# what studio lights?



## dakyoo (Nov 10, 2010)

Hello,

what brand studio lights would you recommend ? 

looking for a basic amateur lighting system that will do the work. 
purpose would be for shooting models for a portfolio. 

current gear i have: 

7D / 70-200mm f2.8 IS II / 50mm f1.8 / 15-85mm f3.5-5.6 / 580EX II


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## Talbert121 (Dec 4, 2010)

Cool Lights are a much better bet because theyâ€™re fluorescent and donâ€™t run hot. Therefore, they donâ€™t create such a tangible fire risk and they are more comfortable for everyone involved. They are also more or less the same color as daylight, so can be used if there is daylight in the room, and can be used in conjunction with flash. But, like hotlights, they have very little power compared to flash and so they cause the same problems with high ISO and slow shutter speeds. Some fluorescent lights can be adjusted by switching off one or more of the bulbs, unlike hotlights, but the range of adjustment is pretty limited.


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## JRSJ (Dec 4, 2010)

Talbert121 said:


> Cool Lights are a much better bet...




_*W-w-w-w-w-w-w-w-W-W-W-w-w-w-w-wait -- wait.*_

Fluorescent lights are far from the best bet. 

Without getting into the nightmare of syncing hertz speed to shutter speed, or matching colour temperature to fluorescent, here are three reasons why monobloc strobes are more flexible.

1: The portability of strobes vs continuous light are a no brainer. Continuous lights would require a conventional power outlet/generator to run. Furthermore, most battery packs are designed with a sine wave inverter, and therefore cannot handle the load of a continuous light. 

2: Beyond that, strobes are able to freeze action WHILE wasting less energy than a continuous light.

3: Finally, monoblocs usually have a wider and more consistent range of f-stops than continuous light. 

Dakyoo, if you're serious about studio light, I recommend Alienbees (www.alienbees.com). No doubt they are the best bang for buck you can get inside the USA. If you cannot afford studio lights, I recommend getting some old Vivitar 285HV's, umbrellas, stands and some wireless triggers. Hope that helps.


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