How many watt seconds do I need?
 

How many watt seconds do I need? I'm using a 35mm film camera. I'll be
shooting in my single car basement/garage and a smallish living room.
Ambient light from sun is dim, EV4 at 100 ISO for both.

I'd like 3 lights, main, fill and hair/bg/kicker. I assume the main and fill
should be the same w/s but how many w/s should the other light be? I'm
trying to come up with a ratio like 1/2 or 1/4 as many w/s as main.

I also want more than 3 power levels. I think this would be more versatile
and may be a necessity since I don't have room to move lights further from
the subject to reduce power. What do you think?

I apologize if this question is vague but I have never purchased studio
lights before.
Thank you for your help.
me

In article , "me"
wrote:

How many watt seconds do I need? I'm using a 35mm film camera. I'll be
shooting in my single car basement/garage and a smallish living room.
Ambient light from sun is dim, EV4 at 100 ISO for both.

I'd like 3 lights, main, fill and hair/bg/kicker. I assume the main and fill
should be the same w/s but how many w/s should the other light be? I'm
trying to come up with a ratio like 1/2 or 1/4 as many w/s as main.

I also want more than 3 power levels. I think this would be more versatile
and may be a necessity since I don't have room to move lights further from
the subject to reduce power. What do you think?

I apologize if this question is vague but I have never purchased studio
lights before.
Thank you for your help.
me

A really nice feature, perhaps more important than ws is can you
independently adjust output to each of the heads. I have a 1200 ws
Power pack but can't independently adjust the lights, other than to
move them back or forward or use a louver inside the softbox.

1200 is good and strong for 100 asa. More is better if you can afford
it.

--
LF Website @ http://members.verizon.net/~gregoryblank

"To announce that there must be no criticism of the President,
or that we are to stand by the President, right or wrong,
is not only unpatriotic and servile, but is morally treasonable
to the American public."--Theodore Roosevelt, May 7, 1918

In article , "me"
wrote:

How many watt seconds do I need? I'm using a 35mm film camera. I'll be
shooting in my single car basement/garage and a smallish living room.
Ambient light from sun is dim, EV4 at 100 ISO for both.

I'd like 3 lights, main, fill and hair/bg/kicker. I assume the main and fill
should be the same w/s but how many w/s should the other light be? I'm
trying to come up with a ratio like 1/2 or 1/4 as many w/s as main.

I also want more than 3 power levels. I think this would be more versatile
and may be a necessity since I don't have room to move lights further from
the subject to reduce power. What do you think?

I apologize if this question is vague but I have never purchased studio
lights before.
Thank you for your help.
me

A really nice feature, perhaps more important than ws is can you
independently adjust output to each of the heads. I have a 1200 ws
Power pack but can't independently adjust the lights, other than to
move them back or forward or use a louver inside the softbox.

1200 is good and strong for 100 asa. More is better if you can afford
it.

--
LF Website @ http://members.verizon.net/~gregoryblank

"To announce that there must be no criticism of the President,
or that we are to stand by the President, right or wrong,
is not only unpatriotic and servile, but is morally treasonable
to the American public."--Theodore Roosevelt, May 7, 1918

In article , "me"
wrote:

How many watt seconds do I need? I'm using a 35mm film camera. I'll be
shooting in my single car basement/garage and a smallish living room.
Ambient light from sun is dim, EV4 at 100 ISO for both.

I'd like 3 lights, main, fill and hair/bg/kicker. I assume the main and fill
should be the same w/s but how many w/s should the other light be? I'm
trying to come up with a ratio like 1/2 or 1/4 as many w/s as main.

I also want more than 3 power levels. I think this would be more versatile
and may be a necessity since I don't have room to move lights further from
the subject to reduce power. What do you think?

I apologize if this question is vague but I have never purchased studio
lights before.
Thank you for your help.
me

A really nice feature, perhaps more important than ws is can you
independently adjust output to each of the heads. I have a 1200 ws
Power pack but can't independently adjust the lights, other than to
move them back or forward or use a louver inside the softbox.

