Complete 400W Photography Kit w/ Umbrellas, Lights, Backdrops - $124.90

now I can invite ladies to my studio apartment for a "photoshoot".....

any thoughts on this kit from any photographer's out there? suitable as a starter/first-time buyer for a studio kit?

Any Pro/Con's to the output power of the bulbs and the umbrella size?

The 45w bulbs are really too weak for this application unless you have more lights. These bulbs are the ones you see with the label 150w equivalent. They are nowhere near 150w in pure lumens. If these units come with low wattage bulbs, I'm guessing the wiring wouldn't be able to handle the current or heat of real incandescent bulbs.

I was fortunate enough to try a semi pro setup with halogen lights and remote flash units which were great. If you are expecting similar performance from this setup, you will be disappointed.

Quote from Mack7mle : now I can invite ladies to my studio apartment for a "photoshoot".....

Good idea! In 4 1!

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Complete-...2577a826ea

What's the difference? This is $99

90 watts, it will not serve it purpose. I would stay away.

Quote from seotaji : The 45w bulbs are really too weak for this application unless you have more lights. These bulbs are the ones you see with the label 150w equivalent. They are nowhere near 150w in pure lumens. If these units come with low wattage bulbs, I'm guessing the wiring wouldn't be able to handle the current or heat of real incandescent bulbs. I was fortunate enough to try a semi pro setup with halogen lights and remote flash units which were great. If you are expecting similar performance from this setup, you will be disappointed.

I agree; halogens are the way to go; if you're using amfa software, the cycling of the CFLs will mess the process up. Took me a day or two to figure that out.

If you are going to by a continuous lighting solution like this instead of strobes for a studio, I suggest reading this first so you understand what you are getting: What should I consider when choosing continuous lighting vs. strobes for studio photography? [stackexchange.com]

Garbage.

6-1/5 ft Max. fully extended height and 2-2/5 ft Min. height.

Sure, I'll throw in my two cents.

Pro: Continuous lighting is good for child and baby photos, as you don't have super bright flashes making them cranky. Also is easier for your camera to focus. It's cheap.

Con: The backdrop holder is flimsy, and only goes 6 feet high (most go 8+). The backdrops are small...6' wide and only 9' long. A white cloth backdrop is pretty useless, as most go with paper. Continuous lighting is not nearly as bright as a flash unit, so you're limited on control and have to increase ISO settings. 32" umbrella size isn't too bad, though I tend to use 40+ (my main is 60").

If you really want to do studio stuff, spend a few extra dollars and do it right. Suprisingly, Cowboy Studio stuff isn't too bad, and is quite affordable. Get two stands (about $25), flash brackets ($15), two Yongnuo YN460IIs ($40 each), a couple of umbrellas ($15 each), and a flash trigger ($20). You can probably buy a cheap background stand for $60 or so from ebay, or a quality unit from some other place. As you get better, you can add more flash units and modifiers.

Not enough light from this unit. I would not buy. The 2000w kits that you can get on ebay (2 heads, 5 bulbs each) is ok at times, but even those are not enough light at times (portraits using iso 100/200).

Quote from seotaji : The 45w bulbs are really too weak for this application unless you have more lights. These bulbs are the ones you see with the label 150w equivalent. They are nowhere near 150w in pure lumens. If these units come with low wattage bulbs, I'm guessing the wiring wouldn't be able to handle the current or heat of real incandescent bulbs. I was fortunate enough to try a semi pro setup with halogen lights and remote flash units which were great. If you are expecting similar performance from this setup, you will be disappointed.

Do you or any other Pro or Enthuasiast photographers have a kit recommendation to start out with?

I've invested in decent camera equipment, and I understand lighting system can be expensive. If say you had a budget of $400-$700? Anyone with recommendations? The only thing I hear about a lot are AlienBee Lights.

Quote from rt80639 : Sure, I'll throw in my two cents. Suprisingly, Cowboy Studio stuff isn't too bad, and is quite affordable.

I have the Cowboy Studio backdrop stand myself, and it is quite nice. Actually has nuts/bolts, no pressed fittings.

For portability when I'm not using full strobes, I usually use a couple Photek 60" Softlighter II umbrellas. I LOVE them.