Product Review: Photoflex First Studio Portrait Kit

Design and Style

The FirstStar main lamp unit is integrated with its 8 inch reflector making it compact and rugged. The housing and reflector are made of lightweight aluminum with a baked enamel exterior. A small hole in the reflector allows the umbrella shaft to be passed through to the swivel base. There is also a large handle angled out from the swivel base toward the back of the lamp allowing easy positioning of the lamp. The handle is loosened clockwise to allow movement and locks the lamp in place when tightened clockwise. This is a great feature as the lamp reflector can get warm during normal use. All knobs have a solid feel and provide plenty of grip for secure mounting of hardware and accessories. It was nice to see that Photoflex quality was present despite the low cost of this product.

The kit comes with two 45 inch black/white umbrellas for soft creamy light. The ribs of the umbrellas can be removed from the rubber tips and repositioned to change the shape of the umbrella from an octagon to a rectangle or square. The umbrella gets passed through the hole in the reflector and into the swivel base where it is held in place with the locking knob. Illustrated assembly instructions are provided with the kit. Once the umbrellas have been attached, the lights can be angled by twisting the grip handle to the left, positioning the lamp then re-tightening the handle. All kit components are made of high quality materials with a solid look and feel.

In addition to being a complete studio kit, the first studio stands and umbrellas can be used with most standard studio gear. The use of standard stands and umbrellas means that the kit can grow with the photographer by accepting more powerful continuous light sources or by adding the new Photoflex Starflash strobe system down the road. The first studio lamps are not designed to accept soft boxes or modifiers which do not mount with a shaft.

Storage of the first studio kit is a breeze. The swivel base can easily be removed from the lamp assembly for storage. The reflector does extend well beyond the lamp bulb offering some protection, but it may be wise to remove the bulbs for long term storage or rough transport. The first studio umbrellas and light stands fold and stow for easily for storage with the lamp units. Each FirstStar unit weighs about 2 lbs and the total kit weighs about 10 lbs. This kit would make a very handy portable lighting option for the home or small business portrait photographer.

As the kit is a continuous light product, there is no need for expensive replacement flash tubes or second modeling lights. There is also no need for sync cords or slave triggering devices. What you see in the studio is what you will register with your camera. Bulb replacement is also simple as the provided bulbs simply screw into the lamp housing. When dealing with most studio bulbs, handling the bulbs can lead to a buildup of oil on the bulb surface, which can accelerated failure. The bulbs in the First Studio kit are sealed in a glass encasement which allows them to be handled more easily and without causing premature failure - a nice touch.