Ring light or CFL Softbox's?

G

grantw

Well-known member
Main use is for various interview set up. I got some interviews coming up in the next month and don't have much to spend on lighting as I'm dumping alot of my budget into new lens' and audio. So I'm trying to get lighting for under $200. I work alone and am going into business' often so it needs to be set up quickly and I don't want to have to worry about taping things together while on location (DIY).

Any suggestions of whether to buy a 300w ring light or (2) two CFL softbox's? Each set up is around $140.

I'm not crazy about the flattening look of the ring light, but it looks like it would be way easier to carry around and set up then two softbox's, even if the boxes are already put together. However I'm worried about the weird ring in the person's eye that I sometimes see in peoples video.
 
i wouldnt use a ring light as my ONLY light. but then sofboxes can be pretty unwieldy to set up and break down too...

lighting is a conversation of compromises: heat vs size vs ease of use vs price.
youre simply NOT going to get the kit you need for under $200. just not possible unless you find some disgruntled wife selling off her cheating husbands stuff... but thats more often than not just an urban legend ; )

if i were trying to set up a cheap, portable light rig. id look at three lowell 250watt prolights with stands and gel frames+gels. but youre looking at about $150 each for those used.
and you'll be dealing with the heat issue.

you might also look into this:
http://www.lincostore.com/product/Linco-PE9030-3350.html
but then you'll still be carting around and screwing in and out 12-18 CFL bulbs all day. and that's a pain...
 
Last edited:
If you're going to go with CFL's, I would recommend getting cheapo Adorama sockets with some shoot-through umbrellas. http://www.adorama.com/LTSK3.html The sockets, umbrellas, and stands can easily fit in a bag and you just need to worry about storing/transporting the bulbs themselves. This is MUCH easier than lugging around a bunch of softboxes. I usually run around with 2 of those setups + 4 105w CFL's (extra bulbs juuuust in case), and everything but the bulbs fit in my camera bag.

If you're going to go the Lowell route, I would actually recommend the Tota lights - the fixtures and bulbs are really compact and the gel frames collapse easily.

It really depends on your style of lighting though. I really dislike strong front lighting, so I would never use a ring light no matter how bright - I normally do a key light and a rim light, with a bounce for fill if I'm feeling fancy (though with CFL's pretty close to the subject, you really don't need a fill IMO).
 
Thanks didn't even think of that.

Powers that be, feel free to move this to lighting.

Thanks hendosan. I actually have two umbrella lights, but just feel like they don't give off enough light. Maybe I'll look into the 105w CFL's though.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top