Umbrella & Tripod advice .... before I buy

Buzz Lightyear

I'm looking at picking up a couple of umbrellas and tripods to be able to do a bit of studio work at home. I'd be using a couple of SB600's clamped onto them.

I'm just looking for a bit of advice on what size umbrella you'd recommend, and weather I should go for the reliable manfrotto tripod or a cheapo as they are only gonna be used to hold the umbrellas and flash.

Thanks in advance

Philip

challengemaster

Well first off I wouldn't be getting tripods, get proper stands - especially if they're only for holding lighting equipment.. There's quite the difference! One goes up to 11+ feet, the other is a tripod which goes.. probably not more than head height?..

Bogen - Manfrotto 8' Compact Light Stand if you really want manfrotto/bogen stuff..

I'm using Calumet light stands.. They're really, really sturdy, and go up to 11ft

Also you do need to get the umbrella swivels with hotshoe mounts on them for the stands.. I've got lastolite ones..

As for umbrellas - try get ones that come with both shoot through and reflective options. Saves having a load of umbrellas

Also check out strobist.com - might help somewhat

democrates

I used a cheap mic stand (~€10 lidl) to hold a 150W halogen light as you'd mount on your gaff or shed.
I've only 8' high rooms and it almost makes that height, but probably isn't as sturdy as official stands. (ps it's still yellow though not as much as a typical vacuum incandescant, with wb set to tungsten and a bit of pp it was fine for recreational purposes).

Buzz Lightyear

Cheers lads.
Thanks for the clarification onthe tripod/stands, like most folks I only have 8ft high ceilings as well and the 11ft option is nice by comparrison to the eh ... ' head height' if your 5ft tall

I was aware of the hotshoe mounts and umbrella swivels and know the one I want. However what size umbrellas do you reckon on. I know Calumet do a nice small 60", however I would like to leave a bit of room for the model in the room. So I reckon somewhere in between the 30 to 46" wouldn't be too bad, but are we looking at more diffusion with the larger umbrella or am I better of going for the smaller option.

Dodgykeeper

Buzz if you are about Dublin head to DML myself and Shep spent maybe 90 minutes in there on Friday, the guy could not have been nicer showed us all the stands backrounds lights etc, learned a lot, no pressure to buy!

Buzz Lightyear

Dodgykeeper wrote: »

Buzz if you are about Dublin head to DML myself and Shep spent maybe 90 minutes in there on Friday, the guy could not have been nicer showed us all the stands backrounds lights etc, learned a lot, no pressure to buy!

I was only out that was the other day picking up some cable on the far side of the roundabout. Whats he like on prices compared to calmut. A couple of quid is not gonna kill the bank - providing its only a couple of quid and not typical irish prices of the 2000's

bradnailer

Try Paddy at www.barkerphotographic.ie, easy to deal with and delivered to your door.
If there's something you need that's not on his site just e-mail him.

I had posted this in another thread don't know if you'd seen it.
I had sent him a few e-mails with questions on what I wanted he was easy to deal with, just got my gear Monday.