I Need Advice for My New Mini Studio

idoteech

I currently own a Canon Xsi with several decent lenses, but I am ready to move to the next level. I have a 16 x 20 room that I want to convert into a little studio, mainly to do pics of my kids and family. I have only done outdoor pics, but I have enrolled in a night class that will cover the basics of lighting, shutter speed, etc.

To get to the point, I am looking to upgrade my equipment. I am a Canon Girl, so I want to stay with that brand.

Can anyone give me an advice on a new body?
I'd like to stay under $1,000.00 for the body.

I also would like to buy one more new lens. I am looking for something that is definitely a portrait lens (I already have the 50mm) but that will also enable me to take pics from a fairly close distance. Lens budget is under $500 if possible.

As far as lighting, I am looking now at Alien Bees. Has anyone had any experience with them? My lighting and background budget is about $1000.00 also.

Thank you all so much in advance. :bow
God Bless,
Eva

ziggy53

Eva, I suggest that the Canon XSi is fine for now and it would be a bigger payback to purchase additional lenses instead. (So I suggest that you look at a lens budget of $1500 and your background and lights budget of $1000.)

Fast prime lenses do make good portrait lenses and the distance to subject and desired field of view determine the required focal lengths.

You mentioned that you have "several decent lenses", what are they? (Besides the EF 50mm, f1.8.)

You mentioned a 16 x 20 room. What type of portraits do you wish to cover?

Group
Head shot and head and shoulders
3/4 and full length

What lighting styles do you wish to be able to do?

Broad lighting
Short lighting
Rembrandt lighting
Butterfly lighting
Split lighting
Loupe lighting

Art Scott

with Ziggy here......
My first studio was in a Modular home, very small living room and shot diagonally to get the most room and sometimes was out the door so I could get full lengths of more than 1 person.....lens at time was a Vivitar Series 1 70-210....so my career actually started with a 70-210 as my only lens and after I got used to shooting with it, I never really jumped to wider lenses......I used to do one heck of a lot of foot zooming even with the 70-210.

Currently I have a 70-200, 24-70 (both Sigma and both f2.8....on Konica Minolta bodies)...18-70 and 18-200 both Nikon...both really sharp (boy was I surprised when I got these lenses and found out just how sharp they are) both on D300 bodies......now heading back into the land of 2 zooms......looking for good used 24-70 70 (or 80) - 200 both to be f2.8 or a Sigma 17-70 f2.8-4 ....I have done great portraits with the 18-70 & 18-200 but neither are actual "PRO" lenses ad now I need larger aperture fast glass for a visual perspective for clients....I forgot..... I also have a 50 f1.8, 100 &135 primes both f2.8.......those are tiny lenses and I have been asked why I am not using "professional" lenses when I use them........

I would think that for now a set of Sigma lenses 17-70f2.8-4 & 70-200f2.8 would set you up fantastically for many years....all the while saving for some of that coveted white "l" glass that all canonites covet so much

Good Luck

pathfinder

idoteech wrote:

I currently own a Canon Xsi with several decent lenses, but I am ready to move to the next level. I have a 16 x 20 room that I want to convert into a little studio, mainly to do pics of my kids and family. I have only done outdoor pics, but I have enrolled in a night class that will cover the basics of lighting, shutter speed, etc.

To get to the point, I am looking to upgrade my equipment. I am a Canon Girl, so I want to stay with that brand.

Can anyone give me an advice on a new body?
I'd like to stay under $1,000.00 for the body.

For $1k you can't buy a new Canon body that will be substantially better than what you have. You can find used 40Dss and 50D's that will offer a modest improvement in focusing and pixel counts.

I also would like to buy one more new lens. I am looking for something that is definitely a portrait lens (I already have the 50mm) but that will also enable me to take pics from a fairly close distance. Lens budget is under $500 if possible.

For $500 you are going to be limited in your choices of absolutely first rate glass. Like ziggy suggested, why not combine your body and lens budget and get a Canon EF-S 17-55 f2.8 It is a great piece of glass and will offer different focal lengths that are quite useful for studio portraiture.

You can buy a Tamron 17-55 or a 28-75 f2.8 Di zooms that are quite good, within your initial budget.

Of you could buy a Canon 85mm f1.8 that is a superb lens for head and shoulders shots, and is within your $500 budget still.

As far as lighting, I am looking now at Alien Bees. Has anyone had any experience with them? My lighting and background budget is about $1000.00 also.

Aiien Bees get good marks from most folks. The wedding sets from Adorama ( Flashpoint 620 or so ) are what ziggy and I both own and they are quite serviceable within your lighting budget.

If you are limited to a room in your home, you might purchase a Strobist kit from mpex.com - the Starving Student kit - the SC3 with 2 MANUAL speedlites, umbrellas with stands and wireless trigger and receiver for $450 .

In a small studio at home this will provide all the light you will need initially. Then you can add larger studio strobes or a 580ex II later if you need to. Or put that extra money towards more higher quality glass. A simple reflector can be quite useful indoors and out also.

If you are going to shoot kids as candid images at home, a 580ex II and an IR trigger - Canon ST-E2 can be quite usefull with a simple reflector and stand also.

idoteech

I have the 18-55 that came with the camera. I also have a Canon EF 85mm 1:18.

As far as lighting, that is exactly why I am taking the class. I know very little about it, as most of my photography has been outdoors using natural light.

