights experience color shift at different output levels. There are those that don’t but none that I know of at the price point of the Kaezi kit.

Sorry for any confusion Bruce and thanks Dave for clarifying. I’ll guess add this to the “Why I Don’t Use Continuous Lighting” list!

[brucehughw]

Hi, Richard.

I was able to view the photos just fine from home. I think Big Brother on our work computers did not like the site. Thanks for posting all those links. I have a couple dogs, too, and it gives me some ideas.

Bruce

I link to my images in smugmug.com... This is the first time there has been any problem in viewing my images AFIK...

[brucehughw]

Hi, Terry!

Incredible material, as always! Also, as always, a wealth of knowledge and examples shared. Thanks very much. Really good examples to learn from. I ordered the kit yesterday and will post my attempts/questions as they arise. This is good stuff.

Thanks again,

Bruce

Hey Bruce!

I went to the Kaezi website to see if there was any further info available on the kit you are looking at. Looks like two of the light stands advertise 80” (6.6’) max extension and hairlight stand at 7’ (84”). That should do for table shooting. If you want to shoot portraiture subjects will most likely have to be sitting to get these high enough. ...

[Loose Canon]

Awesome Bruce!

Congratulations on the new lighting rig. Looking forward to you putting it to good use!

[AlwaysOnAuto]

This thread helps me appreciate the generosity of my new son-in-law even more.
He kindly gave me what you've just bought Bruce.

[rpcrowe]

Bruce...

Here is a selection of my dog images. Most of them have been shot to post on Intenet dog rescue sites.

https://rpcrowe.smugmug.com/Pets/MAL...RNIA/i-bZs2Fj9

[brucehughw]

Hi, Alan.

What a nice gift! Feel free to share on the forum or private messaging what you're doing with it.

Bruce

This thread helps me appreciate the generosity of my new son-in-law even more.
He kindly gave me what you've just bought Bruce.