Looking for studio lighting for $500

[KKCFamilyman]

I sold my 2 x 600ex rt speedlite system awhile ago and still want a set of lights to play with to learn more about lighting. I want to practice on my family and friends. Does anyone have a recommendation for a 2 light strobe kit that they know works decent? Budget is a little negotiable. I want to be able to radio trigger it also

 

[privatebydesign]

Save a bit more money and go to the Paul C Buff Packages page http://www.paulcbuff.com/packages.php

I'd highly recommend the Einsteins, although they are a bit more money they are the kind of thing you only need to buy once, their spec level is amazingly good for the price and Paul C Buff service is second to none. There are a lot of pros that use Einsteins even when they could use pretty much anything else, they are that good.

 

[privatebydesign]

P.S. The other point about Buff gear is it holds it's value very well, with second hand gear often selling at 90% or more of the new price, so the gamble of if you will get on with it is not so severe. I actually got a couple of Einsteins secondhand via my camera club with less than 800 pops per head (there is a counter in them that you can read), first time I fired one on full power it blew a capacitor. I called Paul C Buff and they asked for the serial number, they determined it was less than two years old so fixed it under warranty! Now that is service.

 

[JustinMartin]

Ill second the Buff gear - they really stand behind their product. I sent an email to them asking for replacement stickers for the sides of the units - they arrived free of charge within 24 hours.

The have also recently announced a recall on some of the vagabond batteries on units that are a couple of years old and out of warranty, offering free replacements on effective units.

Great easy to use and very portable gear without spending a fortune. You can also find tons of 3rd party modifiers cheap as well.

 

[bobby samat]

i also use buff lights. we have three einstein 640's and really don't have any complaints.

640w/s is more than enough power for portraits. even at f/11 i rarely go anywhere near 1/2 power on my key light.

 

[sagittariansrock]

The Godox 300 has good reviews, but for just a little more, Alien Bees would have been my overwhelming choice.
Having said that, I opted for portability and HSS as I still don't have a studio and already have 3 Speedlites for non-key lighting- I spent $ 400 for the Adorama Flashpoint Streaklight 360s (rebranded Godox AD360s- 300Ws approx). Cannot be happier!
If these had TTL, I would have replaced all my Speedlites for these...

 

[RLPhoto]

PCB stuff is really good for the price. They sell a Two alienbee kit and I'd start there. Later on you can move up to the superb Einstein strobes and mix them with the AB 800s.

 

[brad goda]

get what you can afford now and start working with it…
thats one light first… there is only one sun so work with that one light…
get used to all the modifiers you have with that one light… umbrella box reflectors … direct lighting and bouncing…
get a bunch of bead board / foam board for bounce … large and small and work with that…
take notes….have fun!

 

[pwp]

Yep, like just about every other post here, I'd suggest the PCB Alien Bees. I use six fundamentally similar PCB Einsteins which basically just offer greater flexibility. As you progress, you may expand into Einsteins happy in the knowledge that any modifiers you buy for the Alien Bees are 100% compatible with the Einsteins.

FWIW I'm much happier now with my six Einsteins than I ever was with my over-weight, over-rated, over-priced Profoto kit (six Compact 600's and two Pro-6 2400ws floorpacks and a truckload of accessories) which spent too much time at the repair shop to remain viable.

-pw

 

[agierke]

I'll echo the sentiment of PCB. Best value for the money. If you go cheaper than these you will likely be trading performance and reliability. Plus they have unparalleled customer service.

I had 2 first generation Einsteins that had been updated since I bought them. One of them had a fuse blow and I had trouble finding a 3rd party replacement fuse. Called PCB and they said send both units back to them and they replaced them with the newer units at no cost to me....even though they were out of warranty!!! No other company can claim that level of service!!!

 

[anthonyd]

I'll second the Godox AD360. It's fast, powerful and well designed. You can get it with a few extras and the native remote trigger (although you'll need some additional equipment to do HSS) for under $500. The power output is lower than the Einsteins, but you win in portability (hell you can mount it directly on your camera like a speedlight) and I have yet to find a situation where I used more than 1/4 power.