My main shooting will be of - at most - 4 people in a tight formation, if that is even possible. I'm sure I will be doing some head shots, but more than likely full body will be my choice.

I'm sorry that I am a bit ignorant on indoor photography. I think this class will help me a lot. What are your recommendations for other lenses?

My camera is in great shape, so if you think it wise, I'll just hang on to it.

Thanks for all the advice. You guys are the greatest.

I will look into the lenses that you mentioned in the second post.

God BlEsS!
Eva

idoteech

Thanks Pathfinder. Great advice.

pathfinder

If you have the 85 f1.8 and the kit lens, the 18-55, you might be pleased with the 17-40 f4 L. It is not fast, but it is real L quality glass, whether on a crop body or later on a full frame body. The 17-40 L is a much higher quality lens than the 18-55.

Another L glass within your budget, or at least close, is the Canon 135 f2.0 L if you don't buy a newer body. This is one of the finest lenses Canon offers for sale. Small, light, incredibly sharp with bokeh to die for.

If you put an L lens on your body, you will realize your camera body is not what is limiting you, it is the 18-55 kit lens.

ziggy53

idoteech wrote:

I have the 18-55 that came with the camera. I also have a Canon EF 85mm 1:18.

...

You have some decent lenses and the room size is sufficient for your needs, especially if it's clear space.

I believe that you could do OK with just your current lenses, but I do like the EF 50mm, f1.4 USM better than the f1.8 for a lot of reasons. In a 24' room, even accounting for the backdrop and keeping your subject ahead of the backdrop enough to allow for shadows, you should be able to do full length portraits for all but the tallest subjects using a 50mm lens. Using that same lens or the 85mm should work fine for closer views too.

The Canon EF-S 18-55mm, f3.5-5.6 IS would work OK for a small group and give you an appropriate focal length selection and you'll want be at f5.6 for many of the poses. That lens does pretty well at f5.6-f8.

For both the 18-55mm and 50mm, f1.8 you will want to use Live View for critical focus.

Like Pathfinder said, he and I both use Flashpoint II monolights and I find them to be a tremendous value. A couple monolights, add some stands and shoot-though umbrellas, soft boxes or similar modifiers, and you have a great start. I would also add a couple of speedlights and simple slaves to handle background and hair/rim light duties.

http://www.adorama.com/catalog.tpl?op=itemlist&cat1=Flash/Lighting&cat2=Monolights&cat3=Monolight%20Outfits

Backgrounds can be painted walls or hung paper rolls or muslins.

For some background on "how" to light I suggest:

(The following link is at Photoflex but you don't have to use their products, just the techniques and setups.)
http://www.photoflexlightingschool.com/Lighting_Lessons/Basic_Lighting/Portrait_Indoor/index.html

http://westcott301photobasics40inch5in1reflector.com/studio-lighting-setup

http://vietle83.wordpress.com/2008/12/03/basic-portrait-lighting/

Ekaj

read strobist 101 at www.strobist.com before you buy anything.

NikonsandVstroms

2,500 is a big budget for this and could do a lot in whatever avenue of photography you choose to go in depth with.

My standard advice to people is to try lots of different styles for awhile and see what is your true passion then invest there, and with 2,500 for most things you will have a great start. With this in mind and since you are at the beginning stages of buying your gear maybe go with a cheaper light kit to start with. I have done a lot of work in a smaller space but using just 2 100W mono lights and a paper background and 2 people were no problem without even going to 1/2 power. A set up of 200W ones would be fine plus having more lights is always great to help with creative lighting set ups later on.

A new body would make it easier since you have the PC sync but these lights are triggered by strobes so the flash at the lowest setting or something in the hot shoe could work with your XSI.

As for a lens the 17-50 F2.8 Tamron could work, I have heard great things about it and used their 28-75 in some of my studio work.

The lenses are really where I would put my emphasis, bodies will change and that 1000 dollar budget wont give you a huge jump in performance or many new features staying with Canon. Depending on where you feel the need a nice telephoto, macro, or ultra wide angle all could be invaluable.

Brett1000

I agree with the others, "moving to the next level" in camera bodies for studio work will cost considerably more than $1,000 and may not be worth it until you gain some knowledge. You can achieve quite a bit in portrait work by just using a mono-light with umbrella and a reflector - less than $200!

Scott_Quier

FWIW, I tend to agree with the sentiment, "Get glass" and I second the suggestion of a 17-55(ish) ranged zoom. There are at least 3 different offerings on the market right now. I favor the Canon EF-S 17-55 f/2.8 IS USM, but that will eat a big hole in your total budget. I know divamum favors the Tamron variant and her work supports her choice.

One thing missing in the discussion (and I'm surprise Art Scott hasn't mentioned it) is a decent to good flash/incident light meter. If you set up and tear down and/or change your lighting often, a light meter will go a very long way in helping you keep your sanity and will greatly increase the speed at which you can move from one light setup to the next. I tend to favor the Sekonic L-358, but there are lots of choices to consider.

CyberSteak

Was thinking about studio lighting just the other day when I came across this set at Adorama http://www.adorama.com/SAPSKP.html . Seems to be a heck of a deal with a savings of $200. But I can't speak for the quality as I'm still such a noob (may actually change my handle to that...SuchANoob...has a nice ring). Can anyone comment on this set? Really more curious then anything else as I forsee studio lighting as something I won't be using anytime soon due to...well...not having a studio (though I guess it could be taken to shoots?)