1200 is good and strong for 100 asa. More is better if you can afford
it.

--
LF Website @ http://members.verizon.net/~gregoryblank

"To announce that there must be no criticism of the President,
or that we are to stand by the President, right or wrong,
is not only unpatriotic and servile, but is morally treasonable
to the American public."--Theodore Roosevelt, May 7, 1918

"Gregory Blank" wrote in message
...
In article , "me"
wrote:

How many watt seconds do I need? I'm using a 35mm film camera. I'll be
shooting in my single car basement/garage and a smallish living room.
Ambient light from sun is dim, EV4 at 100 ISO for both.

I'd like 3 lights, main, fill and hair/bg/kicker. I assume the main and
fill
should be the same w/s but how many w/s should the other light be? I'm
trying to come up with a ratio like 1/2 or 1/4 as many w/s as main.

I also want more than 3 power levels. I think this would be more
versatile
and may be a necessity since I don't have room to move lights further
from
the subject to reduce power. What do you think?

I apologize if this question is vague but I have never purchased studio
lights before.
Thank you for your help.
me

A really nice feature, perhaps more important than ws is can you
independently adjust output to each of the heads. I have a 1200 ws
Power pack but can't independently adjust the lights, other than to
move them back or forward or use a louver inside the softbox.

I should have said I'm more interested in monolights than power pack /
heads. I just knew I'd leave something out!

1200 is good and strong for 100 asa. More is better if you can afford
it.

--
LF Website @ http://members.verizon.net/~gregoryblank

"To announce that there must be no criticism of the President,
or that we are to stand by the President, right or wrong,
is not only unpatriotic and servile, but is morally treasonable
to the American public."--Theodore Roosevelt, May 7, 1918

"Gregory Blank" wrote in message
...
In article , "me"
wrote:

How many watt seconds do I need? I'm using a 35mm film camera. I'll be
shooting in my single car basement/garage and a smallish living room.
Ambient light from sun is dim, EV4 at 100 ISO for both.

I'd like 3 lights, main, fill and hair/bg/kicker. I assume the main and
fill
should be the same w/s but how many w/s should the other light be? I'm
trying to come up with a ratio like 1/2 or 1/4 as many w/s as main.

I also want more than 3 power levels. I think this would be more
versatile
and may be a necessity since I don't have room to move lights further
from
the subject to reduce power. What do you think?

I apologize if this question is vague but I have never purchased studio
lights before.
Thank you for your help.
me

A really nice feature, perhaps more important than ws is can you
independently adjust output to each of the heads. I have a 1200 ws
Power pack but can't independently adjust the lights, other than to
move them back or forward or use a louver inside the softbox.

I should have said I'm more interested in monolights than power pack /
heads. I just knew I'd leave something out!

1200 is good and strong for 100 asa. More is better if you can afford
it.

--
LF Website @ http://members.verizon.net/~gregoryblank

"To announce that there must be no criticism of the President,
or that we are to stand by the President, right or wrong,
is not only unpatriotic and servile, but is morally treasonable
to the American public."--Theodore Roosevelt, May 7, 1918

"Gregory Blank" wrote in message
...
In article , "me"
wrote:

How many watt seconds do I need? I'm using a 35mm film camera. I'll be
shooting in my single car basement/garage and a smallish living room.
Ambient light from sun is dim, EV4 at 100 ISO for both.

I'd like 3 lights, main, fill and hair/bg/kicker. I assume the main and
fill
should be the same w/s but how many w/s should the other light be? I'm
trying to come up with a ratio like 1/2 or 1/4 as many w/s as main.

I also want more than 3 power levels. I think this would be more
versatile
and may be a necessity since I don't have room to move lights further
from
the subject to reduce power. What do you think?

I apologize if this question is vague but I have never purchased studio
lights before.
Thank you for your help.
me

A really nice feature, perhaps more important than ws is can you
independently adjust output to each of the heads. I have a 1200 ws
Power pack but can't independently adjust the lights, other than to
move them back or forward or use a louver inside the softbox.