 

[pwp]

I'll second the Godox AD360. It's fast, powerful and well designed. You can get it with a few extras and the native remote trigger (although you'll need some additional equipment to do HSS) for under $500. The power output is lower than the Einsteins, but you win in portability (hell you can mount it directly on your camera like a speedlight) and I have yet to find a situation where I used more than 1/4 power.

Great advice. My portable go-to powerhouse is a pair of Godox AD360's. They're awesome!
The pair fit in a little backpack, with batteries, Phottix Odin triggers and modifiers.
I love these things and use them almost as much as my Einsteins now. And they do HSS!
http://www.godox.com/EN/Products_Camera_Flash_Witstro_AD180&AD360_Powerfou&Portable_Flash.html

-pw

 

[gary samples]

highly recommend the Einsteins

 

[neuroanatomist]

highly recommend the Einsteins

Agreed.

 

[PureClassA]

highly recommend the Einsteins

Agreed.

Double Agreed. There is simply no better strobe for $500. Period. I'd dare say there is not better strobe than the Einstein for $1000 and maybe even $1500.

 

[JohnDizzo15]

+1 for the Godox or the Flashpoint Streaklight 360ws as the name I purchased it under. Just recently, they were 399, free shipping, no tax for the light, battery pack, transceiver kit, and umbrella adapter. The light already works with my yongnuo 622c triggers. All I needed was a pc sync cord to run HSS and I'm up and running with full wireless control of a 360 watt second light for about $403.

As far as for the light itself, yes, they are no PCB, but they are rock solid nonetheless and a fraction of the cost.

Re portability, I basically have the light, the 622c trigger, and plate on top of my gorilla pod with the battery pack velcroed to one of the pod legs. Can't beat that type of portability with anything else with that amount of power at that price.

 

[KKCFamilyman]

Ok so I am looking at this setup

item#
item description
unit price
u/m
qty
cost

B800-B
B800 Black Studio Flash
$279.95
ea.
2
$559.90

VM120*
Vagabond Mini Lithium 120VAC
$239.95
ea.
1
$239.95

CSR
CyberSync Receiver (AC)
$69.95
ea.
2
$139.90

CST
CyberSync Trigger Transmitter
$59.95
ea.
1
$59.95

LS3900
13-foot Heavy Duty Stand
$69.95
ea.
2
$139.90

PLM64-WFDF
PLM Front Diffuser Fabric, 64in White
$15.95
ea.
2
$31.90

PLM64U-SS-8MM
64-inch Parabolic Umbrella Soft Silver with 8MM Shaft
$49.95
ea.
2
$99.90

RBH2566
Reflector Kit Mounting Arm
$29.95
ea.
1
$29.95

Anything that is overkill?

 

[privatebydesign]

On first glance I'd skip the vagabond and upgrade the B800's to Einsteins, you will not regret it and the resale value of Einsteins is very high if you don't get on with them.

If you do that you can also swap the $70 CSR's for the $30 CSXCV, which are much better anyway.

I wouldn't get two PLM's either, I'd mix it up a bit with either the $80 white beautydish or an octabox. The PLM's don't offer the control the smaller modifiers do, and the fun of having control over your lights is that feathering.

Compared to the 600-EX-RT's the power from either the B800's or Einsteins will give you much more control. Don't forget most of the time you have a third light too, the ambient, that you can integrate, either as the key, a fill, or a rim light.

 

[Ripley]

Save a few bucks on the stands... they probably all come from the same place anyways:

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/search?N=10253066&InitialSearch=yes&sts=pi

 

[sagittariansrock]

On first glance I'd skip the vagabond and upgrade the B800's to Einsteins, you will not regret it and the resale value of Einsteins is very high if you don't get on with them.

If you do that you can also swap the $70 CSR's for the $30 CSXCV, which are much better anyway.

I wouldn't get two PLM's either, I'd mix it up a bit with either the $80 white beautydish or an octabox. The PLM's don't offer the control the smaller modifiers do, and the fun of having control over your lights is that feathering.

Compared to the 600-EX-RT's the power from either the B800's or Einsteins will give you much more control. Don't forget most of the time you have a third light too, the ambient, that you can integrate, either as the key, a fill, or a rim light.

Wouldn't you recommend the 8.5", the 18" HOR etc. as small modifiers with the Einstein?
Just got my first and still trying to decide what to get from PCB.