Great inexpensive studio lights

Joined: 18 Feb 2006 Posts: 268

I have pretty much mastered the art of cheap photography. Favorite tricks include cheap muslin, sheets of plexi, foam core, etc. However, when it comes to lighting I have probably tried not only every DIY lighting setup imaginable and numerous experiments of my own. While I have had some good results, I have never been completely happy.

Last night I did some computer service for a pro photographer friend of mine and he asked if I wanted some of his older lights. Well, of course I did. What he gave me was a Lowel Omni light. While I was thankful, it certainly looked more like an antique than the slick look of an alien be or pro photo light head.

When I got home I did some research on this light and found a lot of pros who swear by these lights and even a camera testing lab that only uses them because they are so consistent and rugged. They also adjust from spot to flood at the flip of a switch. In their prime, these were close to $400 and that was pretty expensive then. Now, they can be had brand new for around $129 and on eBay for about $70!! There are quite a few accessories for them including barn doors, snoots, gels, umbrellas, and speedrings.

If you are looking for a really nice studio light for an exceptionally reasonable price, the Lowel Omni is an excellent light for the price.