# What do you think of this....



## Old Griz

Sounds like a good deal for what we do.... Comes with 2 different size cubes and 2 acrylic risers and the lights.. 

http://store.tabletopstudio-store.com/miphkit.html


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## dougle40

Pretty nice but rather expensive don't you think ??


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## Old Griz

Depends how much photography you need to do.... I have a lot to do and want the items on my website to look the best they can for sales...


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## its_virgil

Have you tried making a light tent....from one of the metal frames for hanging file folders and cloth from cloth store? Some use a white lamp shade and shoot through the top hole. A friend has one made from 1/2 inch hot water PVC pipe. The metal reflector lights can be had for $5 each and the website that sells the kit you are looking at sells some nice "daylight" balanced bulbs. Just a thought. 
do a good turn daily!
Don




> _Originally posted by Old Griz_
> <br />Depends how much photography you need to do.... I have a lot to do and want the items on my website to look the best they can for sales...


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## pen-turners

Griz....  How did you fit inside that little box?????

[][]


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## woodscavenger

LOL!


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## DCBluesman

The setup looks excellent, Tom.  I have the Samigon Internet Photo Studio and like it, but this one looks just as good.  One suggestion, though...you might want to shop it on eBay.  I got a brand new Studio from a reputable camera shop and saved about 35% by buying it at auction.  Just a thought.


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## Old Griz

Chris if you look closely you will see that that is probably Rifleman in the box... LOL...


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## GregD

That's a really nice system,for someone with more money than they know what to do with. Tom ( its_virgil) has a great idea with the hanging folder file and cloth and lamp shade.

Just my 2cents.


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## btboone

I read about an interesting setup from a guy that makes jewelery.  He used a white styrofoam ice bucket for his photographic dome with pretty good results.  He put it up-side-down with the light underneath and poked a hole through the side for the camera.  Total cost, something like a dollar.


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## wayneis

Tom if I had an extra two hundred bucks right now I would jump on it, I've been looking at thopse for a while now.  I did just buy a LCD light ring for my camera and it helps a whole lot so with the investment I have already made on my setup I need to make this work for a while longer.

Wayne


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## jdavis

Too expensive at this time. Already spent my budget for this school year. Think I'll try to make one.


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## jkirkb94

Kit's expensive!  Could use just the tent.  It looks like it probably folds into a small circle just like those big pop up tents.  Kirk[8D]


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## wayneis

The inportant part of that kit is the special bulbs. balanced daylight bulbs for photography don't come cheap.

Wayne


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## btboone

My photographic dome has those little fluorescent lights.  They shine from the bottom to the curved white plastic walls to give even lighting.  The white balance setting on the camera can be adjusted for the different types of lights.  I was kind of surprised that the bulbs worked as well as they do, but they give great results.  I did the fountain pen pic and my ring pics with it.


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## JimGo

Just an FYI for anyone still considering this setup; I've seen the boxes on eBay for $20-40 today.


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## Old Griz

_



Originally posted by JimGo
<br />Just an FYI for anyone still considering this setup; I've seen the boxes on eBay for $20-40 today.
		
Click to expand...

_
And you don't post the ebay location.... I thought you like us..[]


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## Rifleman1776

> _Originally posted by Old Griz_
> <br />Chris if you look closely you will see that that is probably Rifleman in the box... LOL...
> [/quot
> 
> 
> The secret is out, I'm only 3" tall. []


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## Rifleman1776

> _Originally posted by dougle40_
> <br />Pretty nice but rather expensive don't you think ??



That was my first reaction also. Some white sheet, inexpensive clamp-on lights and GE Reveal bulbs will give the same results.


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## JimGo

Sorry Tom!  It was late, I was exhausted, and I had just closed the browser window with eBay in it!  I thought about going back to find it, but I figured you guys were smart.  Sorry if I overestimated anyone! [][}]

Here are a few links:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=79010&item=7526322727&rd=1&tc=photo


http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=79010&item=7526322700&rd=1&tc=photo

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=79008&item=7526456797&rd=1&tc=photo

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=79008&item=7525731922&rd=1&tc=photo

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=79008&item=7525734123&rd=1&tc=photo

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=79008&item=7525733260&rd=1&tc=photo

Hope this helps!


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## fritzmccorkle

i bought a light tent off of ebay.  it is really nicely made and does a good job of diffusing and spreading the light, but i don't care for the overall effect for pens.  look in my folder and you can tell which ones are light tent photos.  the don't have any shine on the CA finish.  there are pics in there of my setup.  i'm using a light with a softbox overhead.  you can put a softbox on a camera's flash and shoot it off camera.  this would be a little cheaper than using studio lighting.
fritz


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## fritzmccorkle

also i don't use acrylic risers, but have flat sheets of the white and black that i set on top of a roll of masking tape to get it up a bit (which has no effect on the look of the photo).  it was the concensus of most here that they didn't care for the black, but liked the white.
fritz


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## JimGo

That's funny Fritz, because I actually liked the black, and was going to ask where you found the colored acrylic!  I really like the reflection of the pen in the black picture; I think it gives the pic a sophisticated look.


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## DCBluesman

Fritz--diffused light essentiall tries to eliminate the glare and shadowing.  Showing off a highly polished surface generally means that you are looking for the glare.  Therein lies the conundrum.  A compromise is to use your light tent but to have one unfiltered, direct-angle light such that you can control the angle and amount of both glare and shadow.  As for white or black, after experimenting, I am leaning toward trying a gray.  I'll probably go up to the Wal Mart fabric department (if I can have testosterone reduction done this afternoon .[]) and get some gray cotton fabric to try


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## fritzmccorkle

i'm away from home right now and have been for several days, but while killing time while my wife shopped hobby lobby the other day i picked up small amounts of some new fabric to try.  things i look for in fabric are either fabrics that don't wrinkle or fabrics that wrinkle, but in a nice "crinkled" up way.  havn't to iron before shooting stinks.  there are fortunately several that fit this bill.  i like the lightwieght Lame fabrics and tafetta.  

you're right about the conundrum.  one solution is a very small "kicker" light to give a little shadow and glare.  doesn't have to be big and will probably be easier to control if small.  i am liking the results with my softbox mounted on an overhead light.


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## alamocdc

Lou, it looks like Fritz already had his testosterone reduction. Any guy that can talk fabrics like lame and tafetta... I mean, come on. [] And ironing to boot. Just messin' with ya, Fritz. []


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## fritzmccorkle

hahahahahaaha, you just wait tell you see my fine pens laid out on my new fabrics.  you'll be wanting to know which ones to buy.  hahahahaha


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## Thumbs

Hey, Fritz!  Get out of the fabric shop and back to work!  Ryan is being meaner to me than usual!  Really tough to deal with, not a soft touch like you!  I think he misses you!!!!!!!!![}][][]


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## fritzmccorkle

yeah, he lacks my charm.  not to worry though.  i'll be at work in 45 minutes.  you can call and i'll get to work saving you money.  hahahaa


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## fritzmccorkle

to all you who laughed at my taffeta and lame fabrics i have new pics in my folder with a fine selection of fabric.


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