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Best Continuous Lighting Solution for Still Photography

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DPReview007

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Best Continuous Lighting Solution for Still Photography

So I have flashes with modifiers and radio triggers, but want to switch over to continuous lighting at least for my indoors photography. I have looked at the options B&H has to offer and also at the website of Cowboy Studios. What I’m finding is that:

- No continuous light can be used with large soft boxes. All the soft boxes they offer are small.

- The tungsten lights are hot, so modifiers are out of the question really

- The CFL lights are not dimmable and again there are no large modifiers available for them

- The LEDs are expensive (especially given how cheap their components are,) their color accuracy is poor, and again there are no large modifiers for them

What’s the best continuous lighting solution you’ve found for still studio photography? Ideally, I’d like to use a 60”or larger octa or other soft box (with a grid) with dimmable continuous lighting. Does that exist?

Thanks guys!
 
These days, LEDs.

But the good stuff can be pricey.
 
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All the reasons you listed that the about why the different options don't work well are exactly why the vast majority of photographers use flash.

Continuous lights are much less versatile, so you often need more types for different situations. Tungsten, hmi, and LED lights are all good for certain things. But you add up the cost the things you need for different situations and you end up with a room full of equipment that costs you more money than if you just kept it simple and used strobes.
 
DPReview007 said:
Best Continuous Lighting Solution for Still Photography

So I have flashes with modifiers and radio triggers, but want to switch over to continuous lighting at least for my indoors photography. I have looked at the options B&H has to offer and also at the website of Cowboy Studios. What I’m finding is that:

- No continuous light can be used with large soft boxes. All the soft boxes they offer are small.
Click to expand...
Multi-bulb CFL "heads" should put out enough light for large soft boxes.
DPReview007 said:
- The tungsten lights are hot, so modifiers are out of the question really
Click to expand...
Only softboxes are a real issue, and the trick there is to vent the softbox.
DPReview007 said:
- The CFL lights are not dimmable and again there are no large modifiers available for them
Click to expand...
Not dimmable, but I have a medium size gadget bag that is my bulb "vault", with a range of bulbs with different ratings.
DPReview007 said:
- The LEDs are expensive (especially given how cheap their components are,) their color accuracy is poor, and again there are no large modifiers for them
Click to expand...
Color accuracy is no worse than fluorescent, some LED may beat fluorescent. Depends on just what flavor of inaccuracy winds you up.
DPReview007 said:
What’s the best continuous lighting solution you’ve found for still studio photography? Ideally, I’d like to use a 60”or larger octa or other soft box (with a grid) with dimmable continuous lighting. Does that exist?
Click to expand...
I started with CFLs, but have switched over to LED. However, my subjects are modest in size, which allows modest distances and modest size modifiers. This is pretty much the key to happy photography with continuous lights. For large stuff, I switch back to flash.

Kelly Cook
 
I hope DPReview pays you for all this Sailor Blue :)

As always, your help is much appreciated.
 
The florescents are pretty slick, but at least from a beginner's perspective the double-line highlights in the eyes takes a little getting used to.
 
The main issue remains that they are not dimable.

I think LED is the way yo go. That is dimable, powerful and not hot.

I saw some DIY solutions on youtube, and they are really cheap. It's just that manufacturers want to earn a huge profit on these relatively new products and there are no cheap Chinese made substitutes - yet.
 
DPReview007 said:
I think LED is the way yo go. That is dimable, powerful
Click to expand...
I kind of agree with that, as I have made the change from CFL to LED. However, it is really only the panel style LED lights that include a dimmer knob, and they can be expensive. LED bulbs for a household light socket give more light for the $$. But so far the common studio "heads" for household bulbs do not include a dimmer knob. Thus my gadget bag full of different LED bulbs.

The panel lights will fit a lot of setups, but are not particularly well suited for traditional modifiers. Where the bulb type LEDs are fine with any modifier, so long as you can work with the light loss imposed by the modifier.

Kelly
 
Actually there are two ways of dimming fluorescent lights and LEDs.

One is to use dimmable CFLs or LEDs. Of course this means rewiring the multi-bulb lamp holder power cable with a dimmer for the lights instead of an on/off switch.

Another way is to use multiple CFLs or T4 linear fluorescent tubes, each with its own on/off switch.

For non-dimmable CFL bulbs, LEDs, or T4 tubes I would put together a plastic electronics box to enclose a series of switches and electrical sockets, one of each for each light. I would bring power into the box using a single electrical wire that was of sufficient gage to safely carry the maximum electrical load for all the lights combined.

Anyone that is half way handy can do this but to do it safely you do need to have some experience with electrical wiring. If you aren't sure what you are doing then be safe and have an electrician do the wiring for you - the cost will be less than that of a funeral.

If you are capable of doing the wiring safely by yourself you should be able to find all you need at any good home improvement store with the possible exception of the electronics box which you might have to order.
 
Thank you Kelly. Please let me know if and when you find a socket that also includes a dimmer. I will probably follow your example and switch to LEDs / add LEDs to my flashes.
 
Yup, switching out bulbs is a nuisance, at least with still life subjects nobody is tapping their foot with impatience :-D

CFL bulbs still do have the advantage of greater brightness, over LED. The brightest A-shape LED that I have found locally is 17W, which is equiv to 100W tungsten. Not real bright, but enough light for my tabletop shots. CFLs can double that, and better. But those CFLs are very bulky, not a good fit for the more common reflector bases. Which is why you usually see the big CFLs tucked away inside a softbox. I don't do portraits, so I have little use for softboxes.

Kelly
 
A company called FalconEyes in Hong Kong make massive CFL and LED that are dimmable and with softboxes. The LEDs are tunable in kelvin from 3000 to 7000k and have barn-doors and diffuser.

I have some CFL that are dimmable with huge softboxes 1.5m high x 700mm wide - means on a stand they are over 1.8m tall lowest height - easily light a whole person or huge product. I was here looking for posts related to LED panels as I'm about to buy some again from FalconEyes direct (no Australian agent available so I just contact them direct and get them shipped)

Here is my recent question: http://www.dpreview.com/forums/post/55404677

I had a few FalconEyes reflectors and things and I think the quality is professional - so purchased a whole studio setup from them to be shipped to my client's factory in China where they sent me to photograph bikes - the background supports and stands are better than a lot of my own equipment so I keep on buying from them for my own studio... I think the LEDs will be great at approx 2000W equivalent tungsten output - about 14000 lux at 1m. Their website is pretty terrible though... download a PDF catalogue.
 
Theres lot of Bowens mount led light on ebay. I use one. Search in ebay with keyword: led bowens mount.
 
I purchased a couple of these 5-bulb CFL light heads at $13.95 each, mod'ed a strip of metal with holes so they can stand together on a single light stand, and placed a Godox softbox over them

5-Bulb Light Head from Adorama
5-Bulb Light Head from Adorama



Light Control Panel on the Back for Adjusting Light Output
Light Control Panel on the Back for Adjusting Light Output



Finished Look
Finished Look
 
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