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Lighting Thread Anonymous
Sup /p/:

Let's make a lighting thread.

I haven't seen many of them in the time I've been lurking /p/.

What do you use? What's its pros and cons?
What are your opinions in strobes, constant lighting, etc?

What would you reccomend for OP? (Considering he can spend about $1,000)
>> Anonymous
I use THE SUN as my constant lighting source.

Pros: Cheap and available
Cons: The moon is a poor substitute
>> Anonymous
ALINEBEEZ
>> Anonymous
>>263534
DigiBee + Cybersync + Vagabond is full of win.
>> Anonymous
the best bang4buck setups you can get will involve alienbees, unarguably
>> Anonymous
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i luv my bees

Camera-Specific Properties:Equipment MakeCanonCamera ModelCanon EOS 40DLens Size18.00 - 55.00 mmFirmware VersionFirmware Version 1.0.8Serial Number1420715782Image-Specific Properties:Image OrientationTop, Left-HandHorizontal Resolution72 dpiVertical Resolution72 dpiImage Created2008:09:26 15:21:19Exposure Time1/25 secF-Numberf/3.5Exposure ProgramNormal ProgramISO Speed Rating500Lens Aperturef/3.5Exposure Bias0 EVFlashNo Flash, CompulsoryFocal Length18.00 mmColor Space InformationsRGBImage Width3888Image Height2592RenderingNormalExposure ModeAutoScene Capture TypeStandardExposure ModeProgramFocus TypeAutoMetering ModePartialSharpnessUnknownSaturationLowContrastNormalShooting ModeManualImage SizeLargeFocus ModeOne-ShotDrive ModeSingleFlash ModeOffCompression SettingFineMacro ModeNormalWhite BalanceAutoExposure Compensation3Sensor ISO Speed236Color Matrix129
>> Anonymous
So, from what I've read and heard, AlienBees is a pretty popular brand. What makes it popular? Cheapness? Availability?

What about Bowens?
>> Anonymous
>>263561

>the best bang4buck setups you can get will involve alienbees, unarguably
>> Anonymous
>>263537
Really? Better bang for buck than $10 work lights?

Not as much control, of course, but a working, directional light for 1/22th of the price of their cheapest model sounds like bang for the buck.
>> Anonymous
i know a lot of people like speedotrons.
>> Anonymous
>>263573
The alien bees have a modeling lamp that has the same bulb as a worklight.
>> Anonymous
263573

sorry buddy, alienbees is the best bang for buck lighting equipment out there.

your work light is cheap and has no control. that is not what bang for buck means unfortunately
>> Anonymous
>>263573
Recently I shot an indoor group portrait of 53 people at night. Myself and a single B1600 in a softbox was 30~40 ft away shooting ISO100, 28mm (full frame), F11@1/250.

How many shop lights does it take to throw F11 light 35 ft away with a 28mm spread?
>> Anonymous
>>263614

excellent example.
>> Anonymous
>>263614

you fucking ice burned him
>> Anonymous
>>263614
I'd say eight or ten 1kW work lights will do the job, and they still will be cheaper than your single B1600. Though setting up and powering them will be a HUGE pain in the ass. Also, those 53 people will kill you later.
>> Anonymous
>>263614
>>263604

I didn't say they're better (they're not, obviously), but $30 for a simple three-point lighting set-up is pretty bang-for-your-buck compared to three B400s at 224.95 each.

Also, most people don't have to shoot 53 people at once. What was it?
>> Anonymous
>>263614
A shop light would replace a hot light, not a strobe. If you are shooting something that doesn't require a strobe (ie. people), then a work light from home depot should be fine.

>>263614
That's pretty impressive for a single light, even at 1600w, but why 1/250 with a flash? Was there a lot of ambient light, or moving lights?
>> Anonymous
>>263649
@ f11 (to get more than one row of people in focus) say goodbye to ambient indoors at any shutter speed that will still freeze people moving.

Most people say fuck it, and just nuke the ambient with strobes.

Common indoor 50+ person night shots are wedding reception, corporate events, sweet sixteens, awards ceremonies, etc...
>> Anonymous
I actually use a nice work lamp (500w) that I got for like $14 at home depot. Between that and my flash (which has a remote trigger) I've gotten results I'm more than happy with. I figure for another $14 I can get a second lamp, bounce them off walls or sheets or my reflector, and really have all the lighting control I need. Considering I didn't even buy the work lamp for photography, I'm getting excellent results, comparible to what I may get with something that cost 50 times more.

That being said, I would like to get some real lighting equipment eventually. I do photography for fun, not profit (but I have had pictures published go me!), so using a ghetto setup works just fine for now. But if "good enough" was really good enough, I'd still be using a point-and-shoot instead of a $2000 SLR. I try to learn with the cheap stuff first, though, to fully appreciate the pro-level stuff when I get it.

In the end, I focus on the final picture, not the equipment. Cheapo lighting does the job, so I'll stick with that until I know why I need something better.
>> Anonymous
>>263671
I can't tell what you are saying. First, at 30 to 40 feet away, you are going to have more than ~1ft of DoF even below f/11.

Depending on the location, you can have very bright ambient lights that will show up at f/11 with slower shutter speeds, and I'm not talking crazy slow speeds.

1/250 and 1/60 are both going to let in the same amount of light from the strobes.
>> Depressed Cheesecake !wFh1Fw9wBU
580EX2, a set of Skyports, cheap-o stand and westcott 43" umbrella ... cost me about ... $650? Works great.
>> Anonymous
I use a couple ab-800s w/ umbrellas, lightstands, remotes for studio work or strobing a gym or something.

I use an sb-600 for my flash. Why not sb-800, sb-900? Becuase im also shooting at 800-1600 when I use a flash and the 600 has more than enough power for that. In which case you take into account its lighter, smaller, easier to use..
>> Anonymous
>>263753im also shooting at 800-1600 when I use a flash

>> at 800-1600

i lold
>> Anonymous
wahh wahh wahh all these people who have to find a powerpoint, somewhere level to set up a stand, etc.

i use a bank of (or several banks of) SB-800's, often with the diffuser cap on, and the nikon IR trigger.

advantages? 4 flashes act like their own diffuser, no need for power source, no need for umbrella, VERY short cycle time.
>> Anonymous
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thought i should chip in now. I have no extra lighting equipment yet... should i buy a speedlight style flash first?
(running Nikon D80 and Canon S5, both of which have hotshoe)
>> Anonymous
>>263764
Since you have both canon and nikon, get the vivitar 285HV and a hotshoe to sync adapter
>> Anonymous
>>263688
If you are doing a group shot of an orchestra you would need at least a 25ft depth of field, and you would likely be about 30 ft away shooting at 28mm.