[JAG]

Dear all,

Due to space and budget limitations I would like to try a single light setup as I love low key mono images. Having never used any form of lighting bar natural and a torch before, to a newbie like me I'm not even sure what equipment I need. I've seen continuous lighting lamp setups with umbrellas on stands, I've seen some of them with flash units (do they all have flash capability?) that are remotely fired using infra red or radio.

Could anyone please decipher my incoherent ramblings and advise as to a beginners setup that would cater for my needs?

Many thanks,

Ian

[Dabhand16]

Lights fall into two basic types. Mains/tungsten (continuous) and flash heads. Most flash heads have modeling lights (continuous) built in to show you where the shadows are going to be.

Pros for the mains - cheap, simple, can be used with dimmers, WYSIWYG, the kit is lighter and you can even use desk or domestic lamps! I'm not sure if you can still get 'photoflood' bulbs that were powerful and nearer to daylight colour temperature.
Cons - hot to work/pose under, needs colour temperature tests.

Pros for Flash heads - more comfortable to work with, no colour temperature issues, will 'freeze' movement,
Cons - more expensive, needs trigger.

I think it is fair to say that most people who use proper flash heads would not consider anything else, but there is no reason why you can't start off using a tungsten set up just to see how you get on. If you get hooked you can then go for a studio flash set up.

[JAG]

Thank you very much for that Graham.

I've just read the threads regarding the Interfit EX150 kit, and to be honest for my level it sounds ideal. Does this offer continuous lighting as well as flash? Also, I have a D40, am I correct in thinking that the IR solution basically puts a device on the cameras hot shoe and that triggers one of the flashes? Would I need two then for both lights? I understand that cables are supplied but can be a bit of a pain and as the D40 doesn't have PC sync option I guess I need the IR or go for a hotshoe adaptor (would that work?). Are there alternatives to the Interfit IR? Apologies for the questions I'm confused

Many thanks,

Ian

[Dabhand16]

I'm sure that those with recent experience with these units will be along soon, but in the meantime, Digital Photo magazine tested budget studio flash setups earlier this year. If you can access it on-line, I think it was the March edition.

[Dave Canon]

There is another disadvantage in Tungsten lighting in that it is less safe. There used to be some nasty accidents with hot tunsten lighting particularly for temporary set ups. Flash lighting is easy and consistent and you do get instant feedback now with a digital camera. At our Club we do not normally use cables for triggering but have an infra red trigger and slave flash trigger. Normally if you had multiple flash units, your camera triggers the main flash with the secondary flash unit using slave triggers which sense the first flash firing. You can use such a trigger on the main flash unit and thus trigger the flash from a camera mounted flash. For the camera mounted flash, you will need the type that ypu can point upwards or away from the main subject. Also you need to set the camera flash to manual and a low setting so there is just enough light to trigger the main flash sensor but not enough to affect the lighting of the subject. The alternative is an infra red unit but they are probably more tocuhy and not worth the cost if you already have a suitable camera mounted flash unit.

You can obtain good low key portraits using a single flash but I would recommend having a reflector which will help in some cases. You could make your own reflector or utilise a white board; it does not need to cost.

Dave

[ed34]

i'm in a similar position to yourself as to space and budget,
i looked at the interfit light setup and also the elinchrom d-lite 2 kit.after a bit of reasearch i went for the d-lite setup because of the build qualitly,(thats not say the the interfit are not good) as the d-lites do cost quite a bit more,also the d-lites offer a more control over the settings,
i've only had mine a a week so i can't really say how good they really are at the moment
hth sean