I should have said I'm more interested in monolights than power pack /
heads. I just knew I'd leave something out!

1200 is good and strong for 100 asa. More is better if you can afford
it.

--
LF Website @ http://members.verizon.net/~gregoryblank

"To announce that there must be no criticism of the President,
or that we are to stand by the President, right or wrong,
is not only unpatriotic and servile, but is morally treasonable
to the American public."--Theodore Roosevelt, May 7, 1918

me wrote:

How many watt seconds do I need? I'm using a 35mm film camera. I'll be
shooting in my single car basement/garage and a smallish living room.
Ambient light from sun is dim, EV4 at 100 ISO for both.

If you're shooting static subjects then ambient lighting (plus flash) is not so
important (but a tripod and cable release are).

I'd like 3 lights, main, fill and hair/bg/kicker. I assume the main and fill
should be the same w/s but how many w/s should the other light be? I'm
trying to come up with a ratio like 1/2 or 1/4 as many w/s as main.

I'd suggest 1 800 and 2 400's if you can afford it. I shoot 2 200's and 1 40
W-s for BG's and it is enough for most shooting at ISO 100 f/5.6 - f/11 with one
or two lights theough a softbox or off an umbrella.

You could probaly get 1 800, 1 400 and 1 ac strobe to start.

You can get fairly low price, low power AC strobes for hair/rimlighting. They
have no control but some creative use of white plastic sheets will pull the
power down further. I took an old Sunpak (about 25 W-s) and mounted it to the
bottom of a cardboard food can (cut a rectangle in the metal bottom and used the
resulting metal flaps to elastic-band the flash to the can) and this made a
lightweght snoot to put hairlights or background spots on the wall. Add a slave
and boom... all set.

I also want more than 3 power levels. I think this would be more versatile
and may be a necessity since I don't have room to move lights further from
the subject to reduce power. What do you think?

Absolutely. Once you have a lighting setup in place, controlling the power
output is essential and tuning by moving the lights is very tedious and affects
the shape of the lighting effect. (I do this all too much, but new lights are
not high on the priority list).


I apologize if this question is vague but I have never purchased studio
lights before.

Shooting with stuido lights is taking full control of the lighting. Your
distrust of AUTO and TTL flash will go up 10 fold afterwards.

I'd like to get AlienBees as they have a full 5 stop control range, modeling
light slaved (or not) to the power level.

Of course you will need an incident flash meter. The Minolta VF is not bad, the
Minolta V is great. The Sekonic 508 is very good (and includes a spot meter).
The meter should have a PC terminal (and it is handy if it has a non-cord mode
as well).

Cheers,
Alan

--
-- r.p.e.35mm user resource: http://www.aliasimages.com/rpe35mmur.htm
-- r.p.d.slr-systems: http://www.aliasimages.com/rpdslrsysur.htm
-- [SI] gallery & rulz: http://www.pbase.com/shootin
-- e-meil: there's no such thing as a FreeLunch.

me wrote:

How many watt seconds do I need? I'm using a 35mm film camera. I'll be
shooting in my single car basement/garage and a smallish living room.
Ambient light from sun is dim, EV4 at 100 ISO for both.

If you're shooting static subjects then ambient lighting (plus flash) is not so
important (but a tripod and cable release are).

I'd like 3 lights, main, fill and hair/bg/kicker. I assume the main and fill
should be the same w/s but how many w/s should the other light be? I'm
trying to come up with a ratio like 1/2 or 1/4 as many w/s as main.

I'd suggest 1 800 and 2 400's if you can afford it. I shoot 2 200's and 1 40
W-s for BG's and it is enough for most shooting at ISO 100 f/5.6 - f/11 with one
or two lights theough a softbox or off an umbrella.

You could probaly get 1 800, 1 400 and 1 ac strobe to start.

You can get fairly low price, low power AC strobes for hair/rimlighting. They
have no control but some creative use of white plastic sheets will pull the
power down further. I took an old Sunpak (about 25 W-s) and mounted it to the
bottom of a cardboard food can (cut a rectangle in the metal bottom and used the
resulting metal flaps to elastic-band the flash to the can) and this made a
lightweght snoot to put hairlights or background spots on the wall. Add a slave
and boom... all set.

I also want more than 3 power levels. I think this would be more versatile
and may be a necessity since I don't have room to move lights further from
the subject to reduce power. What do you think?

Absolutely. Once you have a lighting setup in place, controlling the power
output is essential and tuning by moving the lights is very tedious and affects
the shape of the lighting effect. (I do this all too much, but new lights are
not high on the priority list).


I apologize if this question is vague but I have never purchased studio
lights before.

Shooting with stuido lights is taking full control of the lighting. Your
distrust of AUTO and TTL flash will go up 10 fold afterwards.

I'd like to get AlienBees as they have a full 5 stop control range, modeling
light slaved (or not) to the power level.

Of course you will need an incident flash meter. The Minolta VF is not bad, the
Minolta V is great. The Sekonic 508 is very good (and includes a spot meter).
The meter should have a PC terminal (and it is handy if it has a non-cord mode
as well).

Cheers,
Alan

--
-- r.p.e.35mm user resource: http://www.aliasimages.com/rpe35mmur.htm
-- r.p.d.slr-systems: http://www.aliasimages.com/rpdslrsysur.htm
-- [SI] gallery & rulz: http://www.pbase.com/shootin
-- e-meil: there's no such thing as a FreeLunch.

me wrote:

How many watt seconds do I need? I'm using a 35mm film camera. I'll be
shooting in my single car basement/garage and a smallish living room.
Ambient light from sun is dim, EV4 at 100 ISO for both.

If you're shooting static subjects then ambient lighting (plus flash) is not so
important (but a tripod and cable release are).

I'd like 3 lights, main, fill and hair/bg/kicker. I assume the main and fill
should be the same w/s but how many w/s should the other light be? I'm
trying to come up with a ratio like 1/2 or 1/4 as many w/s as main.

I'd suggest 1 800 and 2 400's if you can afford it. I shoot 2 200's and 1 40
W-s for BG's and it is enough for most shooting at ISO 100 f/5.6 - f/11 with one
or two lights theough a softbox or off an umbrella.

You could probaly get 1 800, 1 400 and 1 ac strobe to start.

You can get fairly low price, low power AC strobes for hair/rimlighting. They
have no control but some creative use of white plastic sheets will pull the
power down further. I took an old Sunpak (about 25 W-s) and mounted it to the
bottom of a cardboard food can (cut a rectangle in the metal bottom and used the
resulting metal flaps to elastic-band the flash to the can) and this made a
lightweght snoot to put hairlights or background spots on the wall. Add a slave
and boom... all set.

I also want more than 3 power levels. I think this would be more versatile
and may be a necessity since I don't have room to move lights further from
the subject to reduce power. What do you think?

Absolutely. Once you have a lighting setup in place, controlling the power
output is essential and tuning by moving the lights is very tedious and affects
the shape of the lighting effect. (I do this all too much, but new lights are
not high on the priority list).


I apologize if this question is vague but I have never purchased studio
lights before.

Shooting with stuido lights is taking full control of the lighting. Your
distrust of AUTO and TTL flash will go up 10 fold afterwards.

I'd like to get AlienBees as they have a full 5 stop control range, modeling
light slaved (or not) to the power level.

Of course you will need an incident flash meter. The Minolta VF is not bad, the
Minolta V is great. The Sekonic 508 is very good (and includes a spot meter).
The meter should have a PC terminal (and it is handy if it has a non-cord mode
as well).

Cheers,
Alan

--
-- r.p.e.35mm user resource: http://www.aliasimages.com/rpe35mmur.htm
-- r.p.d.slr-systems: http://www.aliasimages.com/rpdslrsysur.htm
-- [SI] gallery & rulz: http://www.pbase.com/shootin
-- e-meil: there's no such thing as a FreeLunch.